# 2016 Pirveli Liga

The 2016 Pirveli Liga was the 28th and last season under the name Pirveli Liga before the division was reorganized into Erovnuli Liga 2. It began on 19 August and ended with relegation play-off finals on 10 December.
The season was transitional back to the Autumn-Spring system. Apart from this change, the league consisting of 18 teams was due to be reduced to 10 for 2017. Taking into consideration the upcoming exit of four clubs from Umaglesi Liga at the end of this season, a total of twelve teams of Pirveli Liga were doomed for relegation, while no promotion to the top tier was envisaged.

## Team changes

The best two teams of the 2015–16 season, Liakhvi and WIT Georgia, were denied promotion to Umaglesi Liga. Georgian Football Federation referred to discrepancies found in submitted license documents as the reason behind this decision. Therefore, they both remained in Pirveli Liga.

### To Pirveli Liga
#### Promoted from Meore Liga

Sulori Vani • Gardabani • Mark Stars

#### Relegated from Umaglesi Liga

Merani Martvili • Sapovnela Terjola

### From Pirveli Liga
#### Relegated to Meore Liga

Betlemi Keda • Samegrelo Chkhorotsku • Matchakhela Khelvachauri • Algeti Marneuli • Mertskhali Ozurgeti

#### Promoted to Umaglesi Liga

None

## Review

Within four months the clubs completed the regular season in two groups. Those, who qualified for relegation round, took part in play-offs based on the knock-out rule. As a result, even a third-placed team quit the league.
The season turned out unusual for a large amount of disciplinary decisions made by the Federation with regards to some league members. Overall, 11 teams out of 18 were deducted points for different reasons. Two clubs were found guilty of match-fixing offences, had their points annulled and expelled from the league.

## Teams and stadiums

| Team | City/Town | Stadium | Capacity |
| Borjomi | Borjomi | Jemal Zeinklishvili Stadium | 3,000 |
| Chiatura | Chiatura | Temur Maghradze Stadium | 11,700 |
| Chkherimela Kharagauli | Kharagauli | Soso Abashidze Stadium | 2,000 |
| Gagra | Tbilisi | Merani Stadium | 2,000 |
| Gardabani | Tbilisi | Ameris Stadioni | 500 |
| Imereti Khoni | Khoni | Central Stadium | 1,000 |
| Kolkheti Khobi | Khobi | Central Stadium | 12,000 |
| Liakhvi Tskhinvali | Gori | Kartli Stadium | 1,500 |
| Mark Stars | Tbilisi | Sport complex Shatili | 2,000 |
| Merani Martvili | Martvili | Murtaz Khurtsilava Stadium | 2,000 |
| Meshakhte Tkibuli | Tkibuli | Vladimer Bochorishvili Stadium | 6,000 |
| Odishi 1919 Zugdidi | Zugdidi | Baias Baza | 2,000 |
| Rustavi | Rustavi | Poladi Stadium | 6,000 |
| Samgurali Tskaltubo | Tskaltubo | 26 May Stadium | 12,000 |
| Skuri Tsalenjikha | Tsalenjikha | Sasha Kvaratskhelia Stadium | 4,000 |
| Sapovnela Terjola | Terjola | Central Stadium | 2,500 |
| Sulori Vani | Vani | Stadioni Grigol Nikoleishvili | 2,000 |
| WIT Georgia | Mtskheta | Mtskheta Park | 2,000 |

## League table
### Group Red

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | WIT Georgia (C) | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 34 | 14 | +20 | 36 | |
| 2 | Gagra | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 29 | 21 | +8 | 28 | |
| 3 | Borjomi (R) | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 17 | +5 | 22 | Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
| 4 | Skuri (R) | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 32 | 24 | +8 | 21 | Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
| 5 | Sulori (R) | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 21 | −1 | 21 | Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
| 6 | Chiatura (R) | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 21 | −6 | 20 | Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
| 7 | Sapovnela (R) | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 18 | −4 | 19 | Relegation to Liga 3 |
| 8 | Odishi 1919 (R) | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 31 | 32 | −1 | 19 | Relegation to Liga 3 |
| 9 | Gardabani (R) | 16 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 13 | 42 | −29 | 4 | Relegation to Liga 3 |
* 1 2 3 4 5 Gagra, Borjomi, Sulori, Chiatura and Odishi 1919 were deducted 3 points

### Group White

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Rustavi (C) | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 40 | 15 | +25 | 32 | |
| 2 | Samgurali | 16 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 29 | 24 | +5 | 32 | |
| 3 | Meshakhte (O) | 16 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 12 | +13 | 29 | Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
| 4 | Merani (O) | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 31 | 11 | +20 | 26 | Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
| 5 | Kolkheti (R) | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 24 | −4 | 21 | Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
| 6 | Liakhvi (R) | 16 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 16 | 39 | −23 | 4 | Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
| 7 | Mark Stars (R) | 16 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 34 | −19 | 3 | Relegation to Liga 3 |
| 8 | Imereti (R) | 16 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 20 | 29 | −9 | 0 | Relegation to Liga 3 |
| 9 | Chkherimela (R) | 16 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 45 | −32 | 0 | Relegation to Liga 3 |
* 1 2 3 4 Rustavi, Merani, Liakhvi and Chkherimela were deducted 6 points
* ↑ Mark Stars were deducted 3 points
* ↑ Imereti were deducted 15 points

## Relegation play-offs

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| Liakhvi | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | |
| Borjomi | 1 | 7 | 8 | | | | |
| Borjomi | 1 | 7 | 8 | Borjomi | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| | | | | Merani | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Sulori | 0 | 0 | 0 | Merani | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Merani | 1 | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| Kolkheti | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | |
| Skuri | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | |
| Skuri | 2 | 3 | 5 | Skuri | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | | | | Meshakhte | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Chiatura | 0 | 1 | 1 | Meshakhte | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Meshakhte | 2 | 4 | 6 | | | | |
Source
Following these play-offs Merani Martvili and Meshakhte Tkibuli retained their places in Pirveli Liga.