 | |
| Founded | 1990; 35 years ago (1990) |
|---|---|
| Country | Georgia |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Number of clubs | 10 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Erovnuli Liga 2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Georgian Cup Georgian Super Cup |
| International cup(s) | UEFA Champions League UEFA Conference League |
| Current champions | Iberia 1999 (2nd title) (2024) |
| Most championships | Dinamo Tbilisi (19 titles) |
| Website | erovnuliliga.ge |
| Current:2025 Erovnuli Liga | |
TheErovnuli Liga (Georgian:ეროვნული ლიგა;lit. 'National League') is the topdivision of professional top tierfootball inGeorgia. Since 1990, it has been organized by the Professional Football League of Georgia andGeorgian Football Federation. From 1927 to 1989, the competition was held as a regional tournament within theSoviet Union. From 2017, the Erovnuli Liga switched to a spring-autumn system, with only 10 clubs in the top flight.
TheErovnuli Liga (Georgian:ეროვნული ლიგა) is the highest division of Georgian football, established in 1990 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Prior to that, Georgian clubs competed within the Soviet league system and the Georgian SSR Championship (1927–1989).
Originally called theUmaglesi Liga (Georgian:უმაღლესი ლიგა, "Supreme League"), the league adopted the nameErovnuli Liga ("National League") after a rebranding in 2017.[1]
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the number of participating teams fluctuated widely:- 1990s: Between 16 and 20 clubs- Early 2000s: Reduced to 10–12 clubs for quality stabilization- 2017 onward: Fixed at 10 clubs
Originally operating on a traditional autumn–spring schedule, the league shifted to a spring–autumn calendar in 2017, aligning with many Nordic and Eastern European competitions. The switch was intended to avoid harsh winter interruptions and better synchronize with UEFA club competition calendars.[2]
| Period | No. of teams | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1990–1999 | 16–20 | Early expansion |
| 2000–2011 | 10–12 | Contraction for financial stability |
| 2012–2016 | 12 | Stable double round-robin format |
| 2017–present | 10 | Spring–autumn calendar, quadruple round-robin |
Teams play each other four times per season (home and away twice), totaling 36 matches per club. The bottom-placed team is relegated toErovnuli Liga 2, while the 9th-placed team enters a promotion/relegation playoff.
Since 2019, the league operates under the official title ofCrystalbet Erovnuli Liga, following a sponsorship deal with the betting company Crystalbet.[3]
The Crystalbet partnership enhanced the league’s marketing efforts, with unified branding across team jerseys, match broadcasts, and official materials. Previously, the league operated without a title sponsor.
- Major matches are broadcast live on1TV Sport andAdjarasport channels.- Non-televised games are streamed via theGFF's official YouTube channel and other online platforms.- Highlight shows and weekly reviews (such as "Erovnuli Ligis Mimokhilva") summarize the matchday action.
As of the 2020s, virtually every league match is available live either on television or digital streams, significantly improving fan access and visibility.
The Georgian Football Federation enforces strictUEFA club licensing regulations for Erovnuli Liga participation, covering:- Stadium standards- Financial transparency- Youth development- Administrative professionalism
By 2024, all Erovnuli Liga clubs successfully met UEFA licensing standards.[4]
Modern stadiums like Batumi’s Adjarabet Arena and Kutaisi’s Ramaz Shengelia Stadium meet UEFA Category 4 standards.
Since the 2020s, the Erovnuli Liga has produced more diverse champions:-FC Saburtalo Tbilisi (2018 champions)-FC Dinamo Batumi (2021 champions)
The league champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round, while second and third-placed teams (and the cup winner) qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers.
Further modernization efforts include:- Gradual preparation forVAR implementation- Enhanced media rights packaging- Youth academy investments through GFF’s strategic plan
The Erovnuli Liga remains vital to the continued development of Georgian football both domestically and internationally.
Below is a complete record of how many teams have played in each season throughout the league's history:
|
|
|
|
(39)
Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2.500) (40)
Erovnuli Liga (9.876)[5] (41)
Latvian Higher League (6.125) (42)
Macedonian First Football League (5.625) (43)
Meistriliiga (5.250)as Georgian SSR
| † | League champions also won theGeorgian Cup, i.e. they completed the domesticDouble. |
AsUmaglesi Liga(Supreme League)
AsErovnuli Liga(National League)
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Third place | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinamo Tbilisi | 19 | 8 | 6 | 1990,1991,1991–92,1992–93,1993–94,1994–95,1995–96,1996–97,1997–98,1998–99,2002–03,2004–05,2007–08,2012–13,2013–14,2015–16,2019,2020,2022 |
| Torpedo Kutaisi | 4 | 4 | 6 | 1999–00,2000–01,2001–02,2017 |
| Dinamo Batumi | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2021,2023 |
| WIT Georgia | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2003–04,2008–09 |
| FC Zestaponi | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2010–11,2011–12 |
| Metalurgi Rustavi | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2006–07,2009–10 |
| Iberia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2018,2024 |
| Samtredia | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2016 |
| Dila Gori | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2014–15 |
| Sioni Bolnisi | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2005–06 |
| National teams |
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| Men's league system |
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| Women's league system |
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| Futsal | |||||
