# Venezuelan Primera División

The Primera División (pronounced; English: First Division), or Liga Venezolana (locally; English: Venezuelan League) 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.

## 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.

## 2024 teams

| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Academia Puerto Cabello | Puerto Cabello | La Bombonerita | 7,500 |
| Angostura | Ciudad Bolívar | Ricardo Tulio Maya | 2,500 |
| Carabobo | Valencia | Misael Delgado | 10,400 |
| Caracas | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV | 23,940 |
| Deportivo La Guaira | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV | 23,940 |
| Deportivo Táchira | San Cristóbal | Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo | 38,755 |
| Estudiantes de Mérida | Mérida | Metropolitano de Mérida | 42,200 |
| Inter de Barinas | Barinas | Agustín Tovar | 29,800 |
| Metropolitanos | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV | 23,940 |
| Monagas | Maturín | Monumental de Maturín | 51,796 |
| Portuguesa | Acarigua | General José Antonio Páez | 18,000 |
| Rayo Zuliano | Maracaibo | José "Pachencho" Romero | 40,800 |
| Universidad Central | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV | 23,940 |
| Zamora | Barinas | Agustín Tovar | 29,800 |

## List of champions

List of champions since the first championship held in 1920. The Primera División turned professional on 21 February 1957.
| Ed. | Season | Champion | Runner-up |
| Amateur era ||||
| 1 | 1921 | América (1) | Centro Atlético |
| 2 | 1922 | Centro Atlético (1) | América |
| 3 | 1923 | América (2) | Centro Atlético |
| 4 | 1924 | Centro Atlético (2) | Vargas |
| 5 | 1925 | Loyola (1) | Venzóleo |
| 6 | 1926 | Centro Atlético (3) | Venzóleo |
| 7 | 1927 | Venzóleo (1) | Centro Atlético |
| 8 | 1928 | Deportivo Venezuela (1) | Centro Atlético |
| 9 | 1929 | Deportivo Venezuela (2) | Unión |
| 10 | 1930 | Centro Atlético (4) | Unión |
| 11 | 1931 | Deportivo Venezuela (3) | Centro Atlético |
| 12 | 1932 | Unión (1) | Dos Caminos |
| 13 | 1933 | Deportivo Venezuela (4) | Dos Caminos |
| 14 | 1934 | Unión (2) | Dos Caminos |
| 15 | 1935 | Unión (3) | Dos Caminos |
| 16 | 1936 | Dos Caminos (1) | Centro Atlético |
| 17 | 1937 | Dos Caminos (2) | Litoral |
| 18 | 1938 | Dos Caminos (3) | Litoral |
| 19 | 1939 | Unión (4) | Litoral |
| 20 | 1940 | Unión (5) | Dos Caminos |
| 21 | 1941 | Litoral (1) | Dos Caminos |
| 22 | 1942 | Dos Caminos (4) | Loyola |
| 23 | 1943 | Loyola (2) | Litoral |
| 24 | 1944 | Loyola (3) | Dos Caminos |
| 25 | 1945 | Dos Caminos (5) | Loyola |
| 26 | 1946 | Deportivo Español (1) | Centro Atlético |
| 27 | 1947 | Unión (6) | Universidad Central |
| 28 | 1948 | Loyola (4) | Unión |
| 29 | 1949 | Dos Caminos (6) | Universidad Central |
| 30 | 1950 | Unión (7) | La Salle |
| 31 | 1951 | Universidad Central (1) | Loyola |
| 32 | 1952 | La Salle (1) | Loyola |
| 33 | 1953 | Universidad Central (2) | La Salle |
| 34 | 1954 | Deportivo Vasco (1) | Loyola |
| 35 | 1955 | La Salle (2) | Deportivo Español |
| 36 | 1956 | Banco Obrero (1) | La Salle |
| Ed. | Season | Champion | Runner-up | Winning manager | Top scorer |
| Professional era ||||||
| 37 | 1957 | Universidad Central (3) | La Salle | Orlando Fantoni | Tonho (Universidad Central, 12 goals) |
| 38 | 1958 | Deportivo Portugués (1) | Deportivo Español | Orlando Fantoni | René Irazque (Portugués, 6 goals) |
| 39 | 1959 | Deportivo Español (2) | Deportivo Portugués | Delfín Benítez Cáceres | Abel Benítez (Deportivo Español, 15 goals) |
| 40 | 1960 | Deportivo Portugués (2) | Deportivo Español | Javier Ferreira | José Luis Iglesias (Deportivo Portugués, 9 goals) |
| 41 | 1961 | Deportivo Italia (1) | Banco Agrícola y Pecuario | Orlando Fantoni | Antonio Ravelo (Banco Agrícola y Pecuario, 11 goals) |
| 42 | 1962 | Deportivo Portugués (3) | Universidad Central | Emilio Huguet | Jaime da Silva (Universidad Central, 16) |
| 43 | 1963 | Deportivo Italia (2) | Deportivo Portugués | Orlando Fantoni | Nino (Deportivo Portugués, 15 goals) |
| 44 | 1964 | Deportivo Galicia (1) | Tiquire Flores | Julio César Britos | Helio Rodrigues (Tiquire Flores, 12 goals) |
| 45 | 1965 | Lara (1) | Deportivo Italia | Gaetano Pintón | Mario Mateo (Lara, 16 goals) |
| 46 | 1966 | Deportivo Italia (3) | Deportivo Portugués | Orlando Fantoni | Ratto (Deportivo Portugués, 20 goals) |
| 47 | 1967 | Deportivo Portugués (4) | Deportivo Galicia | José Julián Hernández | Joao Ramos (Deportivo Portugués, 28 goals) |
| 48 | 1968 | Unión Deportiva Canarias (1) | Deportivo Italia | Manuel Arias | Raimundinho (Deportivo Portugués, 21 goals) |
| 49 | 1969 | Deportivo Galicia (2) | Valencia | Julio César Britos | Eustaquio Batista (Deportivo Italia, 19 goals) Lelo (Valencia, 19 goals) |
| 50 | 1970 | Deportivo Galicia (3) | Deportivo Italia | Silvio Leite | Roland Langon (Deportivo Galicia, 13 goals) |
| 51 | 1971 | Valencia (1) | Deportivo Italia | Walter Roque | Agostinho Sabara (Tiquire Aragua, 20 goals) |
| 52 | 1972 | Deportivo Italia (4) | Deportivo Galicia | Elmo Correa | Francisco Rodriguez (Anzoátegui FC, 18 goals) |
| 53 | 1973 | Portuguesa (1) | Valencia | Walter Roque | Jose Chiazzaro (Estudiantes de Mérida, 14 goals) |
| 54 | 1974 | Deportivo Galicia (4) | Portuguesa | Walter Roque | Jose Chiazzaro (Estudiantes de Mérida, 15 goals) Sergio Hugo Castillo (Anzoátegui FC, 15 goals) |
| 55 | 1975 | Portuguesa (2) | Estudiantes de Mérida | Vladica Popović | Pedro Pascual Peralta (Portuguesa, 20 goals) |
| 56 | 1976 | Portuguesa (3) | Estudiantes de Mérida | Benjamín Fernández | Pedro Pascual Peralta (Portuguesa, 25 goals) |
| 57 | 1977 | Portuguesa (4) | Estudiantes de Mérida | Vladica Popović | Jairzinho (Portuguesa, 20 goals) Juan Cesar Silva (Portuguesa, 20 goals) |
| 58 | 1978 | Portuguesa (5) | Deportivo Galicia | Celino Mora | Andrade (ULA Mérida, 23 goals) |
| 59 | 1979 | Deportivo Táchira (1) | Deportivo Galicia | Esteban Beracochea | Omar Ferrari (Deportivo Táchira, 15 goals) |
| 60 | 1980 | Estudiantes de Mérida (1) | Portuguesa | Ramón Rodríguez | Wilfrido Campos (Portuguesa, 12 goals) |
| 61 | 1981 | Deportivo Táchira (2) | Estudiantes de Mérida | Esteban Beracochea | Rafael Angulo (Deportivo Táchira, 14 goals) |
| 62 | 1982 | San Cristóbal (1) | Deportivo Táchira | Walter Roque | German Montero (Estudiantes, 21 goals) |
| 63 | 1983 | Universidad de Los Andes (1) | Portuguesa | Iván García | Johnny Castellanos (Atlético Zamora, 13 goals) |
| 64 | 1984 | Deportivo Táchira (3) | Deportivo Italia | Carlos Horacio Moreno | Sergio Meckler (Zamora, 15 goals) |
| 65 | 1985 | Estudiantes de Mérida (2) | Deportivo Táchira | Iván García | Sergio Meckler (Deportivo Táchira, 17 goals) |
| 66 | 1986 | Unión Atlético Táchira (4) | Estudiantes de Mérida | Carlos Horacio Moreno | Wilton Arreaza (Caracas, 8 goals) |
| 67 | 1986–87 | Marítimo (1) | Unión Atlético Táchira | Rafael Santana | Johnny Castellanos (Portuguesa, 16 goals) |
| 68 | 1987–88 | Marítimo (2) | Unión Atlético Táchira | Alfredo López | Miguel González (Unión Atlético Táchira, 22 goals) |
| 69 | 1988–89 | Mineros de Guayana (1) | Pepeganga Margarita | Alfredo López | Johnny Castellanos (Mineros, 24 goals) |
| 70 | 1989–90 | Marítimo (3) | Unión Atlético Táchira | Rafael Santana | Herbert Márquez (Marítimo, 19 goals) |
| 71 | 1990–91 | Universidad de Los Andes (2) | Marítimo | Carlos Diéz | Alexander Bottini (Monagas, 15 goals) |
| 72 | 1991–92 | Caracas (1) | Minervén | Manuel Plasencia | Andreas Vogler (Caracas, 25 goals) |
| 73 | 1992–93 | Marítimo (4) | Minervén | Miguel Sabina | Herbert Márquez (Marítimo, 21 goals) |
| 74 | 1993–94 | Caracas (2) | Trujillanos | Manuel Plasencia | Rodrigo Soto (Trujillanos, 20 goals) |
| 75 | 1994–95 | Caracas (3) | Minervén | Pedro Febles | Rogeiro da Silva (Mineros, 30 goals) |
| 76 | 1995–96 | Minervén (1) | Mineros de Guayana | Raúl Cavalleri | Jose Luis Dolgetta (Caracas, 24 goals) |
| 77 | 1996–97 | Caracas (4) | Atlético Zulia | Manuel Plasencia | Rafael Castellín (Caracas, 19 goals) |
| 78 | 1997–98 | Atlético Zulia (1) | Estudiantes de Mérida | Ratomir Dujkovic | Jose Luis Dolgetta (Estudiantes de Mérida/Carabobo, 22 goals) |
| 79 | 1998–99 | Deportivo Italchacao (5) | Unión Atlético Táchira | Raúl Cavalleri | Gustavo Fonseca (Internacional Lara, 24 goals) |
| 80 | 1999–00 | Deportivo Táchira (5) | Deportivo Italchacao | Walter Roque | Juan Enrique García (Caracas, 24 goals) |
| 81 | 2000–01 | Caracas (5) | Trujillanos | Carlos Horacio Moreno | Martín Brignani (Estudiantes de Mérida, 12 goals) |
| 82 | 2001–02 | Nacional Táchira | Estudiantes de Mérida | Carlos Maldonado | Juan Enrique García (Nacional Táchira, 34 goals) |
| 83 | 2002–03 | Caracas (6) | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Noel Sanvicente | Juan Enrique García (Monagas/Mineros, 19 goals) |
| 84 | 2003–04 | Caracas (7) | Deportivo Táchira | Noel Sanvicente | Juan Enrique García (Mineros, 18 goals) |
| 85 | 2004–05 | Unión Atlético Maracaibo (1) | Caracas | Carlos Maldonado | Daniel Delfino (Carabobo, 19 goals) |
| 86 | 2005–06 | Caracas (8) | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Noel Sanvicente | Juan Enrique García (Deportivo Táchira, 21 goals) |
| 87 | 2006–07 | Caracas (9) | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Noel Sanvicente | Robinson Rentería (Trujillanos, 19 goals) |
| 88 | 2007–08 | Deportivo Táchira (6) | Caracas | Carlos Maldonado | Alexander Rondon (Deportivo Anzoátegui, 19 goals) |
| 89 | 2008–09 | Caracas (10) | Deportivo Italia | Noel Sanvicente | Daniel Arismendi (Maracaibo/Deportivo Táchira, 17 goals) Heatklif Castillo (Aragua, 17 goals) |
| 90 | 2009–10 | Caracas (11) | Deportivo Táchira | Ceferino Bencomo | Norman Cabrera (Atlético El Vigía, 20 goals) |
| 91 | 2010–11 | Deportivo Táchira (7) | Zamora | Jorge Luis Pinto | Daniel Arismendi (Deportivo Anzoátegui, 20 goals) |
| 92 | 2011–12 | Deportivo Lara (1) | Caracas | Eduardo Saragó | Rafael Castellín (Deportivo Lara, 21 goals) |
| 93 | 2012–13 | Zamora (1) | Deportivo Anzoátegui | Noel Sanvicente | Gabriel Torres (Zamora, 19 goals) |
| 94 | 2013–14 | Zamora (2) | Mineros de Guayana | Noel Sanvicente | Juan Falcón (Zamora, 19 goals) |
| 95 | 2014–15 | Deportivo Táchira (8) | Trujillanos | Daniel Farías | Edwin Aguilar (Deportivo Anzoategui, 23 goals) |
| 96 | 2016 | Zamora (3) | Zulia | Francesco Stifano | Gabriel Torres (Zamora, 22 goals) |
| 97 | 2017 | Monagas (1) | Deportivo Lara | Jhonny Ferreira | Anthony Blondell (Monagas, 24 goals) |
| 98 | 2018 | Zamora (4) | Deportivo Lara | Alí Cañas | Anthony Uribe (Zamora, 16 goals) |
| 99 | 2019 | Caracas (12) | Estudiantes de Mérida | Noel Sanvicente | Edder Farías (Atlético Venezuela, 18 goals) |
| 100 | 2020 | Deportivo La Guaira (1) | Deportivo Táchira | Daniel Farías | Richard Blanco (Mineros, 8 goals) Edder Farías (Atlético Venezuela, 8 goals) |
| 101 | 2021 | Deportivo Táchira (9) | Caracas | Juan Domingo Tolisano | Samson Akinyoola (Caracas, 18 goals) |
| 102 | 2022 | Metropolitanos (1) | Monagas | José María Morr | Kevin Viveros (Carabobo, 21 goals) |
| 103 | 2023 | Deportivo Táchira (10) | Caracas | Eduardo Saragó | Luifer Hernández (Academia Puerto Cabello, 18 goals) |
| 104 | 2024 | Deportivo Táchira (11) | Carabobo | Edgar Pérez Greco | Juan Camilo Zapata (Inter de Barinas/Universidad Central, 16 goals) |

## Titles by club

Clubs in bold compete in Primera División as of the current season. Clubs in italic no longer exist.
| Rank | Club | Winners | Runners-Up | Winning years | Runners-Up years |
| 1 | Caracas | 12 | 5 | 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2019 | 2004–05, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2021, 2023 |
| 2 | Deportivo Táchira | 11 | 9 | 1979, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1999–00, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2014–15, 2021, 2023, 2024 | 1982, 1985, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2020 |
| 3 | Unión | 7 | 3 | 1932, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1950 | 1929, 1930, 1948 |
| 4 | Dos Caminos | 6 | 7 | 1936, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1945, 1949 | 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1944 |
| 5 | Deportivo Petare | 5 | 7 | 1961, 1963, 1966, 1972, 1998–99 | 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1984, 1999–00, 2008–09 |
| 5 | Portuguesa | 5 | 3 | 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 | 1974, 1980, 1983 |
| 7 | Centro Atlético | 4 | 7 | 1922, 1924, 1926, 1930 | 1921, 1923, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1936, 1946 |
| 7 | Deportivo Galicia | 4 | 5 | 1964, 1969, 1970, 1974 | 1967, 1972, 1978, 1979 |
| 7 | Deportivo Portugués | 4 | 3 | 1958, 1960, 1962, 1967 | 1959, 1963, 1966 |
| 7 | Marítimo | 4 | 1 | 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1992–93 | 1990–91 |
| 7 | Zamora | 4 | 1 | 2012–13, 2013–14, 2016, 2018 | 2010–11 |
| 7 | Deportivo Venezuela | 4 | — | 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933 | — |
| 13 | Loyola | 3 | 5 | 1925, 1943, 1944 | 1942, 1945, 1951, 1952, 1954 |
| 13 | Universidad Central | 3 | 3 | 1951, 1953, 1957 | 1947, 1949, 1962 |
| 15 | Estudiantes de Mérida | 2 | 8 | 1980, 1985 | 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2019 |
| 15 | Deportivo Español | 2 | 3 | 1946, 1959 | 1955, 1958, 1960 |
| 15 | La Salle | 2 | 3 | 1952, 1955 | 1950, 1953, 1956 |
| 15 | América | 2 | 1 | 1921, 1923 | 1922 |
| 15 | Universidad de Los Andes | 2 | — | 1983, 1990–91 | — |
| 20 | Litoral | 1 | 4 | 1941 | 1937, 1938, 1939, 1943 |
| 20 | Carabobo | 1 | 3 | 1971 | 1969, 1973, 2024 |
| 20 | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | 1 | 3 | 2004–05 | 2002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07 |
| 20 | Minervén | 1 | 3 | 1995–96 | 1991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95 |
| 20 | Deportivo Lara | 1 | 2 | 2011–12 | 2017, 2018 |
| 20 | Mineros de Guayana | 1 | 2 | 1988–89 | 1995–96, 2013–14 |
| 20 | Venzóleo | 1 | 2 | 1927 | 1925, 1926 |
| 20 | Atlético Zulia | 1 | 1 | 1997–98 | 1996–97 |
| 20 | Monagas | 1 | 1 | 2017 | 2022 |
| 20 | Banco Obrero | 1 | — | 1956 | — |
| 20 | Deportivo La Guaira | 1 | — | 2020 | — |
| 20 | Deportivo Vasco | 1 | — | 1954 | — |
| 20 | Lara | 1 | — | 1965 | — |
| 20 | Metropolitanos | 1 | — | 2022 | — |
| 20 | Nacional Táchira | 1 | — | 2001–02 | — |
| 20 | San Cristóbal | 1 | — | 1982 | — |
| 20 | Unión Deportiva Canarias | 1 | — | 1968 | — |
* ↑ Zamora won the Torneo de Adecuación in 2015, but this title is not counted as it was not a full season.

## Half-year / Short tournaments
### Apertura and Clausura seasons

| Season | Season | Champion | Runner-up |
| 1996–97 | Apertura | Atlético Zulia | Minervén |
| 1996–97 | Clausura | Caracas | Unión Atlético Táchira |
| 1997–98 | Apertura | Atlético Zulia | Deportivo Italia |
| 1997–98 | Clausura | Estudiantes de Mérida | Trujillanos |
| 1998–99 | Apertura | Unión Atlético Táchira | Estudiantes de Mérida |
| 1998–99 | Clausura | Deportivo Italchacao | Estudiantes de Mérida |
| 1999–00 | Apertura | Deportivo Táchira | Estudiantes de Mérida |
| 1999–00 | Clausura | Deportivo Táchira | Deportivo Italchacao |
| 2001–02 | Apertura | Estudiantes de Mérida | Monagas |
| 2001–02 | Clausura | Nacional Táchira | Monagas |
| 2002–03 | Apertura | Caracas | Deportivo Italchacao |
| 2002–03 | Clausura | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Deportivo Italchacao |
| 2003–04 | Apertura | Caracas | Deportivo Táchira |
| 2003–04 | Clausura | Caracas | Deportivo Táchira |
| 2004–05 | Apertura | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Caracas |
| 2004–05 | Clausura | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Caracas |
| 2005–06 | Apertura | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Deportivo Táchira |
| 2005–06 | Clausura | Caracas | Deportivo Táchira |
| 2006–07 | Apertura | Caracas | Unión Atlético Maracaibo |
| 2006–07 | Clausura | Unión Atlético Maracaibo | Caracas |
| 2007–08 | Apertura | Caracas | Deportivo Anzoátegui |
| 2007–08 | Clausura | Deportivo Táchira | Caracas |
| 2008–09 | Apertura | Deportivo Italia | Monagas |
| 2008–09 | Clausura | Caracas | Deportivo Táchira |
| 2009–10 | Apertura | Deportivo Táchira | Deportivo Italia |
| 2009–10 | Clausura | Caracas | Deportivo Táchira |
| 2010–11 | Apertura | Deportivo Táchira | Real Esppor |
| 2010–11 | Clausura | Zamora | Caracas |
| 2011–12 | Apertura | Deportivo Lara | Caracas |
| 2011–12 | Clausura | Deportivo Lara | Mineros de Guayana |
| 2012–13 | Apertura | Deportivo Anzoátegui | Caracas |
| 2012–13 | Clausura | Zamora | Deportivo Anzoátegui |
| 2013–14 | Apertura | Mineros de Guayana | Caracas |
| 2013–14 | Clausura | Zamora | Mineros de Guayana |
| 2014–15 | Apertura | Trujillanos | Deportivo La Guaira |
| 2014–15 | Clausura | Deportivo Táchira | Caracas |
| 2015 | Adecuación | Zamora | Deportivo La Guaira |
| 2016 | Apertura | Zamora | Deportivo Anzoátegui |
| 2016 | Clausura | Zulia | Deportivo Táchira |
| 2017 | Apertura | Monagas | Caracas |
| 2017 | Clausura | Deportivo Lara | Mineros de Guayana |
| 2018 | Apertura | Zamora | Mineros de Guayana |
| 2018 | Clausura | Deportivo Lara | Deportivo La Guaira |
| 2019 | Apertura | Estudiantes de Mérida | Mineros de Guayana |
| 2019 | Clausura | Caracas | Deportivo Táchira |
| 2024 | Apertura | Carabobo | Metropolitanos |
| 2024 | Clausura | Deportivo Táchira | Carabobo |