Primeira Liga


The Primeira Liga, also known as Liga Portugal Betclic for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Portugal and the highest level of the Portuguese football league system. Organised and supervised by the Liga Portugal, it has been contested by 18 teams since the 2014–15 season, with the three lowest-placed teams relegated to the Liga Portugal 2 and replaced by the top-three non-reserve teams from this division.
Founded in 1934 as Campeonato da Liga da Primeira Divisão, it was named Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão from 1938 until 1999, when it was changed to its current naming. Over 70 teams have competed in the Primeira Liga, but only five have been crowned champions. Among them, the "Big Three" teams – Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP – have won all but two Primeira Liga titles; the other winners are Belenenses and Boavista.
The Primeira Liga reached a world ranking of fourth according to IFFHS's 2011 ranking.

History

Before the Portuguese football reform of 1938, a competition on a round-basis was already being held – the Primeira Liga and the winners of that competition were named "League champions". Despite that, a Championship of Portugal in a knock-out cup format was the most popular and defined the Portuguese champion, although the winners of this competition no longer count as Portuguese football champions.
Then, with the reform, a round-robin basis competition was implemented as the most important of the calendar and began defining the Portuguese champion. From 1938 to 1999, the name Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão or just Primeira Divisão, was used.
Porto won the inaugural edition of the new league championship and successfully defended the title in the next season. In 1939–40 the tournament was expanded from eight to ten clubs, due to an administrative battle between Porto and Académico do Porto, regarding a Regional Championship game that ended with only 43 minutes after the start, and later repeated according to Porto FA decision. FPF came out with a decision to satisfy both clubs, expanding the championship to 10 teams and annulling the result from the repetition match. With this decision, FC Porto lost the Regional title and finished in 3rd, Leixões SC became the new regional champion, while Académico was 2nd place. All 3 teams qualified for 1939–40 Primeira Divisão.
In the 1941–42 season, it was decided to expand the championship from eight to ten teams to admit Braga FA and Algarve FA champions. Porto finished the regional championship in third place again, which did not grant entry into the Primeira Liga. However, a second expand in the same season was decided, which allowed the club to participate.
After the 1945–46 season, the qualifying system based on regional championships was abandoned and adopted a pyramid system, with relegations and promotions between the 3 tiers. The clubs in Primeira Divisão, Segunda Divisão and Terceira Divisão no longer had to play their district championships on the same season as they had been doing since the first seasons of the Liga. Below is a complete record of how many teams played in each season throughout the league's history;
  • 8 clubs: 1934–1939
  • 10 clubs: 1939–1940
  • 8 clubs: 1940–1941
  • 12 clubs: 1941–1942
  • 10 clubs: 1942–1945
  • 12 clubs: 1945–1946
  • 14 clubs: 1946–1971
  • 16 clubs: 1971–1987
  • 20 clubs: 1987–1989
  • 18 clubs: 1989–1990
  • 20 clubs: 1990–1991
  • 18 clubs: 1991–2006
  • 16 clubs: 2006–2014
  • 18 clubs: 2014–present
When the Portuguese League for Professional Football took control of the two nationwide leagues in 1999, it was renamed "Primeira Liga".
SeasonBenficaPortoSporting
2015–16132
2016–17123
2017–18213
2018–19123
2019–20214
2020–21321
2021–22312
2022–23124
2023–24231
2024–25231

Big Three

"The Big Three" is a nickname for the three most powerful sports clubs in Portugal. With the exception of Belenenses in 1945–46 and Boavista in 2000–01, only three clubs have won the Primeira Liga title – Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP. These three clubs generally end up sharing the top three positions and are the only clubs to have played in every season of the competition.
These clubs dominate Portuguese football, and it has become typical for fans to support any of these teams as a "first club", with a local team probably coming afterwards, if at all. The "Big Three" have the highest average attendance ratings every season in Portugal, while many other teams, lacking support from the locals, have suffered from poor attendance. The lack of support for local teams is considered to be one of the main reasons why Portuguese Football registers one of the worst attendance ratings in European Football's best championships, alongside the broadcast of almost all the games on television. In other sports, the rivalry between the big clubs is also considerable and it usually leads to arguments between the fans and players.
Benfica is the club with most league, cup and league cup titles, as well as the most domestic titles and overall titles won, including back-to-back European Cup trophies. Porto is the club with most Portuguese Super Cups and international titles won.
Sporting CP holds the third place when it comes to the most league and cup titles. Benfica is the only Portuguese club to have won two consecutive European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles, reaching ten European finals: seven European Cups and three UEFA Cup/Europa League, and was runner-up in two Intercontinental Cups. Porto is the only Portuguese club since 1987 to have won any international competition, gathering a total of two European Cup/UEFA Champions Leagues, two UEFA Cup/Europa Leagues, one European Super Cup and two Intercontinental Cups and finished runner-up in one European Cup Winner's Cup and three UEFA Super Cups. Sporting won one European Cup Winner's Cup and was runner-up in one UEFA Cup. Apart from the big three, Braga won the last UEFA Intertoto Cup and was runner-up in one UEFA Europa League.

Sponsored names

acquired the naming rights to the league in 2002, titling the division SuperLiga Galp Energia. A four-year deal with Austrian sports betting firm bwin was announced on 18 August 2005 amid questioning by the other gambling authorities in Portugal, who claimed to hold the exclusive rights to legal gambling games in Portuguese national territory. After holding the name Liga betandwin.com for the 2005–06 season, the name was changed to bwin LIGA in July 2006.
From the 2008–09 season to the 2009–10 season the league was named Liga Sagres due to sponsorship from Sagres beer. In 2010, they renewed the sponsorship from Sagres, but also got the sponsorship from ZON Multimédia. The league was named Liga ZON Sagres until 2013–14 after the sponsorship agreement between Sagres, ZON and the league ended. In 2015, the league was named Liga NOS until the 2020–21 season. From 2021 to 2023, it was known Liga Portugal Bwin. Since 2023, it is called Liga Portugal Betclic.
;Sponsorship names for seasons:
  • 2002–2005: SuperLiga Galp Energia
  • 2005–2006: Liga betandwin.com
  • 2006–2008: bwin LIGA
  • 2008–2010: Liga Sagres
  • 2010–2014: Liga ZON Sagres
  • 2014–2021: Liga NOS
  • 2021–2023: Liga Portugal Bwin
  • 2023–: ''Liga Portugal Betclic''

Official match ball

Competition

Since the 2014–15 season, there are 18 clubs in the Primeira Liga, up from 16 in the previous seasons. During the course of a season, each club plays all teams twice – once at their home stadium and once at their opponent's stadium – for a total of 34 games. At the end of each season, the two lowest placed teams are relegated to the Segunda Liga and the top two teams from Segunda Liga are promoted to the Primeira Liga.

Qualification for European competitions

The top teams in Primeira Liga qualify for the UEFA Champions League, with the winner entering the group stage directly. The second placed team enters the playoffs for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League; if they fail to qualify, they enter the UEFA Europa League, along with the Taça de Portugal cup winners. If the Taça de Portugal cup winners qualify for the UEFA Champions League through league placing, the berth is given to the third placed team, who otherwise enter the UEFA Europa League qualification. The number four enters the qualification stages of the UEFA Conference League.

UEFA ranking

UEFA League Ranking as of the 2023–24 season:
  1. English Premier League
  2. Spanish La Liga
  3. German Bundesliga
  4. Italian Serie A
  5. French Ligue 1
  6. Dutch Eredivisie
  7. Portuguese Primeira Liga
  8. Belgian Pro League
  9. Scottish Premiership
  10. Austrian Football Bundesliga

Clubs

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity1st season
in Primeira Liga
No. of seasons
in Primeira Liga
1st season of
current spell
No. of seasons
of current spell
League titlesLast title
AroucaAroucaEstádio Municipal de Arouca5,6002013–1472021–2230-
BenficaLisbonEstádio da Luz68,1001934–35901934–3590382022–23
BoavistaPortoEstádio do Bessa28,2631935–36612014–151012000–01
BragaBragaEstádio Municipal de Braga30,2861947–48681975–76490-
Casa PiaLisbonEstádio Municipal de Rio Maior7,0001938–3932022–2320-
ChavesChavesEstádio Municipal Eng.º
Manuel Branco Teixeira
8,3961985–86182022–2320-
G.D. [Estoril Praia|Estoril]EstorilEstádio António Coimbra da Mota5,0941944–45292021–2230-
Estrela da AmadoraAmadoraEstádio José Gomes9,2881988–89162023–2410-
FamalicãoFamalicão Municipality|Vila Nova de Famalicão]Estádio Municipal 22 de Junho5,1861946–47102019–2050-
FarenseFaroEstádio de São Luís7,0001970–71242023–2410-
FarenseFaroEstádio Algarve22,0001970–71242023–2410-
Gil VicenteBarcelosEstádio Cidade de Barcelos12,0461990–91222019–2050-
MoreirenseMoreira de CónegosParque de Jogos Comendador [Joaquim de Almeida Freitas]6,1502002–03122023–2410-
PortimonensePortimãoEstádio Municipal de Portimão6,2041976–77212017–1870-
PortoPortoEstádio do Dragão50,0331934–35901934–3590302021–22
Rio AveVila do CondeEstádio dos Arcos5,3001979–80292022–2320-
Sporting CPLisbonEstádio José Alvalade52,0951934–35901934–3590212024–25
Vitória de GuimarãesGuimarãesEstádio D. Afonso Henriques30,0291941–42792007–08170-
VizelaVizelaEstádio do FC Vizela6,0001984–8542021–2230-

League attendance record

Since the beginning of the league, there are three clubs with an attendance much higher than the others: Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP. They have also the biggest stadiums in Portugal, with more than 50,000 seats. Other clubs, such as Vitória de Guimarães and Braga, also have good attendances. Académica de Coimbra - O.A.F.|Académica de Coimbra], Vitória de Setúbal, Boavista, Belenenses, and Marítimo are historical clubs, with more than 40 top-flight seasons, from the biggest Portuguese cities, and have also many supporters. However, they do not have big attendances nowadays. Their stadiums have between 10,000 and 30,000 seats.
In the 2023–24 season, Liga Portugal broke the record for stadium attendance in the last 12 years of Liga records, with an increase of more than 10% compared to the previous season. The total accumulated audience figures were 3,707,290 and 556,267 people, giving an average attendance of 12,115 and 1,818 spectators in the Primeira and Segunda Liga, respectively. It's also the highest in the last 34 years and the only one to pass the 12,000 barrier since the 1989–90 season.
This is due to the League's joint initiative with Continente "É Para Cartão" to bring families back to the stadiums. The slogan "Football is You" was a success, as this season many historic clubs in lower leagues managed to have much higher averages than several clubs in the Primeira Liga.
In the following season, 2024-25, the league once again set a new record for stadium attendance, with a 1.5% increase on the previous season. The total accumulated audience totalled 3,761,888 people, giving an average attendance of 12,294 spectators. This is the highest this season and the second time since the 1989/90 season that the 12,000 barrier has been surpassed. This is mainly due to the rise in the averages of Benfica, Sporting, Porto, Vitória de Guimarães, Farense and Gil Vicente, who are the only clubs to have improved their averages, while the rest of the clubs have fallen considerably.
The record season of 2024–25 saw the following statistics per club:

List of champions and top scorers

Performance by club

All Primeira Liga champions have come from either Lisbon or Porto.
ClubWinners
Benfica38311935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1944–45, 1949–50, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2004–05, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2022–231943–44, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1955–56, 1958–59, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2023–24, 2024–25
Porto30291934–35, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1955–56, 1958–59, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–221935–36, 1937–38, 1940–41, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1974–75, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2022–23
21211940–41, 1943–44, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2020–21, 2023–24, 2024–251934–35, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1949–50, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1976–77, 1984–85, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2021–22
Belenenses141945–461936–37, 1944–45, 1954–55, 1972–73
Boavista132000–011975–76, 1998–99, 2001–02
Braga012009–10
011971–72
Académica de Coimbra – O.A.F.|Académica]011966–67

All-time Primeira Liga table

The all-time Primeira Liga table is an overall record of all match results, points, and goals of every team that has played in Primeira Liga since its inception in 1934. The table is accurate as of the end of the 2024–25 season. For comparison, older seasons have been calculated according to the three-points-per-win rule.
1Benfica9158432602178847933462722269400338311741911934–351934–351
2Porto915713260217494663935755227934763029141231891934–351934–351
3Sporting CP91542726021631534437568724513236212130144901934–351934–351
4Vitória de Guimarães803380239293756988633563333234101217431941–422007–083
5Belenenses7731582146877527742335227456071414897431934–352017–181
6Braga69306921268584957732963287885131862301947–481975–762
7Boavista622606190870648871424482657-2091321045251935–362024–251
8Vitória de Setúbal722590207269450887027943119-32513297221934–352019–202
9Académica641935170451638780123463003-6571268171934–352015–162
10Marítimo431760141447238355915731805-23265111977–782022–235
11Rio Ave30116697629328739610281289-2613251979–802022–235
12Estoril30106690827922840112101434-22423161944–452021–224
13Farense269528562452173948981238-3401231970–712024–255
14Paços de Ferreira249237842342213298391106-26711241990–912022–233
15Gil Vicente249028082312093688281106-278221990–912019–205
16Beira-Mar278968582182423988831340-457111961–622012–136
17Nacional21836690219179292805967-16222151988–892024–254
18Portimonense21776678205162313715946-2311121976–772023–245
19Salgueiros247747401971833608041377-5731121943–442001–025
20CUF Barreiro237696102071482558281003-175121261942–431975–763
21Leixões257136701831643237501186-4361121936–372009–105
22União de Leiria18711584184159241620771-1512241979–802011–125
23Atlético CP247106321921343069761285-309211371943–441976–773
24Chaves18702616177171268674885-2112241985–862023–245
25Varzim21683618169176273638913-2751121963–642002–035
26Estrela da Amadora18670608158196254578783-2051988–892023–247
27Barreirense246175921661193077581195-43712471937–381978–794
28Olhanense205655161471242458001057-25712141941–422013–144
29Moreirense14549472138135199497644-147222002–032023–246
30Famalicão12473340121110169463623-160111946–472019–206
31Sporting da Covilhã1545740612679201585834-2491341947–481987–885
32Penafiel13435434106117211351625-2741980–812014–1510
33Lusitano de Évora1441236411664184494722-2281121952–531965–665
34Sporting de Espinho113793549691167336523-1871974–751996–977
35Santa Clara93533069083123329416-871121999–20002024–255
36Arouca83142688171116289377-88222013–142021–225
37Tirsense82682566573118219370-1511967–681995–968
38Tondela72352386152125251378-1272015–162025–2610
39União da Madeira6206208486298177300-1231989–902015–1610
40Naval 1º de Maio6193184494689160255-952005–062010–118
41Oriental de Lisboa|Oriental]71871905037103224438-214111950–511974–755
42Alverca5181170483785192266-741998–992025–2611
43Campomaiorense5178170483488186287-1011995–962000–0111
44Feirense71752224443135187403-2161962–632018–198
45Torreense6163164443189183316-1331955–561991–927
46União de Tomar6162172433396178331-1531968–691975–7610
47Desportivo das Aves61601964040116173320-1471985–862019–2013
48Elvas C.A.D.|O Elvas]5148146373772211283-721947–481987–888
49B-SAD4144136334558117195-782018–192021–229
50Casa Pia4127116342557120190-701938–392022–238
51Leça4124124332566120231-1111941–421997–9812
52Vizela4118132273768138243-951984–852023–2411
53Académico de Viseu410512827247781237-1561978–791988–8913
54Caldas4103104262553124235-1111955–561958–5910
55Montijo3899023204791155-641972–731976–7713
56Amora3899022234590143-531980–811982–8312
57Lusitano VRSA372782194894210-1161947–481949–5012
58Sanjoanense47010416226686249-1631946–471968–6910
59Carcavelinhos56982191251103223-1201121935–361941–424
60Unidos de Lisboa36254188281511456111940–411942–434
61Académico do Porto5608218658137300-1631934–351941–427
62Elvas2544817328108167-591945–461946–479
63Fafe14138914152947-181988–891988–8916
64Felgueiras1333489172947-181995–961995–9616
65Seixal22952783744150-1061963–641964–6512
66Riopele1273069152351-281977–781977–7815
67AVS Futebol SAD12734512172560-352024–252024–2516
68Águeda1263075182555-301983–841983–8415
69Trofense1233058172542-172008–092008–0916
70União de Coimbra1223057182254-321972–731972–7315
71Ginásio de Alcobaça1193047192056-361982–831982–8316
72União de Lisboa111143293049-19111934–351934–356
73Oliveirense1112232172273-511945–461945–4612

Primeira Liga
Liga Portugal 2
Liga 3
Campeonato de Portugal
Portuguese District Championships
Clubs no longer in competition

Records

Team records

  • In 1972–73, Benfica became the first team to win the Portuguese league without defeat, with 58 points in 30 games, the best efficiency ever obtained where 2 points were awarded for a victory. In that season, Benfica set the Portuguese league and European leagues record for most consecutive victories – 29 wins overall, between 1971–72 and 1972–73. Benfica also set the league record for the greatest margin of victory in points over the second-placed team in a 2 points per win championship.
  • In 1977–78, Benfica completed the Portuguese league unbeaten for the second time, despite not having won the league in this season.
  • In 1990–91, Benfica achieved the highest number of wins in a single season – 32.
  • In 1998–99, Porto became the only team to win five consecutive titles.
  • In 2010–11, Porto won the Portuguese league without defeat, with 84 points in 30 games, the best efficiency ever obtained where 3 points were awarded for a victory. That season, Porto also set the league record for the greatest margin of victory in points over the second-placed team in a 3 points per win championship.
  • In 2012–13, Porto won the Portuguese league unbeaten for the second time.
  • In 2020–21, Sporting CP set the record for the longest unbeaten run in a single season with 32 matches out of 34.
  • From 8 November 2020 to 21 April 2022, Porto set the record for the longest unbeaten run in the league: 58 matches.
  • In 2021–22, Porto achieved a record 91 points in the Portuguese league.

Individual records

Appearances

RankPlayerAppearances
1

Top scorers

RankPlayerGoals
1

Player transfer fees


Media coverage

Portugal