Meistriliiga Explained

Pixels:140
Country:Estonia
Confed:UEFA
Teams:10
Relegation:Esiliiga
Levels:1
Domest Cup:Estonian Cup
Estonian Supercup
Confed Cup:UEFA Champions League
UEFA Conference League
Champions:Flora (15th title)
Season:2023
Most Successful Club:Flora
(15 titles)
Most Appearances:Andrei Kalimullin (517)
Top Goalscorer:Maksim Gruznov (304 goals)
Tv:ETV2, ETV+, soccernet.ee
Current:2024 season

Meistriliiga (in Estonian pronounced as /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]

As in most countries with low temperatures in winter time, 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 second last team plays a two-legged play-off 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

The 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		TitlesLast title
FCI Levadiac2nd199926199926102021
Floraa, b, c1st199234199234152023
Kuressaare7th200017201870–
Narva Transa, b, c8th1992341992340–
Nõmme Kaljuc5th20081720081722018
Nõmme United1st (EL)20241202410–
Paide Linnameeskondc4th2009162009160–
Tallinna Kalev3rd200712202230–
Tammekac9th2005202005200–
Vaprus6th20069202140–
a = Founding member of the Meistriliiga
b = Played in every Meistriliiga season
c = Never been relegated from the Meistriliiga

Champions

Seasonwidth=125pxChampionswidth=125pxRunners-upwidth=125pxThird placeTop goalscorerGoals
1992NormaEesti PõlevkiviTVMVSergei Bragin (Norma)18
1992–93Norma FloraNikolSergei Bragin (Norma)27
1993–94FloraNormaNikolMaksim Gruznov (Narva Trans/Tevalte)21
1994–95Flora Lantana-MarlekorNarva TransSerhiy Morozov (Lantana-Marlekor)25
1995–96LantanaFloraTevalte-MarlekorLembit Rajala (Flora)16
1996–97Lantana FloraTallinna SadamSergei Bragin (Lantana)18
1997–98Flora Tallinna SadamLantanaKonstantin Kolbassenko (Tallinna Sadam)18
1998Flora Tallinna SadamLantanaKonstantin Kolbassenko (Tallinna Sadam)13
1999LevadiaTulevikFloraToomas Krõm (Levadia)19
2000Levadia FloraTVMKEgidijus Juška (TVMK)
Toomas Krõm (Levadia)		24
2001Flora TVMKLevadiaMaksim Gruznov (Narva Trans)37
2002Flora LevadiaTVMKAndrei Krõlov (TVMK)37
2003Flora TVMKLevadiaTor Henning Hamre (Flora)39
2004Levadia TVMKFloraVjatšeslav Zahovaiko (Flora)28
2005TVMKLevadiaNarva TransTarmo Neemelo (TVMK)41
2006Levadia Narva TransFloraMaksim Gruznov (Narva Trans)31
2007Levadia FloraTVMKDmitri Lipartov (Narva Trans)30
2008Levadia FloraNarva TransIngemar Teever (Nõmme Kalju)23
2009Levadia Sillamäe KalevNarva TransVitali Gussev (Levadia)26
2010Flora LevadiaNarva TransSander Post (Flora)24
2011Flora Nõmme KaljuNarva TransAleksandrs Čekulajevs (Narva Trans)46
2012Nõmme KaljuLevadiaFloraVladislav Ivanov (Sillamäe Kalev/Narva Trans)23
2013Levadia Nõmme KaljuSillamäe KalevVladimir Voskoboinikov (Nõmme Kalju)23
2014Levadia Sillamäe KalevFloraYevgeni Kabaev (Sillamäe Kalev)36
2015Flora LevadiaNõmme KaljuIngemar Teever (Levadia)24
2016InfonetLevadiaNõmme KaljuYevgeni Kabaev (Sillamäe Kalev)25
2017Flora LevadiaNõmme KaljuAlbert Prosa (FCI Tallinn)
Rauno Sappinen (Flora)		27
2018Nõmme Kalju FCI LevadiaLiliu (Nõmme Kalju)31
2019Flora FCI LevadiaNõmme KaljuErik Sorga (Flora)31
2020Flora Paide LinnameeskondFCI LevadiaRauno Sappinen (Flora)26
2021FCI Levadia FloraPaide LinnameeskondHenri Anier (Paide Linnameeskond)26
2022Flora FCI LevadiaPaide LinnameeskondZakaria Beglarishvili (FCI Levadia)21
2023Flora FCI LevadiaTallinna KalevTristan Koskor (Narva Trans)16

Total titles won

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning seasons
Flora1571993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
FCI Levadia10111999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2021
Nõmme Kalju222012, 2018
Lantana211995–96, 1996–97
Norma211992, 1992–93
TVMK132005
FCI Tallinn102016

All-time Meistriliiga table

The 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.


Club
width=40Seasons
width=40Titles
width=40
width=40
width=40
width=40
width=40
width=40
width=40
width=40
width=40
1Flora32149696821651222577768180922112.28
2Levadia12410805578143842140591154918772.33
3Narva Trans3209704341903461742134140114921.54
4Nõmme Kalju152530313111106114150263910501.98
5TVMK21714522558211510735165578471.87
6Tulevik32206551871123567921283−4916731.02
7Paide Linnameeskond14049418887219734845−1116511.32
8Tammeka1706341761173417671235−4686451.02
9Sillamäe Kalev13041318365165741681606141.49
10Kuressaare15050488753414271283−8563390.67
11FCI Tallinn9511809041493432121313111.73
12Tallinna Kalev1003546855231341860−5192590.73
13Lantana5721608838343411531883021.89
14Tallinna Sadam601326719462711681032201.67
15Eesti Põlevkivi90162504072224276−521901.17
16Norma4278497222231111121541.97
17Merkuur460153412884204404−2001510.99
18Vaprus702463521190235760−5251260.51
19Legion3098252251109174−65930.95
20Lootus6501482219107104394−290850.57
21Warrior501562118117120425−305810.52
22Levadia II13084201450106211−105740.88
23Lelle408016194572155−83670.84
24Dünamo408916116292277−185590.66
25DAG740681694385199−114570.84
26Viljandi207214144470157−87560.78
27Vigri20321679815526551.72
28Pärnu Linnameeskond207211105162185−123430.60
29Tervis Pärnu2046115303892−54380.83
30Keemik2031106154172−31361.16
31Ajax301087138860449−389340.31
32Pärnu83038552836120−84200.53
33Lokomotiv1036462635115−80180.50
34Maardu Linnameeskond1036452730118−88170.47
35Pärnu Levadia102815221996−7780.29
36Tarvas1036033315113−9830.09
37Vall10140113944−3510.07
38Maardu109009659−5300
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

All as of end of 2023 season if not stated otherwise.

Club records

Player records

As of 11 November 2023. Active players in bold.[6] [7]

+ Most appearances
RankPlayerGamesGoals
1Andrei Kalimullin51722
2Stanislav Kitto51555
3Andre Frolov49569
4Maksim Gruznov494304
5Konstantin Nahk481153
6Markus Jürgenson47263
7Tarmo Neemelo450196
8Sander Sinilaid44239
9Deniss Malov43993
10Sergei Kazakov43234
+ Most goals
RankPlayerGoalsGamesAverage
1Maksim Gruznov304494
2Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko211309
3Tarmo Neemelo196450
4Andrei Krõlov162287
Vitali Leitan162418
6Ingemar Teever157296
7Dmitri Lipartov153333
Konstantin Nahk153481
9Indrek Zelinski146276
10Zakaria Beglarishvili139308

Estonian champions

Bold indicates club's first championship victory.

Estonian SSR champions

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Eesti jalgpalli meistriliiga jätkub teisipäeval uue formaadiga. et. 14 May 2020. 20 May 2021. Postimees Sport.
  2. Web site: Kodune tippjalgpall saab peatoetaja. et. 26 February 2013 . 11 December 2013. Estonian Football Association.
  3. Web site: 2022-10-03 . Premium liiga võtab kasutusele VAR-i . ERR.
  4. Web site: SPORT-EKSTRA: Statistikapomm! Millised rekordeid omavad FC Norma, Raio Piiroja ja hooaeg 1997-98?. 6 March 2017. Õhtuleht. 6 March 2017.
  5. Web site: Levadia üritab kaotuseta Transist mööda tõusta . 15 April 2011. Estonian Football Association. 28 October 2017.
  6. Web site: Premium liigas kõige rohkem mänginute ja väravaküttide TOP 100. Estonian Football Association. 24 November 2019.
  7. Web site: Premium liiga TOP . 2022-10-18 . jalgpall.ee.
  8. Web site: Eesti jalgpallilegendi 14-aastane poeg tegi meistriliiga ajalugu. Delfi Sport. 16 July 2022.
  9. Web site: Viimases voorus purustati meistriliiga ajaloo noorima väravalööja rekord . 9 November 2019 . soccernet.ee . 9 November 2019.
  10. Web site: Saharovi nimele liigaajaloo kiireim värav. Eesti Rahvusringhääling. 10 September 2004. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140525234011/http://arhiiv.sport.err.ee/index.php?042607. 25 May 2014.
  11. Web site: Eile sündis Meistriliiga ajaloo kiireim värav. Soccernet.ee. 13 September 2009.
  12. Web site: VIDEO: Vladislav Ivanov lõi Transile värava juba 14. sekundil. 15 April 2012 . Eesti Rahvusringhääling. 21 September 2014.
  13. Web site: Kalju, Flora ja Levadia ei jätnud vastasele võimalust. Postimees. 12 May 2012.
  14. Web site: Laupäeval võib selguda Eesti meister. Soccernet.ee. 22 October 2004.
  15. Web site: Infonet üllatas põnevusmängus Levadiat, Smiško võimas rekordseeria sai lõpu. Postimees. 25 July 2014.

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