Latvian Higher League

Latvian Higher League
Country	Latvia
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Founded	1927
Number of teams	8
Relegation to	Latvijas 1. līga
Level on pyramid	1
Domestic cup(s)	Latvian Cup Latvian Supercup
UEFA (Europe) cup(s)	Champions League Europa League
Current champions	Spartaks Jūrmala 1st title (2016)
Most successful club	Skonto (15)
Website	Official website
2017

The SynotTip Latvian Higher League (SynotTip Virslīga) is a semi-professional football league and the top tier of association football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. The new season kicks off in mid-March of every year, and runs until early November. There are no games in winter because of the harsh climate.

From 2005 until 2011, the league was sponsored by the telecommunications operator LMT, naming the league LMT Virslīga. In 2012 the league was reorganised in partnership with the NGO "Latvijas Futbola virslīga", adopting the NGO's name. Before the current season in March 2013, the league signed a sponsorship deal with the microfinancing company SMScredit.lv and acquired its current name SMScredit.lv Virslīga. In March 2016, it was announced that the Virslīga would be sponsored by SynotTip on a three-year contract.

League format

From the first season back in 1991 to 2007, there were eight clubs in the Virslīga. During the course of the season each club played all the other clubs four times, twice at their home stadium and twice at that of their opponents, completing a total of 28 games.

After the 2007 season the league increased from eight to ten sides. In 2008 each side played the others four times.

At the end of the season, the lowest placed team are automatically relegated into Traffic 1. liga, and the winner of the Traffic 1. liga automatically takes their place. The second lowest placed team in Virslīga and the second team of 1. liga play two matches for a place in the Virslīga the following season. The winner of Virslīga, the champion of Latvia, plays in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round. The second and third placed clubs play in the UEFA Europa League qualifying games.

Teams (2017)

Club	Location	Stadium	Capacity
Babīte	Piņķi	Piņķu stadions	500
Jelgava	Jelgava	Olympic Sports Center of Zemgale	1,560
Liepāja	Liepāja	Daugava Stadium	5,008
Metta/LU	Riga	Hanzas vidusskolas laukums	2,000
RFS	Riga	Stadions Arkādija	1,000
Riga	Riga	Skonto Stadium	8,207
Spartaks Jūrmala	Jūrmala	Slokas Stadium	2,800
Ventspils	Ventspils	Ventspils Olimpiskais Stadions	3,044

External links

• One Nil Up – Digital Magazine focusing on football in the Baltic States
• Association Virsliga at futbolavirsliga.tv
• Current Virsliga table at eurorivals
• Virsliga fixtures, including kick off times, at worldfootball.net
• Latvia – List of Champions, RSSSF.com