View source for Latvian Higher League

{{Short description|Men's association football top division of Latvia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{For|the top-level hockey league in Latvia|Latvian Hockey Higher League}}
{{Infobox football league
| image = 
| caption    = 
| pixels     = 260px
| country    = {{flagcountry|LVA}}
| confed     = [[UEFA]] (Europe)
| rank       = 
| founded    = {{start date and age|1927}} 
| teams      = 10
| relegation = [[Latvian First League|Optibet Nākotnes Līga]]
| levels     = 1
|
| domest_cup = [[Latvian Football Cup|Latvian Cup]]<br />[[Latvian Supercup]]
| confed_cup = [[UEFA Champions League]]<br />[[UEFA Conference League]]
|
| champions  = [[Riga FC]] (4th title)
| season     = [[2025 Latvian Higher League|2025]]
|
| most successful club = [[Skonto FC|Skonto]] (15)
|| tv = '''Domestic'''<br />TV4<br />'''International'''<br />[[Eleven Sports]]<br />[[OneFootball]]
| website              = {{URL|https://tonybetvirsliga.com}}
| current              = [[2025 Latvian Higher League]]
|logo=Tonybet Virslīga logo.svg}}
'''Latvian Higher League''' or '''Virslīga''', also known as '''[[TonyBet]] Virslīga''' for sponsorship reasons,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gaigalietis |first=Niks |date=2024-02-28 |title=Latvijas Virslīgas futbola čempionātam jauns ģenerālsponsors |url=https://tonybetvirsliga.lv/latvijas-virsligas-futbola-cempionatam-jauns-generalsponsors/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=TonyBet Virslīga / Futbola Virslīga |language=lv}}</ref> is a professional [[association football]] league in [[Latvia]] and the highest level of the [[Latvian football league system]]. Organised by the [[Latvian Football Federation]], the league is contested by ten clubs.

==History and league format==

=== History ===
The first all-national Latvian championship – the Virslīga – which succeeded the [[Riga Football Cup|Riga Football League]] and other, parallel regional leagues, was organized in 1927. It succeeded the previous Latvian Championship ({{Langx|lv|Latvijas čempionāts futbolā}}) that was held from 1922 to 1926 in similar fashion.

The Virslīga lasted until the [[Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940]].  After [[World War II]], between 1945 and 1991 the [[Football Championship of the Latvian SSR|championship of Soviet Latvia]] was the main footballing competition in the [[Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic|Latvian SSR]].

With Latvia regaining full independence in [[1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt|August 1991]], the newly re-established Latvian Football Federation (LFF) decided to reorganise its competitions within the Virslīga from 1992.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/lva/|title=Latvia|date=3 September 2018|publisher=UEFA. All rights reserved.|access-date=23 August 2019|archive-date=26 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926073754/https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/member-associations/association%3Dlva/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The same year Latvia returned to [[FIFA]] and became a member of [[UEFA]].

=== Format ===
Latvian Higher League is usually played from early March till November. Although the team count in the league has changed multiple times (10 in 2007<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/let07.html|title=Latvia 2007|last=Mike Dryomin|date=14 March 2008|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=23 July 2012|archive-date=28 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928110444/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/let07.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and 2020, 9 in 2019<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lff.lv/zinas/11444/apstiprina-viriesu-sacensibu-izspeles-modeli-4-gadiem/|title=Sacensību sistēmas modeļa apstiprināšana|website=[[Latvijas Futbola Federācija|lff.lv]]|language=lv|access-date=23 August 2019|archive-date=1 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401160451/https://lff.lv/zinas/11444/apstiprina-viriesu-sacensibu-izspeles-modeli-4-gadiem/|url-status=live}}</ref> and 2021, and 8 in 2015–2018), since 2022, a total of 10 teams participate in the Virslīga. Each side plays 36 games during the season, with 18 games being played at home and the other 18 away. 

At the end of each season, the lowest placed team in the league gets automatically relegated to the [[Latvian First League|Optibet Nākotnes Līga]], with Nākotnes Līga winner replacing them, while the second lowest placed team gets to play in a 2 leg relegation playoff (''Pārspēles'') against the runner-up of the Nākotnes Līga, for the last spot in the league. The winner of Virslīga qualifies for the [[UEFA Champions League]] first qualification round, while runners-up and 3rd place teams qualify for the [[UEFA Europa Conference League|UEFA Conference League]] first qualification round.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dokumenti |url=https://optibetvirsliga.com/dokumenti/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Optibet Virslīga / Futbola Virslīga |language=lv}}</ref>

A winter off-season league cup, the [[Virsligas Winter Cup|Virslīga Winter Cup]], was played in January of each year from 2013 to 2017, which was replaced in 2018 by the '''Virslīga Cup''' ({{Langx|lv|Virslīgas kausa izcīņa}}).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.la.lv/ziemas-kauss-futbola-vairs-nenotiks-to-aizstas-virsligas-kausa-izcina/|title=Ziemas kauss futbolā vairs nenotiks, to aizstās Virslīgas kausa izcīņa|date=22 December 2017|website=[[Latvijas Avīze|LA.lv]]|language=lv|access-date=7 August 2019|archive-date=28 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628003456/http://www.la.lv/ziemas-kauss-futbola-vairs-nenotiks-to-aizstas-virsligas-kausa-izcina/|url-status=live}}</ref> However, since 2024, a revamped off-season tournament, [[Livonia Cup]], is being played from January till February, with teams from Latvia's and Estonia's leagues taking part.

== Sponsorships and name changes ==
The League has changed sponsors for several times. From 2006 until 2010 it was known as the '''[[Latvian Mobile Telephone|LMT]] Virslīga'''. No sponsorships were established for the 2011 season. Starting from the [[2012 Latvian Higher League|2012 season]], the league was reorganised in partnership with an NGO as "'''Latvijas Futbola virslīga'''",<ref>{{cite web |title=About Virslīga |url=http://www.futbolavirsliga.lv/ |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628004502/http://futbolavirsliga.lv/ |archive-date=28 June 2013 |access-date=16 June 2013 |work=Biedrība Latvijas Futbola Virslīga |publisher=Futbolavirsliga.lv }} {{in lang|lv}}</ref> adopting the NGO's name in the 2012 season. From 2013 to 2015, the league was known as the '''SMScredit.lv Virslīga''' due to a contract with the [[Payday loan|online microfinance]] company ''SMScredit''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/sports/futbols/latvijas-futbola-virsligai-nakamaja-sezona-bus-jauns-generalsponsors.a296386/|title=Latvijas futbola virslīgai nākamajā sezonā būs jauns ģenerālsponsors|date=17 October 2018|website=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]]|language=lv|access-date=7 August 2019|archive-date=7 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807155757/https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/sports/futbols/latvijas-futbola-virsligai-nakamaja-sezona-bus-jauns-generalsponsors.a296386/|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2016, it was announced that the Virslīga would be sponsored by SynotTip [[Sports bars|Sports Bar]] on a three-year contract.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/virsliga/10032016-virsliga_ar_synottip_nosledz_verienigako_|title=Virslīga ar "SynotTip" noslēdz vērienīgāko līgumu līgas vēsturē|date=10 March 2016|access-date=13 March 2016|publisher=Sportacentrs.com|language=lv|archive-date=29 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729094333/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/virsliga/10032016-virsliga_ar_synottip_nosledz_verienigako_|url-status=live}}</ref> They were succeeded by [[Sports betting|betting]] firm [[Optibet]] on a two-year contract, beginning with the '''Optibet Virslīga''' [[2019 Latvian Higher League|2019 season]], which lasted until 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://enlabs.se/en/press/pressreleases/2019/becomes-main-sponsor-of-latvian-football-league|title=Becomes main sponsor of Latvian football league|website=Enlabs AB|language=en|access-date=18 March 2019|archive-date=20 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920101025/https://enlabs.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2024 Optibet was replaced by [[TonyBet]].

==Clubs (2024)==
{{location map+ |Latvia
 |float=right
 |width=440
 |alt=Locations of the 2024 Latvian Higher League teams
 |caption=Locations of the 2024 Latvian Higher League teams
 |places=
{{location map~ |Latvia |lat=56.502918 |long=20.995163 |label=[[FK Liepāja]]|position=bottom}}
{{location map~ |Latvia |lat=56.5375 |long=21.1675 |label=[[Grobiņas SC]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |Latvia |lat=56.966667 |long=24.133333 |label=[[FK RFS|RFS]]<br />[[Riga FC]]<br />[[FS METTA/Latvijas Universitāte|METTA/LU]]|position=right}}
{{location map~ |Latvia |lat=56.6608 |long=23.7558 |label=[[FK Jelgava|Jelgava]]|position=bottom}}
{{location map~ |Latvia |lat=57.532064 |long=25.421549 |label=[[Valmieras FK|Valmiera]]|position=top}}
{{location map~ |Latvia |lat=55.875000 |long=26.535556 |label=[[BFC Daugavpils]]|position=top}}
{{location map~ |Latvia |lat=56.970914 |long=23.152481 |label=[[FK Tukums 2000|Tukums 2000]]|position=top}}
{{location map~ |Latvia |lat=57.044046 |long=24.244088 |label=[[FK Auda]]|position=top}}
}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Club
!Position<br />in 2023
|-
| style="text-align:left"|[[FK RFS|RFS]]|| 1st
|- 
| style="text-align:left"|[[Riga FC]] || 2nd
|-
| style="text-align:left"|[[FK Auda]]|| 3rd
|-
| style="text-align:left"|[[Valmiera FC]]|| 4th
|-
| style="text-align:left"|[[FK Liepāja|FK Liepaja]]|| 5th
|-
| style="text-align:left"|[[FS Jelgava]]|| 6th
|-
| style="text-align:left"|[[BFC Daugavpils]] || 7th
|- 
| style="text-align:left"|[[FK Tukums 2000]]|| 8th
|-
| style="text-align:left"|[[FK Metta|Metta/LU]]|| 9th
|-
| style="text-align:left"|[[Grobiņas SC]]|| 1st in [[2023 Latvian First League|2023 Nākotnes Līga]]
|}

==Titles by year==
Source:<ref name=rsf>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/letchamp.html|title=Latvia – List of Champions|last=Almantas Lauzadis and Hans Schöggl|date=23 March 2017|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=9 June 2017|archive-date=12 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812025031/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/letchamp.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Riga Football League===
{{Col-begin|width=40%}}
{{Col-break}}

* 1908 British FC
* 1909 [[Union Riga|RV Union]]
* 1910 [[Union Riga|RV Union]]
* 1911 Britannia FC
* 1912 [[Union Riga|RV Union]]
* 1913 [[SV Kaiserwald]]
* 1914 Britannia FC
* 1915 Britannia FC
{{Col-end}}

===Latvian Championship 1922–1940 (independent)===
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
* 1922 [[Kaiserwald Riga]]
* 1923 [[Kaiserwald Riga]]
* 1924 [[RFK Riga]]
* 1925 [[RFK Riga]]
* 1926 [[RFK Riga]]
* 1927 [[Olimpija Liepāja]]
* 1928 [[Olimpija Liepāja]]
* 1929 [[Olimpija Liepāja]]
* 1930 [[RFK Riga]]
* 1931 [[RFK Riga]]
* 1932 [[FK ASK|ASK Riga]]
* 1933 [[Olimpija Liepāja]]
* 1934 [[RFK Riga]]
* 1935 [[RFK Riga]]
* 1936 [[Olimpija Liepāja]]
* 1937 ''Not played''
* 1938 [[Olimpija Liepāja]]
* 1939 [[Olimpija Liepāja]]
* 1940 [[RFK Riga]]
{{Col-end}}

===Football Championship of Latvian SSR 1942–1990===
{{Main|Football Championship of the Latvian SSR}}

{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
* 1942 [[FK ASK|ASK Riga]]
* 1944 [[FK ASK|ASK Riga]]
* 1945 Dinamo Riga
* 1946 [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja]]
* 1947 [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja]]
* 1948 SA Riga
* 1949 [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja]]
* 1950 AVN Riga
* 1951 [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja]]
* 1952 AVN Riga
* 1953 [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja]]
* 1954 [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepāja]]
* 1955 [[Darba rezerves]] (local [[Trudovye Rezervy]] section)
* 1956 [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepaja]]
* 1957 [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepaja]]
* 1958 [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Sarkanais Metalurgs Liepaja]]
* 1959 RER Riga
* 1960 [[FK ASK|SKA Riga]]
* 1961 [[FK ASK|SKA Riga]]
* 1962 [[FK ASK|SKA Riga]]
* 1963 [[FK ASK|SKA Riga]]
* 1964 [[FK ASK|SKA Riga]]
* 1965 [[FK ASK|SKA Riga]]
* 1966 [[FK Apgaismes tehnika|ESR-Enerģija Riga]]
* 1967 [[FK Apgaismes tehnika|ESR-Enerģija Riga]]
* 1968 [[FK Starts|Starts Brocēni]]
* 1969 [[Venta Ventspils]]
* 1970 [[VEF Rīga (football)|VEF Riga]]
* 1971 [[VEF Rīga (football)|VEF Riga]]
* 1972 [[FK Jūrnieks|Jūrnieks Riga]]
* 1973 [[VEF Rīga (football)|VEF Riga]]
* 1974 [[VEF Rīga (football)|VEF Riga]]
* 1975 [[VEF Rīga (football)|VEF Riga]]
* 1976 [[FK Apgaismes tehnika|Enerģija Riga]]
* 1977 [[FK Apgaismes tehnika|Enerģija Riga]]
* 1978 [[Dinaburg FC|Ķīmiķis Daugavpils]]
* 1979 [[Elektrons Riga]]
* 1980 [[Dinaburg FC|Ķīmiķis Daugavpils]]
* 1981 [[Elektrons Riga]]
* 1982 [[Elektrons Riga]]
* 1983 [[VEF Rīga (football)|VEF Riga]]
* 1984 [[Torpedo Riga]]
* 1985 [[FK Alfa|Alfa Riga]]
* 1986 [[Torpedo Riga]]
* 1987 [[Torpedo Riga]]
* 1988 [[RAF Jelgava]]
* 1989 [[RAF Jelgava]]
* 1990 [[Gauja Valmiera]]
{{Col-end}}

===Since independence in 1991===
{{Col-start}}
{{Col-2}}
*1991 [[Skonto Riga]]
*1992 [[Skonto Riga]]
*1993 [[Skonto Riga]]
*1994 [[Skonto Riga]]
*1995 [[Skonto Riga]]
*1996 [[Skonto Riga]]
*1997 [[Skonto Riga]]
*1998 [[Skonto Riga]]
*1999 [[Skonto Riga]]
*2000 [[Skonto Riga]]
*2001 [[Skonto Riga]]
*2002 [[Skonto Riga]]
*2003 [[Skonto Riga]]
*2004 [[Skonto Riga]]
*2005 [[Liepajas Metalurgs]]
*2006 [[FK Ventspils]]
*2007 [[FK Ventspils]]
*2008 [[FK Ventspils]]
*2009 [[Liepajas Metalurgs]]
*2010 [[Skonto Riga]]
*2011 [[FK Ventspils]]
*2012 [[Daugava Daugavpils]]
*[[2013 Latvian Higher League|2013]] [[FK Ventspils]]
*[[2014 Latvian Higher League|2014]] [[FK Ventspils]]
*[[2015 Latvian Higher League|2015]] [[FK Liepāja|FK Liepaja]]
*[[2016 Latvian Higher League|2016]] [[FK Spartaks Jūrmala|JPFS/FK Spartaks Jurmala]]
*[[2017 Latvian Higher League|2017]] [[FK Spartaks Jūrmala|JPFS/FK Spartaks Jurmala]]
*[[2018 Latvian Higher League|2018]] [[Riga FC]]
*[[2019 Latvian Higher League|2019]] [[Riga FC]]
*[[2020 Latvian Higher League|2020]] [[Riga FC]]
*[[2021 Latvian Higher League|2021]] [[FK Rīgas Futbola skola|RFS]]
*[[2022 Latvian Higher League|2022]] [[Valmiera FC|Valmiera]]
*[[2023 Latvian Higher League|2023]] [[FK Rīgas Futbola skola|RFS]]
*[[2024 Latvian Higher League|2024]] [[FK Rīgas Futbola skola|RFS]]
*[[2025 Latvian Higher League|2025]] [[Riga FC]]
{{Col-end}}

==Topscorers (1992–present)==
{| class=wikitable
|-
!Year
!Top scorers
!Club
!Goals
|- align=left
|[[1992 Latvian Higher League|1992]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[ Vjačeslavs Ževnerovičs]] || [[FK VEF Rīga]]|| 19
|- align=left
|[[1993 Latvian Higher League|1993]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Aleksandrs Jeļisejevs]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 20
|- align=left
|[[1994 Latvian Higher League|1994]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Vladimirs Babičevs]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 14
|- align=left
|[[1995 Latvian Higher League|1995]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Vitālijs Astafjevs]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 19
|- align=left
|[[1996 Latvian Higher League|1996]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Mihails Miholaps]] || [[Torpedo Rīga|Daugava Riga]] || 33
|- align=left
|[[1997 Latvian Higher League|1997]] 
|{{flagicon|Georgia|1990}} [[David Chaladze]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 25
|- align=left
|[[1998 Latvian Higher League|1998]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Viktors Dobrecovs]] || [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs]] || 23
|- align=left
|[[1999 Latvian Higher League|1999]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Viktors Dobrecovs]] || [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs]] || 22
|- align=left
|[[2000 Latvian Higher League|2000]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Vladimirs Koļesņičenko]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 17
|- align=left
|[[2001 Latvian Higher League|2001]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Mihails Miholaps]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 24
|- align=left
|[[2002 Latvian Higher League|2002]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Mihails Miholaps]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 23
|- align=left
|[[2003 Latvian Higher League|2003]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Viktors Dobrecovs]] || [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs]] || 36
|- align=left
|[[2004 Latvian Higher League|2004]] 
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Aleksandr Katasonov]]|| [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs]] || 21
|- align=left
|[[2005 Latvian Higher League|2005]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Viktors Dobrecovs]]<br />{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Igors Sļesarčuks]] || [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs]]<br />[[FK Venta]]/[[FK Ventspils]] || 18
|- align=left
|[[2006 Latvian Higher League|2006]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Mihails Miholaps]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 15
|- align=left
|[[2007 Latvian Higher League|2007]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Vīts Rimkus]] || [[FK Ventspils]] || 20
|- align=left
|[[2008 Latvian Higher League|2008]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Vīts Rimkus]] || [[FK Ventspils]] || 14
|- align=left
|[[2009 Latvian Higher League|2009]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Kristaps Grebis]] || [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs]] || 30
|- align=left
|[[2010 Latvian Higher League|2010]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Deniss Rakels]]<br />{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Nathan Júnior]] || [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs]]<br />[[Skonto FC]] || 18
|- align=left
|[[2011 Latvian Higher League|2011]] 
|{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Nathan Júnior]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 22
|- align=left
|[[2012 Latvian Higher League|2012]] 
|{{flagicon|GEO}} Mamuka Ghonghadze || [[FC Daugava]] || 18
|- align=left
|[[2013 Latvian Higher League|2013]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Artūrs Karašausks]]<br />{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Andrejs Kovaļovs]] || [[Skonto FC]]<br />[[FC Daugava]] || 16
|- align=left
|[[2014 Latvian Higher League|2014]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Vladislavs Gutkovskis]]|| [[Skonto FC]] || 28
|- align=left
||[[2015 Latvian Higher League|2015]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Dāvis Ikaunieks]] || [[FK Liepāja]] || 15
|- align=left
||[[2016 Latvian Higher League|2016]] 
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Ģirts Karlsons]] || [[FK Ventspils]] || 17
|- align=left
||[[2017 Latvian Higher League|2017]] 
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Yevgeni Kozlov]]<br />{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Artūrs Karašausks]]<br />{{flagicon|NGR}} Adeleke Akinjemi || [[FK Spartaks Jūrmala]]<br />[[FK Liepāja]]<br />[[FK Ventspils]] || 10
|- align=left
||[[2018 Latvian Higher League|2018]]
|{{flagicon|SRB}} {{flagicon|MNE}} [[Darko Lemajić]] || [[Riga FC]] || 15
|- align=left
||[[2019 Latvian Higher League|2019]]
|{{flagicon|SRB}} {{flagicon|MNE}} [[Darko Lemajić]] || [[Riga FC]]/[[FK RFS|RFS]] || 15
|- align=left
||[[2020 Latvian Higher League|2020]]
|{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Dodô (footballer, born October 1987)|Dodô]] || [[FK Liepāja]] || 18
|- align=left
||[[2021 Latvian Higher League|2021]]
|{{flagicon|CMR}} [[Leonel Wamba]] || [[FK Spartaks Jūrmala]]|| 14
|- align=left
||[[2022 Latvian Higher League|2022]]
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Raimonds Krollis]] || [[Valmiera FC]] || 24
|- align=left
||[[2023 Latvian Higher League|2023]]
|{{flagicon|LVA}} [[Marko Regža]]  || [[Riga FC]] || 19
|- align=left
||[[2024 Latvian Higher League|2024]]
|{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Reginaldo Ramires]] || [[FK Auda]]/[[Riga FC]] || 25
|- align=left
|}

==Notable managers and players==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Aleksandrs_Starkovs.jpg|[[Aleksandrs Starkovs]] has won 12 league titles since independence with [[Skonto FC|Skonto]] as a manager.
File:Roman_Hryhorchuk_11.08.2013.1.jpg|Three times winner with [[Ventspils]] Ukrainian [[Roman Hryhorchuk]] is the first manager who reached [[Europa League]] group stage in Virslīga history.
File:Māris_Verpakovskis.jpg|First-ever Latvian who scored in [[UEFA European Championship|Euros]] [[Māris Verpakovskis]] has won league titles with both [[Skonto FC|Skonto]] and [[FK Liepāja|Liepāja]].
File:Marians_Pahars.jpg|Ukrainian born [[Marians Pahars]] has won 5 league titles before moving to [[Southampton FC|Southampton]].
File:Viktor_Skripnik.jpg|[[2003–04 Bundesliga|Bundesliga]] winner Ukrainian [[Viktor Skrypnyk]] has won league title with [[Riga FC|Riga]] as a manager.
File:Aleksandrs Koliņko.jpg|[[Aleksandrs Koliņko]], best known for playing for [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] has won 6 league titles totally with [[Skonto FC|Skonto]] as a player and [[FK Spartaks Jūrmala|Spartaks]] as an assistant manager.
</gallery>

==Most titles==
This is a list of clubs, in order of most titles won in championships in independent Latvia (1922–1940 and 1991 to date).<ref name=rsf/>
Teams in '''bold''' are part of 2025 Virslīga.
[[File:Virsliga 2008 Ventspils.jpg|thumb|400x400px|Players of FK Ventspils celebrate after becoming champions in 2008]]

=== By club ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! width="180px"| Club
! No. of Titles
! Years won
|-
| <s>[[Skonto FC|Skonto Riga]]</s>
|align="center"| 15
| 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010
|-
| <s>[[RFK Riga]]</s>
|align="center"| 8
| 1924, 1925, 1926, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1935, 1940 
|-
| <s>[[Olimpia Liepaja|Olimpija Liepāja]]</s>
|align="center"| 7
| 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933, 1936, 1938, 1939
|-
| <s>[[FK Ventspils|Ventspils]]</s>
|align="center"| 6
| 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014 
|-
| '''[[Riga FC]]'''
|align="center"| 4
| [[2018 Latvian Higher League|2018]], [[2019 Latvian Higher League|2019]], [[2020 Latvian Higher League|2020]], [[2025 Latvian Higher League|2025]]
|-
| <s>[[FK ASK|ASK Riga]]</s>
|align="center"| 3
| 1932, 1942, 1944
|-
| [[FK RFS]]
|align="center"| 3
| [[2021 Latvian Higher League|2021]], [[2023 Latvian Higher League|2023]], [[2024 Latvian Higher League|2024]]
|-
| <s>[[Kaiserwald Riga]]</s>
|align="center"| 2
| 1922, 1923
|-
| <s>[[FHK Liepājas Metalurgs|Liepājas Metalurgs]]</s>
|align="center"| 2
| 2005, 2009
|-
| <s>[[FK Spartaks Jūrmala|JPFS/Spartaks Jūrmala]]</s>
|align="center"| 2
| 2016, 2017
|-
| [[Valmiera FC|Valmiera]]
|align="center"| 1
|[[2022 Latvian Higher League|2022]]
|-
| '''[[FK Liepāja]]'''
|align="center"| 1
| 2015
|-
| <s>[[FC Daugava|Daugava Daugavpils]]</s>
|align="center"| 1
| 2012
|}
{{Pie chart
|caption = Titles won by club (%)
|label1 = Skonto Riga – 15
|value1 = 28.3
|color1 = red
|label2 = RFK Riga – 8
|value2 = 15.1
|color2 = #9e3039
|label3 = Olimpia Liepaja – 7
|value3 = 13.2
|color3 = white
|label4 = Ventspils – 6
|value4 = 11.3
|color4 = #febe00
|label5 = FK ASK – 3
|value5 = 5.7
|color5 = #9e3039
|label6 = Riga FC – 3 
|value6 = 5.7
|color6 = #15366f
|label7 = FK Liepājas Metalurgs – 2
|value7 = 3.8
|color7 = #843757
|label8 = Kaiserwald Riga – 2
|value8 = 3.8
|color8 = white
|label9 = FK Spartaks Jūrmala – 2
|value9 = 3.8 
|color9 = red
|label10 = FK RFS – 3
|value10 = 5.7
|color10 = #003599
|label11 = Valmiera FC – 1
|value11 = 1.9
|color11 = black
|label12 = FK Liepāja – 1
|value12 = 1.9
|color12 = #d30731
|label13 = FC Daugava Daugavpils – 1
|value13 = 1.9
|color13 = #001233
}}

== Transfers Virslīga ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2024}}
=== Transfers from Virslīga ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|-
!#
!Player
!From
!To
!Season
!Fee
|-
| 1 || {{flagicon|NGR}} [[Tolu Arokodare]] || [[Valmiera FC]] || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Amiens SC]] || 2022/2023 || '''2,50 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
| 2 || {{flagicon|LVA}} [[Māris Verpakovskis]] || [[Skonto FC]] || {{flagicon|UKR}} [[FC Dynamo Kyiv]] || 2003/2004 || '''2,00 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
| 3  || {{flagicon|SRB}} [[Andrej Ilić]] || [[FK RFS | RFS]]  || {{flagicon|NOR}} [[Vålerenga Fotball]] || 2023/2024 ||'''1,60 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|- 
| 4 || {{flagicon|LVA}} [[Raimonds Krollis]] || [[Valmiera FC]] || {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Spezia Calcio]]|| 2022/2023 || '''1,52 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| 5  || {{flagicon|CGO}} {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Gabriel Charpentier]] ||rowspan="2"| [[FK Spartaks Jūrmala]] || {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Genoa CFC]]|| 2020/2021|| '''1,50 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
| {{flagicon|GHA}} [[Patrick Twumasi]]  || {{flagicon|KAZ}} [[FC Astana]]|| 2014/2015|| '''1,50 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|- 
|7 || {{flagicon|UKR}} {{flagicon|BUL}} [[Borys Tashchy]] || [[JFK Olimps]]||{{flagicon|RUS}} [[FC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo Moscow]]||2011/2012 || '''1,00 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|- 
| 8  || {{flagicon|SRB}} {{flagicon|MNE}} [[Darko Lemajić]] || [[FK RFS | RFS]] || {{flagicon|BEL}} [[K.A.A. Gent]]|| 2021/2022||'''900 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|- 
| 9  || {{flagicon|NGR}} [[Chinonso Offor]] || [[FK RFS | RFS]]|| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chicago Fire FC]]|| 2020/2021||'''760 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|- 
| 10 || {{flagicon|LVA}} [[Aleksandrs Koliņko]]  || [[Skonto FC]] || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Crystal Palace F.C.]]|| 2000/2001||'''750 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
|}

=== Transfers to Virslīga ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|-
!#
!Player
!From
!To
!Season
!Fee
|-
| 1 
| {{flagicon|CRO}} [[Hrvoje Babec]] || {{flagicon|CRO}} [[NK Vihor Jelisavac]] ||rowspan="4"| [[Riga FC]] || 2022/2023 || '''1,60 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
|rowspan="2" | 2 || {{flagicon|PER}} {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Gustavo Dulanto]] || {{flagicon|MDA}} [[FC Sheriff Tiraspol]]|| 2022/2023 ||'''1,00 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
| {{flagicon|CRC}} {{flagicon|NCA}} [[Anthony Contreras]] || {{flagicon|CRC}} [[C.S. Herediano]]  || 2022/2023 ||'''1,00 mln €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|- 
|4|| {{flagicon|PER}} [[Luis Iberico]] || {{flagicon|PER}} [[FBC Melgar]] || 2022/2023 || '''900 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
|5  || {{flagicon|UKR}} {{flagicon|BUL}} [[Borys Tashchy]] || {{flagicon|UKR}} [[FC Chornomorets Odesa]] || [[JFK Olimps]]|| 2011/2012||'''600 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
| 6 || {{flagicon|BIH}} [[Rifet Kapić]]|| {{flagicon|UKR}} [[FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih (2020) | FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih]] || [[Valmiera FC]]|| 2023/2024||'''500 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|- 
|rowspan="2" | 7 ||{{flagicon|CIV}} [[Cédric Gogoua]]||{{flagicon|SRB}} [[FK Partizan]] ||[[Riga FC]]||2016/2017 ||'''350 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|- 
| {{flagicon|GEO}} Lasha Odisharia || {{flagicon|GEO}} [[FC Dinamo Tbilisi]] || [[FK RFS | RFS]] ||2023/2024||'''350 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|- 
| rowspan="2" | 9 
| {{flagicon|BRA}} {{flagicon|POR}} [[Douglas Aurélio]]  || {{flagicon|CYP}} [[Pafos FC]] || [[Riga FC]]|| 2022/2023||'''300 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|-
|{{flagicon|LTU}} [[Audrius Kšanavičius]]  ||{{flagicon|LTU}}  [[FBK Kaunas]] || [[Skonto FC]] || 2001/2002||'''300 tys. €'''{{cn|date=April 2024}}
|}

==Rivalries==
The most well-known rivalry is the ''[[List of association football club rivalries in Europe#Latvia|Kurzeme derby]]'' (Kurzemes derbijs) between [[FK Ventspils|Ventspils]] and [[FK Liepāja|Liepāja]]. The two biggest clubs in [[Courland|Kurzeme]] have played 86 matches between themselves with a record of 31–28–27 (including [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Metalurgs]]) in favor of Liepāja prior to the 2019 Virslīga.<ref>{{cite news|date=20 June 2019|title=Futbola virslīgā tiks aizvadīts Kurzemes derbijs|language=lv|work=TVNET|url=https://sports.tvnet.lv/6711798/futbola-virsliga-tiks-aizvadits-kurzemes-derbijs|access-date=23 August 2019|archive-date=23 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823173810/https://sports.tvnet.lv/6711798/futbola-virsliga-tiks-aizvadits-kurzemes-derbijs|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since 2016, the ''Riga Derby'' (Rīgas derbijs) was started between [[Riga FC]] and [[FK RFS|Rīgas FS]] as two clubs were promoted at the same time. A 2019 match in [[Skonto Stadium]] between the two sides broke a ten-year attendance record.<ref>{{cite news|last=Suveizda|first=Agris|date=2 June 2019|title=Rīgas derbijs labo Virslīgas desmitgades apmeklētības rekordu|language=lv|work=SportaCentrs.com|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/virsliga/02062019-rigas_derbijs_labo_virsligas_desmitgades_|access-date=23 August 2019|archive-date=7 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907120018/http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/virsliga/02062019-rigas_derbijs_labo_virsligas_desmitgades_|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Virslīga clubs in international competitions==

'''[[UEFA competitions]]'''

[[FK Ventspils|Ventspils]] was the Latvian first club who qualified for the group stage of a [[UEFA]] club competition, reaching the [[2009–10 UEFA Europa League group stage#Group D|2009–10 UEFA Europa League group stage]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/01dd-0e72db017feb-8c553ea87481-1000--ventspils-do-latvia-proud-in-berlin/ | title=The official website for European football }}</ref>

[[Skonto Riga|Skonto]] reached the [[UEFA Champions League]] last qualifying stage for a number of times in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but lost to teams like [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] in [[1997–98 UEFA Champions League#Second qualifying round|1997]], [[Inter Milan]] in 1998 and [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] in 1999.

[[FK RFS|RFS]] qualified for the [[2022-23 UEFA Europa Conference League]] group stage, finishing in fourth place with 2 points.

Most recently, [[FK RFS]] qualified for the [[2024–25 UEFA Europa League]]

'''[[Commonwealth of Independent States Cup]]'''
* [[Skonto FC|Skonto]]
**''Runners-up'' (3): [[2001 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup|2001]], [[2003 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup|2003]], [[2004 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup|2004]].
* [[FK Ventspils|Ventspils]]
**''Runners-up'' (1): [[2007 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup|2007]].

'''[[Baltic League]]'''
* [[FK Liepājas Metalurgs|Metalurgs]]
**'''Champions''' (1): 2007.
* [[FK Ventspils|Ventspils]]
**'''Champions''' (1): 2010.
**''Runners-up'' (2): 2007, 2011. 
* [[Skonto FC|Skonto]]
**'''Champions''' (1): 2011.
**''Runners-up'' (1): 2008.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [https://www.futbolavirsliga.lv/ https://www.futbolavirsliga.tv]  Association Virsliga in Latvia
* [http://eurorivals.net/tables/latvia.html Current Virsliga table at eurorivals]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080918095819/http://www.worldfootball.net/wettbewerb/lat-virsliga/ Virsliga fixtures, including kick off times, at worldfootball.net]
*[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/lettops.html Topscorers at RSSSF] 


{{Latvian Higher League}}
{{Latvian Higher League seasons}}
{{Football in Latvia}}
{{UEFA leagues}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Latvian Higher League| ]]
[[Category:Men's football leagues in Latvia|1]]
[[Category:Top-level football leagues in Europe|Latvia]]
[[Category:Summer association football leagues]]

[[it:Campionato lettone di calcio]]