Serbian Superliga

The Serbian SuperLiga (Serbian: Суперлига Србије, Superliga Srbije) is a Serbian professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Serbian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Serbian First League (Prva liga Srbija, second Serbian football tier). The SuperLiga was formed during summer 2005 as the country's top football league competition in Serbia and Montenegro. Since summer 2006 after the secession of Montenegro from Serbia, the league only has Serbian clubs.

Serbian clubs used to compete in the Yugoslav First League. This competition was formed in 1923 and lasted until 2003. After the downfall of SFR Yugoslavia in 1991 a new Yugoslavia would be formed that would be named FR Yugoslavia with Montenegro and Serbia. They kept the name Yugoslavia until 2003 when the country changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro: this union lasted until 2006 when Montenegro gained independence and formed its own league, the Montenegrin First League. There are also no Kosovar teams participating in the league.

The current SuperLiga champions are Crvena zvezda. UEFA currently ranks the league 20th in Europe of 53 leagues. The league was known as Meridian PrvaLiga/SuperLiga from Autumn 2004 until Summer 2008. The league's current official sponsor is beer maker Jelen pivo, thus resulting in the league's official name to be Jelen SuperLiga.

Competition
The SuperLiga began as a league with a playoff system in an attempt to boost ratings and improve competition. After the first season however, the SuperLiga changed its format. The 2007–08 season was the first to be played in a more traditional format. The league no longer divided into a play-off and play-out group midway through the campaign. Instead, the 12 teams began playing each other three times in a more conventional league format. After two seasons with that format the Football Association of Serbia decided to add 4 teams to the SuperLiga. The 2009–10 season will be the first with a 16 team league played in a conventional league format of one home and one away match rather than the previous 3 match encounters. This drops the match schedule from 33 rounds to 30.

Qualification for UEFA competitions
The champions of the SuperLiga begin its UEFA Champions League finalists are already qualified for Europe through league position.

History
The SuperLiga was a part of the Yugoslav First League. In 1992 as the country fell apart Serbia and Montenegro remained united under the name Yugoslavia. In 2003, Yugoslavia was renamed to Serbia and Montenegro and the football league followed suit. Finally after Montenegrin independence from Serbia, in 2006, both nations now have two independent leagues.

First League of FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro
The First League of FR Yugoslavia (Prva savezna liga or Meridian SuperLiga) was formed in 1992 after the breakup of SFR Yugoslavia and it was constituted by the top football clubs from Serbia and Montenegro.

The league winner had access to the UEFA Champions League qualifications rounds, and the 2nd, 3rd and the Cup winner had played in the UEFA Cup. The bottom clubs would be relegated to the two Second Leagues depending on the republic they were based in, the Second League of Serbia (Druga savezna liga Srbija) and the Second League of Montenegro (Druga savezna liga grupa Crna Gora).

In 2002, FR Yugoslavia changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro, and the league was named First League of Serbia and Montenegro between 2002 and its dissolution, in 2006. In 2006 Serbia and Montenegro separated and formed their own top leagues (Serbian SuperLiga and Montenegrin First League). Serbian SuperLiga was officially declared the successor of the First Leagues of FR Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro.

A total of 41 clubs participated between 1992 and 2006, being 34 from Serbia, 6 from Montenegro and one from Bosnia and Herzegovina (Borac Banja Luka was temporarily based in Serbia in early 1990s). A total of 3 clubs were champions, all from Serbia, Partizan (8 times), Red Star (5 times) and Obilić (once).

Serbian Superliga
A total of 28 clubs participated between 2006 and 2013 in the Serbian Superliga. After 7 seasons, Partizan has won 6 championship titles and Red Star has won 1 championship title. Also, Partizan is a record holder of winning 6 consecutive champion titles.

All-time table 2006–2014
The following is a list of clubs who have played in the Serbian SuperLiga at any time since its formation in 2006 to the current season. Teams playing in the 2013–14 Serbian SuperLiga season are indicated in bold. A total of 28 teams have played in the Serbian SuperLiga. The table is accurate as of the end of the 2013–14 season.

League or status at 2013–14:

Current clubs
The following 16 clubs compete in the Jelen SuperLiga during the 2014–15 season.

Stadium
Serbian top level football has been played in 27 stadiums since its formation in 2006. The top-three stadiums in SuperLiga by seating capacity are Belgrade based Red Star Stadium and Partizan Stadium, and Čair Stadium in Niš.

Records
Attendance
 * Highest single game attendance: 48,347, Red Star vs. OFK Beograd during 2013–14 season
 * Highest average home attendance: 19,819, Red Star during 2011–12 season

Single game
 * Biggest league victory/defeat: 7–0, Vojvodina vs. Napredak during 2009–10 and Partizan vs. BSK Borča during 2012–13 season

Players
 * Most league appearances: 149, Nikola Bogić in 5 seasons between 2007–08 and 2012–13
 * Most league goals: 56, Andrija Kaluđerović playing for Rad, Red Star and Vojvodina
 * Most league goals in a season: 22, Dragan Mrđa for Vojvodina during 2009–10 season
 * Youngest player used: 16 years, 0 months and 07 days, Luka Belić for OFK Beograd vs. Red Star on 25 April 2012
 * Oldest player used: 40 years, 10 months and 03 days, Dragoslav Poleksić for FK Inđija vs. FK Smederevo on 29 May 2011
 * Fastest hat-trick: 9 min Dragan Mrđa for Red Star vs. Spartak on 29 September 2013

Clubs
 * Most consecutive league victories: 15, Red Star during 2013–14 season
 * Most consecutive league defeats: 14, Čukarički during 2010–11 season
 * Most consecutive league games without defeat (undefeated run): 30, Partizan during 2009–10 season

Season
 * Most points won in a single season: 80, Partizan during 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2011–12 season
 * Fewest points won in a single season: 5, Čukarički during 2010–11 season
 * Most team goals in a single season: 75, Partizan during 2010–11 season
 * Fewest team goals in a single season: 10, Čukarički during 2010–11 season
 * Most team goals against in a single season: 65, Čukarički during 2010–11 season
 * Fewest team goals against in a single season: 12, Partizan during 2011–12 season
 * The best goal difference in a single season: +55, Partizan during 2011–12 and 2012–13 season
 * The worst goal difference in a single season: –55, Čukarički during 2010–11 season

The Golden Star
Based on an idea of Umberto Agnelli, the honor of Golden Star for Sports Excellence was introduced to recognize sides that have won multiple championships or other honours by the display of gold stars on their team badges and jerseys.

Broadcasting rights

 * Arena Sport
 * 1Prva

Sponsorships

 * Jelen pivo
 * Nike (2006-2014)
 * Umbro (2014–present)