Meistriliiga (pronounced [ˈmeistriliːɡ̊ɑː]), officially known as A. Le Coq Premium Liiga for sponsorship reasons, and commonly known as the Premium Liiga, is the highest division of the Estonian Football Association annual football championship. The league was founded in 1992, and was initially semi-professional with amateur clubs allowed to compete. With the help of solidarity mechanisms, the league is fully professional since the 2020 season.[1]
 | |
| Founded | 1992 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Estonia |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Esiliiga |
| Domestic cup(s) | Estonian Cup Estonian Supercup |
| International cup(s) | UEFA Champions League UEFA Conference League |
| Current champions | FCI Levadia (11th title) (2024) |
| Most championships | Flora (15 titles) |
| Most appearances | Andre Frolov (518) |
| Top goalscorer | Maksim Gruznov (304 goals) |
| TV partners | ETV2, ETV+, soccernet.ee |
| Website | jalgpall.ee/liiga |
| Current: 2024 Meistriliiga | |
As in most countries with low temperatures in winter, the season starts in March and ends in November. Meistriliiga consists of ten clubs, all teams play each other four times. After each season the bottom team is relegated and the top team in Esiliiga that year gets promoted. The second last team plays a two-legged play-off with the second team in Esiliiga for a place in the Meistriliiga.
In February 2013, A. Le Coq, an Estonian brewery company, signed a five-year cooperation agreement with the Estonian Football Association, which included Meistriliiga naming rights.[2]
Meistriliiga started using video assistant referee (VAR) from 2023.[3]
2024 season
editThe following 10 clubs will compete in the 2024 Meistriliiga.
| Club | Position in 2023 |
First season in Meistriliiga |
Seasons in Meistriliiga |
First season of current spell |
Number of seasons of current spell |
Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FCI Levadiac | 2nd | 1999 | 26 | 1999 | 26 | 10 | 2021 |
| Floraa, b, c | 1st | 1992 | 34 | 1992 | 34 | 15 | 2023 |
| Kuressaare | 7th | 2000 | 17 | 2018 | 7 | 0 | – |
| Narva Transa, b, c | 8th | 1992 | 34 | 1992 | 34 | 0 | – |
| Nõmme Kaljuc | 5th | 2008 | 17 | 2008 | 17 | 2 | 2018 |
| Nõmme United | 1st (EL) | 2024 | 1 | 2024 | 1 | 0 | – |
| Paide Linnameeskondc | 4th | 2009 | 16 | 2009 | 16 | 0 | – |
| Tallinna Kalev | 3rd | 2007 | 12 | 2022 | 3 | 0[note 1] | – |
| Tammekac | 9th | 2005 | 20 | 2005 | 20 | 0 | – |
| Vaprus | 6th | 2006 | 9 | 2021 | 4 | 0 | – |
a = Founding member of the Meistriliiga
b = Played in every Meistriliiga season
c = Never been relegated from the Meistriliiga
|
Location of clubs in Estonia for the 2024 Meistriliiga season |
Location of clubs in Tallinn for the 2024 Meistriliiga season
|
Champions
editTotal titles won
edit| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flora | 15 | 7 | 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 |
| FCI Levadia | 11 | 11 | 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2024 |
| Nõmme Kalju | 2 | 2 | 2012, 2018 |
| Lantana | 2 | 1 | 1995–96, 1996–97 |
| Norma | 2 | 1 | 1992, 1992–93 |
| TVMK | 1 | 3 | 2005 |
| FCI Tallinn | 1 | 0 | 2016 |
Titles won by club (%)
FC Flora – 38 (44.1%)
FCI Levadia – 11 (32.4%)
Nõmme Kalju FC – 2 (5.9%)
FC Lantana Tallinn – 2 (5.9%)
FC Norma Tallinn - 2 (5.9%)
FC TVMK – 1 (2.9%)
FCI Tallinn - 1 (2.9%)
All-time Meistriliiga table
editThe table is a cumulative record of all match results, points and goals of every team that has played in the Meistriliiga since its inception in 1992. The table that follows is accurate as of the end of the 2022 season. Teams in bold play in the Meistriliiga 2023 season. Numbers in bold are the record (highest) numbers in each column.
In this ranking 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw, and 0 for a loss, although Meistriliiga awarded 2 points for a win until the 1994–95 season. Championship matches, relegation matches and relegation tournament matches involving clubs of lower leagues are not counted. In 1992 Preliminary Round matches were played in two groups. The results of the matches played between teams in same group were taken to second round, thus counted twice, in this table these results are counted once.
The table is sorted by all-time points.
| Pos. |
Club |
Seasons |
Titles |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flora | 32 | 14 | 969 | 682 | 165 | 122 | 2577 | 768 | 1809 | 2211 | 2.28 |
| 2 | Levadia1 | 24 | 10 | 805 | 578 | 143 | 84 | 2140 | 591 | 1549 | 1877 | 2.33 |
| 3 | Narva Trans | 32 | 0 | 970 | 434 | 190 | 346 | 1742 | 1341 | 401 | 1492 | 1.54 |
| 4 | Nõmme Kalju | 15 | 2 | 530 | 313 | 111 | 106 | 1141 | 502 | 639 | 1050 | 1.98 |
| 5 | TVMK2 | 17 | 1 | 452 | 255 | 82 | 115 | 1073 | 516 | 557 | 847 | 1.87 |
| 6 | Tulevik3 | 22 | 0 | 655 | 187 | 112 | 356 | 792 | 1283 | −491 | 673 | 1.02 |
| 7 | Paide Linnameeskond | 14 | 0 | 494 | 188 | 87 | 219 | 734 | 845 | −111 | 651 | 1.32 |
| 8 | Tammeka | 17 | 0 | 634 | 176 | 117 | 341 | 767 | 1235 | −468 | 645 | 1.02 |
| 9 | Sillamäe Kalev | 13 | 0 | 413 | 183 | 65 | 165 | 741 | 681 | 60 | 614 | 1.49 |
| 10 | Kuressaare | 15 | 0 | 504 | 88 | 75 | 341 | 427 | 1283 | −856 | 339 | 0.67 |
| 11 | FCI Tallinn9 | 5 | 1 | 180 | 90 | 41 | 49 | 343 | 212 | 131 | 311 | 1.73 |
| 12 | Tallinna Kalev | 10 | 0 | 354 | 68 | 55 | 231 | 341 | 860 | −519 | 259 | 0.73 |
| 13 | Lantana5 | 7 | 2 | 160 | 88 | 38 | 34 | 341 | 153 | 188 | 302 | 1.89 |
| 14 | Tallinna Sadam | 6 | 0 | 132 | 67 | 19 | 46 | 271 | 168 | 103 | 220 | 1.67 |
| 15 | Eesti Põlevkivi | 9 | 0 | 162 | 50 | 40 | 72 | 224 | 276 | −52 | 190 | 1.17 |
| 16 | Norma | 4 | 2 | 78 | 49 | 7 | 22 | 223 | 111 | 112 | 154 | 1.97 |
| 17 | Merkuur4 | 6 | 0 | 153 | 41 | 28 | 84 | 204 | 404 | −200 | 151 | 0.99 |
| 18 | Vaprus | 7 | 0 | 246 | 35 | 21 | 190 | 235 | 760 | −525 | 126 | 0.51 |
| 19 | Legion | 3 | 0 | 98 | 25 | 22 | 51 | 109 | 174 | −65 | 93 | 0.95 |
| 20 | Lootus6 | 5 | 0 | 148 | 22 | 19 | 107 | 104 | 394 | −290 | 85 | 0.57 |
| 21 | Warrior | 5 | 0 | 156 | 21 | 18 | 117 | 120 | 425 | −305 | 81 | 0.52 |
| 22 | Levadia II1 | 3 | 0 | 84 | 20 | 14 | 50 | 106 | 211 | −105 | 74 | 0.88 |
| 23 | Lelle | 4 | 0 | 80 | 16 | 19 | 45 | 72 | 155 | −83 | 67 | 0.84 |
| 24 | Dünamo | 4 | 0 | 89 | 16 | 11 | 62 | 92 | 277 | −185 | 59 | 0.66 |
| 25 | DAG7 | 4 | 0 | 68 | 16 | 9 | 43 | 85 | 199 | −114 | 57 | 0.84 |
| 26 | Viljandi | 2 | 0 | 72 | 14 | 14 | 44 | 70 | 157 | −87 | 56 | 0.78 |
| 27 | Vigri | 2 | 0 | 32 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 81 | 55 | 26 | 55 | 1.72 |
| 28 | Pärnu Linnameeskond | 2 | 0 | 72 | 11 | 10 | 51 | 62 | 185 | −123 | 43 | 0.60 |
| 29 | Tervis Pärnu | 2 | 0 | 46 | 11 | 5 | 30 | 38 | 92 | −54 | 38 | 0.83 |
| 30 | Keemik | 2 | 0 | 31 | 10 | 6 | 15 | 41 | 72 | −31 | 36 | 1.16 |
| 31 | Ajax | 3 | 0 | 108 | 7 | 13 | 88 | 60 | 449 | −389 | 34 | 0.31 |
| 32 | Pärnu8 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 5 | 5 | 28 | 36 | 120 | −84 | 20 | 0.53 |
| 33 | Lokomotiv | 1 | 0 | 36 | 4 | 6 | 26 | 35 | 115 | −80 | 18 | 0.50 |
| 34 | Maardu Linnameeskond | 1 | 0 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 30 | 118 | −88 | 17 | 0.47 |
| 35 | Pärnu Levadia | 1 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 19 | 96 | −77 | 8 | 0.29 |
| 36 | Tarvas | 1 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 15 | 113 | −98 | 3 | 0.09 |
| 37 | Vall | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 44 | −35 | 1 | 0.07 |
| 38 | Maardu | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 59 | −53 | 0 | 0 |
- Notes
- Note 1: 1999–2003 FC Levadia Maardu, 2004– FC Levadia. Not to be confused with FC Levadia Tallinn 2001–2003 a separate team owned by the steel company Levadia. In 2004 the clubs were merged FC Levadia Maardu were moved to Tallinn and became FC Levadia, former FC Levadia Tallinn became their reserves as FC Levadia II.
- Note 2: 1992 TVMV, 1992-1994 Nikol, 1995–1996 Tevalte-Marlekor, 1996–1997 Marlekor, 1997–2008 TVMK
- Note 3: 1992 Viljandi JK, 1993– Viljandi Tulevik
- Note 4: 1992–2005 Merkuur, 2006 Maag
- Note 5: 1993–1994 Tevalte, 1995–1999 Lantana
- Note 6: 2000–2003 Kohtla-Järve Lootus, 2004 Alutaguse Lootus, 2005–2012 Kohtla-Järve Lootus, then merged and became Kohtla-Järve JK Järve
- Note 7: 1992 Tartu Kalev, 1992–1994 EsDAG, 1994– DAG
- Note 8: 1992 Pärnu JK, 1994–1996 PJK Kalev
- Note 9: 2011–2016 Infonet, 2017 FCI Tallinn
Records
edit- All as of end of 2023 season if not stated otherwise.
Club records
edit- Most seasons in the Meistriliiga: 33 – Flora and Narva Trans (all seasons, 1992–present)
- Most consecutive seasons in the Meistriliiga: 33 – Flora and Narva Trans (all seasons, 1992–present)
- Most titles: 15 – Flora
- Most consecutive titles: 4 – Levadia (2006–2009)
- Biggest title-winning margin: 21 points – 2009; Levadia (97 points) over Sillamäe Kalev (76 points)[4]
- Smallest title-winning margin: 0 points – 1993–94; Flora and Norma both finished on 36 points, Flora won the title in a championship play-off match 5–2.
- Most points in a season: 97 – Levadia (2009), Flora (2022)[4]
- Fewest points in a season: 0 – Maardu (1992)
- Most wins in a season: 31 – Levadia (2009, 36 games), Flora (2022, 36 games)
- Fewest wins in a season: 0 – PJK/Kalev (1995–96, 14 games), Vall (1996–97, 14 games), Lelle (1998, 14 games), Ajax (2011, 36 games), Tarvas (2016, 36 games)
- Most consecutive wins: 17 – Norma (15 May 1992 – 2 October 1993)
- Most defeats in a season: 33 – Tarvas (2016, 36 games)
- Most consecutive matches undefeated: 61 – Levadia (10 May 2008 – 7 November 2009)[5]
- Most goals scored in a season: 138 – TVMK (2005)[4]
- Most goals per game in a season: 4.636 – Norma (1992–93, 102 goals in 22 games)[4]
- Fewest goals scored in a season: 11 – Sillamäe Kalev (1993–94, 22 games), Valga (2000, 28 games), Kuressaare (2003, 28 games), Lootus (2004, 28 games), Ajax (2011, 36 games)
- Fewest goals per game in a season: 0.306 – Ajax (2011, 11 goals in 36 games)
- Most goals conceded in a season: 192 – Ajax (2011, 36 games)[4]
- Fewest goals conceded in a season: 16 – Levadia (2010, 36 games)[4]
- Most clean sheets in one season: 24 – Levadia (2014)[4]
- Most consecutive clean sheets: 13 – Levadia (2014)[4]
- Biggest win: Tevalte 24–0 Sillamäe Kalev (27 May 1994)[4]
- Most hat-tricks in a season: 9 – Norma (1992–93)[4]
Player records
edit
|
|
- Oldest player: Boriss Dugan – 51 years and 153 days (for Ajax v. Tammeka, 5 November 2011)[4]
- Youngest player: Patrik Kristal – 14 years and 245 days (for FCI Levadia v. Tammeka, 15 July 2022)[8]
- Oldest goalscorer: Sergei Zamogilnõi – 43 years and 16 days (for Eesti Põlevkivi v. Vall, 15 September 1996)[4]
- Youngest goalscorer: Martin Vetkal – 15 years and 261 days (for Tallinna Kalev v. Tulevik, 9 November 2019)[9]
- Most goals in a season: 46 – Aleksandrs Čekulajevs (for Narva Trans, 2011)[4]
- Most goals in a match: 10 – Anatoli Novožilov (for Tevalte v. Sillamäe Kalev, 27 May 1994)[4]
- Most consecutive matches scored in: 15 – Tor Henning Hamre (for Flora, 2003)[4]
- Most hat-tricks: 22 – Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko[4]
- Most goals from the penalty spot: 55 – Konstantin Nahk[4]
- Fastest goal: 7 seconds – Promise David (for Nõmme Kalju v. Nõmme United, 28 May 2024)[10]
- Fastest own goal: 5 seconds – Jaanis Kriska (for Levadia v. Kuressaare, 12 September 2009)[4]
- Fastest hat-trick: 5 minutes – Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko (for Flora v. Lootus, 18 October 2004)[11][12]
- Most clean sheets in one season: 24 – Roman Smishko (for Levadia, 2014)[4]
- Longest consecutive run without conceding a goal: 13 games (1,281 minutes) – Roman Smishko (for Levadia, 5 April 2014 – 25 July 2014)[13]
Estonian champions
edit- 1921 – Sport Tallinn (1)
- 1922 – Sport Tallinn (2)
- 1923 – Kalev Tallinn (1)
- 1924 – Sport Tallinn (3)
- 1925 – Sport Tallinn (4)
- 1926 – Tallinna Jalgpalli Klubi (1)
- 1927 – Sport Tallinn (5)
- 1928 – Tallinna Jalgpalli Klubi (2)
- 1929 – Sport Tallinn (6)
- 1930 – Kalev Tallinn (2)
- 1931 – Sport Tallinn (7)
- 1932 – Sport Tallinn (8)
- 1933 – Sport Tallinn (9)
- 1934 – Estonia Tallinn (1)
- 1935 – Estonia Tallinn (2)
- 1936 – Estonia Tallinn (3)
- 1937–38 – Estonia Tallinn (4)
- 1938–39 – Estonia Tallinn (5)
- 1939–40 – Olümpia Tartu (1)
- 1941 – Not finished
- 1942 – PSR Tartu (1) (unofficial)
- 1943 – Estonia Tallinn (6) (unofficial)
- 1944 – Not finished
Bold indicates club's first championship victory.
Estonian SSR champions
edit- 1945 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1946 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1947 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1948 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1949 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1950 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1951 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1952 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1953 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1954 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1955 – Kalev Tallinn
- 1956 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1957 – Kalev Ülemiste
- 1958 – Kalev Ülemiste
- 1959 – Kalev Ülemiste
- 1960 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1961 – Kalev Kopli
- 1962 – Kalev Ülemiste
- 1963 – Tempo Tallinn
- 1964 – Norma Tallinn
- 1965 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1966 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1967 – Norma Tallinn
- 1968 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1969 – Dvigatel Tallinn
- 1970 – Norma Tallinn
- 1971 – Tempo Tallinn
- 1972 – Balti Laevastik Tallinn
- 1973 – Kreenholm Narva
- 1974 – Baltika Narva
- 1975 – Baltika Narva
- 1976 – Dvigatel Tallinn
- 1977 – Baltika Narva
- 1978 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1979 – Norma Tallinn
- 1980 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1981 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1982 – Tempo Tallinn
- 1983 – Dünamo Tallinn
- 1984 – Estonia Jõhvi
- 1985 – Kalakombinaat/MEK Pärnu
- 1986 – Zvezda Tallinn
- 1987 – Tempo Tallinn
- 1988 – Norma Tallinn
- 1989 – Zvezda Tallinn
- 1990 – TVMK Tallinn
- 1991 – TVMK Tallinn
- Balti Laevastik was a Baltic Fleet club
- Zvezda Tallinn was a Tallinn garrison club
- Dvigatel means Motor/Engine
Notes
edit- ^ Tallinna Kalev won two Estonian Championship titles (1923 and 1930) before the formation of the current Meistriliiga
References
edit- ^ "Eesti jalgpalli meistriliiga jätkub teisipäeval uue formaadiga" (in Estonian). Postimees Sport. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ "Kodune tippjalgpall saab peatoetaja" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. 26 February 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- ^ "Premium liiga võtab kasutusele VAR-i". ERR. 3 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "SPORT-EKSTRA: Statistikapomm! Millised rekordeid omavad FC Norma, Raio Piiroja ja hooaeg 1997-98?". Õhtuleht. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ "Levadia üritab kaotuseta Transist mööda tõusta". Estonian Football Association. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ "Premium liigas kõige rohkem mänginute ja väravaküttide TOP 100". Estonian Football Association. 24 November 2019.
- ^ "Premium liiga TOP". jalgpall.ee. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ "Eesti jalgpallilegendi 14-aastane poeg tegi meistriliiga ajalugu". Delfi Sport. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
- ^ "Viimases voorus purustati meistriliiga ajaloo noorima väravalööja rekord". soccernet.ee. 9 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ "VIDEO ⟩ Eesti jalgpalli kõrgliigas sai näha ajaloo üht kiiremat väravat". Postimees Sport (in Estonian). 28 May 2024.
- ^ "Kalju, Flora ja Levadia ei jätnud vastasele võimalust". Postimees. 12 May 2012.
- ^ "Laupäeval võib selguda Eesti meister". Soccernet.ee. 22 October 2004.
- ^ "Infonet üllatas põnevusmängus Levadiat, Smiško võimas rekordseeria sai lõpu". Postimees. 25 July 2014.