2021 Meistriliiga


The 2021 Meistriliiga, also known as A. Le Coq Premium Liiga for sponsorship reasons, was the 31st season of the Meistriliiga, the top Estonian league for association football clubs. The season was scheduled to begin on 5 March 2021, but was delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic until 13 March and concluded on 5 December.
Flora were the defending champions. The title was decided in the last round match between Flora and FCI Levadia. FCI Levadia drew the game, holding on to their one point lead over Flora and winning their 10th Meistriliiga title, their first since 2014.

Teams

Ten teams were competing in the league, nine clubs from the 2020 season and 2020 Esiliiga champions Vaprus who had earned a promotion after a two-year absence. Vaprus were to be relegated at the end of the 2021 season after finishing in the bottom of the table, however 8th Tulevik chose voluntary relegation to due financial difficulties. Tammeka retained their Meistriliiga spot after winning a relegation playoff against Esiliiga runners-up Tallinna Kalev.

Venues

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
FloraTallinnA. Le Coq Arena
KuressaareKuressaareKuressaare linnastaadion
LegionTallinnKadrioru staadion
FCI LevadiaTallinnA. Le Coq Arena
Narva TransNarvaNarva Kreenholm Stadium
Nõmme KaljuTallinnKadrioru staadion
Nõmme KaljuTallinnSportland Arena
Paide LinnameeskondPaidePaide linnastaadion
TammekaTartuTartu Tamme Stadium
TulevikViljandiViljandi linnastaadion
VaprusPärnuPärnu Rannastaadion

Format changes

Due to delayed season opening and many postponed matches, the season was shortened. Instead of the regular format of each team playing each of the other teams four times, the league table will be split after the third playthrough into two sections of top 6 and bottom 4, with each team playing each other in that section.

League table


Results

A total of four rounds will be played. In the first three rounds teams play each other three times. In the fourth round the league was split into 2 groups – top 6, and bottom 4, where they play each team in their group one more time.

Rounds 1–18

Teams play each other twice, once at home and once away.

Rounds 19–27

Teams play each other once, either home or away.

Top six rounds 28–32

Teams play each other once, either home or away.

Bottom four rounds 28–30

Teams play each other once, either home or away.

Relegation play-offs

At season's end Tammeka, the ninth place club, participated in a two-legged play-off with the runners-up of the 2021 Esiliiga, for the spot in 2022 Meistriliiga.
''Tammeka won 3–0 on aggregate.''

Statistics

Hat-tricks

Notes
4Player scored four goals
– Home team
– Away team

Average attendance

Most of the season was played under audience restrictions du to the pandemic. Different teams played a different amount of games in front of spectators.
ClubAverage attendance
Pärnu JK Vaprus495
Tallinna FC Flora472
FCI Levadia305
Viljandi JK Tulevik296
Paide Linnameeskond233
Tartu JK Tammeka226
Nõmme Kalju FC192
FC Kuressaare139
JK Narva Trans122
Tallinna JK Legion91
League average273