Erovnuli Liga 2 Explained

Pixels:150px
Confed:UEFA
Teams:10
Promotion:Erovnuli Liga
Relegation:Liga 3
Levels:2
Domest Cup:Georgian Cup
Georgian Super Cup
Confed Cup:
UEFA Europa Conference League (via Georgian Cup)
Champions:Kolkheti 1913 (1st title)
Season:2023
Most Champs:Shukura Kobuleti (5 titles)
Current:2024 Erovnuli Liga 2

The Georgian Erovnuli Liga 2 (Georgian: ეროვნული ლიგა 2;), organized since 1990 by the GFF, serves as the second division of professional football in Georgia.

The league was introduced for the 2017 season under the current name as a part of reorganization process of the entire league system. It was formerly known as Pirveli liga (the First league).

Structure

There are ten clubs competing in Erovnuli Liga 2. During the season each club plays each other four times, twice at home and twice away.

At the end of each season the winner gains automatic promotion and the bottom club is relegated. The runner-up and 3rd placed team participate in two-legged home and away play-off matches against the 9th and 8th placed clubs of Erovnuli Liga, respectively.[1]

In case two or more teams obtain an equal number of points, final standings are determined by an aggregate of the results between them.

Seasons run on a full year system, running from spring to autumn.

Format

Below is a complete record of how many teams have played in each season throughout the league's history.

 
  • 1990 = 20
  • 1991 = 18
  • 1991-1992 = 20
  • 1992-1993 = 16
  • 1993-1994 = 32
  • 1994-1995 = 29
 
  • 1995-1996 = 39
  • 1996-1997 = 37
  • 1997-1998 = 54
  • 1998-1999 = 55
  • 1999-2000 = 46
  • 2000-2002 = 12
 
  • 2002-2005 = 16
  • 2005-2007 = 18
  • 2007-2008 = 20
  • 2008-2009 = 22
  • 2009-2010 = 15
  • 2010-2011 = 17
 
  • 2011-2012 = 20
  • 2012-2013 = 24
  • 2013-2014 = 26
  • 2014-2015 = 20
  • 2015-2016 = 18
  • Since 2017 = 10
 

Current members

Based on their performance in the previous year, the following ten teams will compete in Erovnuli Liga 2 in the 2024 season.

Rustavi, Kolkheti, Lokomotive, Aragvi, Sioni and WIT Georgia have previously taken part in the main division with the last two clubs being also the national champions.[2]

The clubs are listed in alphabetical order.

ClubPosition last seasonLocationRegion
Dinamo-25thTbilisi
2ndKakheti
7thSamegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
3rd in Liga 3 Kvemo Kartli
8thTbilisi
1st in Liga 3 Mtskheta-Mtianeti
2nd in Liga 3Tbilisi
4th Kvemo Kartli
Spaeri3rd Tbilisi
6thTbilisi

Results

Top three teams of Pirveli Liga

SeasonWinnerRunner-upThird place
1990Sulori VaniMargveti ZestafoniAlazani Gurjaani
1991Mretebi TbilisiKakheti TelaviMeshakhte Tkibuli
1991–92Iveria KhashuriKakheti TelaviMagaroeli Chiatura
1992–93Shukura KobuletiMagaroeli ChiaturaSapovnela Terjola
1993–94Duruji Kvareli East
Egrisi Senaki West
Antsi Tbilisi East
Mertskhali Ozurgeti West
Tetri Artsivi Tbilisi East
Meshakhte Tkibuli West
1994–95Sioni Bolnisi East
Egrisi Senaki West
Merani-91 Tbilisi East
Kakhaber-Iaguari Khelvachauri West
Meskheti Akhaltsikhe East
Meshakhte Tkibuli West
1995–96Merani-91 Tbilisi East
Samgurali Tskhaltubo West
Norchi Dinamoeli Tbilisi East
Anjeli Abasha West
WIT Georgia East
Magaroeli Chiatura West
1996–97Morkinali Tbilisi East
Magaroeli Chiatura West
Locomotive Tbilisi East
Samgurali Tskhaltubo West
Spartaki-Tskhinvali Tbilisi East
Mertskhali Ozurgeti West
1997–98Arsenali TbilisiIberia Samtredia?
1998–99Norchi Dinamoeli TbilisiKolkheti KhobiGhartskali Dzveli Anaga
Sulori Vani
1999–00Spartaki Tskhinvali (A)
Locomotive Tbilisi (B)
Borjomi (A)
Alazani Gurjaani (B)
Iveria Khashuri (A)
Arsenali Tbilisi II (B)
2000–01Guria LanchkhutiMargveti ZestafoniSamgurali Tskhaltubo
2001–02Milani TsnoriDila GoriKobuleti
2002–03Lazika ZugdidiMertskhali OzurgetiMtskheta
2003–04KobuletiSamgurali TskhaltuboMilani Tsnori
2004–05Ameri TbilisiBorjomiFC Spartaki Tbilisi
2005–06Chikhura SachkhereMerani TbilisiGagra
2006–07Mglebi ZugdidiMeskheti AkhaltsikheGagra
2007–08Gagra East
Magharoeli Chiatura West
Dinamo-2 Tbilisi East
Meshakhte Tkibuli West
Wit-Georgia-2 Tbilisi East
Merani Martvili West
2008–09Ameri Tbilisi East
Samtredia West
Chikhura Sachkhere East
Baia Zugdidi West
Wit-Georgia-2 Tbilisi East/
Merani Martvili West
2009–10Torpedo KutaisiKolkheti PotiMerani Martvili
2010–11GagraMerani MartviliDila Gori
2011–12Chikhura SachkhereDinamo BatumiGuria Lanchkhuti
2012–13Guria Lanchkhuti West
Spartaki Tskhinvali East
Dinamo-2 Tbilisi West
Locomotive Tbilisi East
Sasco Tbilisi West
Shukura Kobuleti East
2013–14Shukura Kobuleti (A)
Samtredia (B)
Kolkheti Poti (A)
Dinamo Batumi (B)
Dinamo-2 Tbilisi (A)
Matchakhela Khelvachauri (B)
2014–15Saburtalo Tbilisi (A)
Sapovnela Terjola (B)
Locomotive Tbilisi (A)
Borjomi (B)
Lazika Zugdidi (A)
Gagra (B)
2015–16Liakhvi TskhinvaliWIT GeorgiaKolkheti Khobi
2016WIT Georgia Red
Rustavi White
Gagra Red
Samgurali Tskhaltubo White
Borjomi Red
Meshakhte Tkibuli White

Top three teams of Erovnuli Liga 2

SeasonWinnerRunner-upThird place
2017RustaviMerani MartviliSioni Bolnisi
2018Dinamo BatumiWIT GeorgiaGagra
2019Merani TbilisiSamtrediaTelavi
2020Shukura KobuletiSamgurali TskhaltuboGagra
2021Sioni BolnisiGagraMerani Martvili
2022Shukura KobuletiSpaeriSamtredia
2023Kolkheti 1913Gareji SagarejoSpaeri

Relegation and Promotion from Erovnuli Liga 2

Promoted teams to Erovnuli Liga

SeasonLeague WinnerPlay-off winner
2017RustaviSioni Bolnisi
2018Dinamo BatumiWIT Georgia
2019Merani TbilisiSamtrediaTelavi
2020Shukura KobuletiSamgurali Tskhaltubo
2021Sioni BolnisiGagra
2022Shukura KobuletiSamtredia
2023Kolkheti-1913

Relegated teams to Liga 3

SeasonClub
2017ZugdidiMeshakhte TkibuliGuria Lanchkhuti
Samgurali TskhaltuboMerani Martvili
Guria LanchkhutiKolkheti-1913 PotiTskhinvali
2021
2022
2023Merani MartviliMerani Tbilisi

Performance per club

Since the restructuring into Liga 2 in 2017, 25 teams have spent at least one season in the division, including six of the ten clubs competing in the 2023 Erovnuli Liga.

Club Total
Seasons
Highest
Position
Lowest
Position
Season
rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2
WIT Georgia72962-9886
Merani Martvili6210210-8349-
Dinamo Zugdidi551010-757--
Gagra52543532---
Merani Tbilisi5110-41-5610-
Rustavi5191--497-
Shevardeni 1906546-6466--
Sioni5173--71-4
Gareji425----452
Shukura417-761-1--
Samgurali32858-2----
Spaeri32 3 - - - - - 23
Tskhinvali37107910-----
Aragvi21010---10---
Guria2888-8---- -
Kolkheti 1913219--9---1-
Samtredia223--2--3--
Telavi235-53---- -
Dinamo Tbilisi-2255------5
Kolkheti Khobi27 7 - - - - - -7
Lokomotivi28 8 - - - - - -8
Chikhura11010----10---
Dinamo Batumi111-1------
Meshakhte1999-------
Shturmi1- - - - - - - --
Expelled from the league in May 2022 for match fixing.[3]

The current status of these clubs as of 2024:

Erovnuli Liga6
Erovnuli Liga 210
4
2
1
Defunct 2

Top Goalscorers

Season Top Scorers Club Goals
2011/12 Iago DeisadzeGuria14
2012/13 Tornike KapanadzeSamgurali27
2013/14 Budu Zivzivadze23
2014/15 44
2015/16 Zurab Ghirdaladze 20
2016 Levan PapavaGagra13
2017Rustavi30
2018 FlamarionDinamo Batumi24
2019 Giorgi Nikabadze26
2020 Toma TabatadzeRustavi13
2021 Tamaz Makatsaria23
Merani M
2022 Levan PapavaSpaeri17
2023 Levan PapavaGareji23

Sponsors

In 2019, the Football Federation signed a sponsorship deal with Crystalbet.[4] For this reason the league has since been formally referred to as Crystalbet Erovnuli Liga 2.

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: დღეს მთავარი ლიგის პლეი ოფი იწყება . report.ge (in Georgian) . 15 Dec 2020.
  2. Web site: Georgian Football League Champions by Year . myfootballfacts.com . 11 January 2024.
  3. Web site: ზუგდიდის "დინამო" და თბილისის "შევარდენი 1906" ჩემპიონატიდან მოკვეთეს . ajaratv.ge . 22 May 2022. KA.
  4. Web site: ეროვნულ ლიგას ახალი სპონსორი ჰყავს . reginfo.ge (in Georgian). 1 March 2019.