Liga FUTVE


The Liga FUTVE is the top-flight professional football league of Venezuela. It was created in 1921 and turned professional in 1957. It is organized by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. In 2017, the league rebranded to its current name.

Format

Starting in the 2020 season, 20 teams play in a home-and-away round-robin tournament, with the top eight teams advancing to the semi-final stage.
At the semi-final stage, the eight teams are divided into two groups of four teams each, facing the other teams in their group twice. The two group winners advance to the Serie Final to decide the league champions.

International qualification

  • The champions and runners-up qualify to the group phase of the Copa Libertadores.
  • The team with the most points in the entire season qualifies to the preliminary round of the Copa Libertadores as Venezuela 3.
  • The second and third team with the most points in the entire season qualifies to the Copa Sudamericana as Venezuela 1 and Venezuela 2.
  • If a team won both tournaments that team qualify to the Copa Libertadores as Venezuela 1, then the first and second team with the most points in the entire season qualify to the Copa Libertadores as Venezuela 2 and Venezuela 3 and the fourth and fifth team with the most points in the entire season qualify to the Copa Sudamericana as Venezuela 1 and Venezuela 2.
  • If the winner of the Copa Venezuela does not qualify to the Copa Libertadores through the aforementioned manners or through the point total in the entire season, they take the Venezuela 2 spot in the Copa Sudamericana.

    Relegation

  • The two lowest placed teams in the entire season are automatically relegated to the Segunda División.

    2026 teams

TeamCityStadiumCapacity
Academia Puerto CabelloPuerto CabelloLa Bombonerita7,500
AnzoáteguiPuerto La CruzJosé Antonio Anzoátegui37,485
CaraboboValenciaMisael Delgado10,400
CaracasCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
Deportivo La GuairaCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
Deportivo TáchiraSan CristóbalPolideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo38,755
Estudiantes de MéridaMéridaMetropolitano de Mérida42,200
MetropolitanosCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
MonagasMaturínMonumental de Maturín51,796
PortuguesaAcariguaGeneral José Antonio Páez18,000
Rayo ZulianoMaracaiboJosé "Pachencho" Romero40,800
TrujillanosValeraJosé Alberto Pérez25,000
Universidad CentralCaracasOlímpico de la UCV23,940
ZamoraBarinasAgustín Tovar29,800

List of champions

List of champions since the first championship held in 1920. The Primera División turned professional on 21 February 1957.

Amateur era

Professional era

Titles by club

Clubs in bold compete in Primera División as of the 2026 season. Clubs in italic no longer exist.
RankClubWinnersRunners-UpWinning yearsRunners-Up years
1Caracas1251991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 20192004–05, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2021, 2023
2Deportivo Táchira1191979, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1999–00, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2014–15, 2021, 2023, 20241982, 1985, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2020
3Unión731932, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1947, 19501929, 1930, 1948
4Dos Caminos671936, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1945, 19491932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1944
5Deportivo Petare571961, 1963, 1966, 1972, 1998–991965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1984, 1999–00, 2008–09
5Portuguesa531973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 19781974, 1980, 1983
7Centro Atlético471922, 1924, 1926, 19301921, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1936, 1946
7Deportivo Galicia451964, 1969, 1970, 19741967, 1972, 1978, 1979
7Deportivo Portugués431958, 1960, 1962, 19671959, 1963, 1966
7Universidad Central431951, 1953, 1957, 20251947, 1949, 1962
7Marítimo411986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1992–931990–91
7Zamora412012–13, 2013–14, 2016, 20182010–11
7Deportivo Venezuela41928, 1929, 1931, 1933
14Loyola351925, 1943, 19441942, 1945, 1951, 1952, 1954
15Estudiantes de Mérida281980, 19851975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2019
15Deportivo Español231946, 19591955, 1958, 1960
15La Salle231952, 19551950, 1953, 1956
15América211921, 19231922
1521983, 1990–91
20Litoral1419411937, 1938, 1939, 1943
20Carabobo1419711969, 1973, 2024, 2025
20Unión Atlético Maracaibo132004–052002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07
20Minervén131995–961991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95
20Deportivo Lara122011–122017, 2018
20Mineros de Guayana121988–891995–96, 2013–14
20Venzóleo1219271925, 1926
20Atlético Zulia111997–981996–97
20Monagas1120172022
20Banco Obrero11956
20Deportivo La Guaira12020
20Deportivo Vasco11954
20Lara11965
20Metropolitanos12022
20Nacional Táchira12001–02
20San Cristóbal11982
20Unión Deportiva Canarias11968

Half-year / Short tournaments

Apertura and Clausura seasons