Bolivian Primera División

Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano is the top football (soccer) tournament in Bolivia. It started in 1977, but semi-professional football had been played in La Paz since 1950(including clubs from Oruro and Cochabamba) and it became the sucessor of the Bolivian FA cup, a tournament played from 1971 to 1977 with the top teams from the regional football asociations.

Overview

The championship format has changed during the years. Beginning in 1977, the league ran with sixteen clubs divided into two series, but switched to twelve clubs in two series playing two tournaments each year beginning in 1991. Another change came in 2005 when teams decided to adapt to the International FIFA calendar, meaning the season would be played from August to June rather than from February to December, in order to avoid problems defining which teams would qualify for international tournaments. The league played a short tournament from February to June in 2005, and the official 2005-2006 season started in August. This led to yet another problem: 2nd division teams weren't keen on the idea of putting off relegation until June 2006. After negotiations, the league determined that relegation of the lowest standing club would take place after the completion of the Apertura tournament, making the Bolivian league an odd tournament where teams are relegated in the middle of the season.

Historically teams from La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz have dominated the league, only once in 1995 a team from another city, Club San José from Oruro has won the league.

Current teams

List of champions

Amateur era

La Paz Amateur Championships

1914 The Strongest
1915 Colegio Militar
1916 The Strongest
1917 The Strongest
1918-21 [no competition]
1922 The Strongest
1923 The Strongest
1924 The Strongest
1925 The Strongest
1926 [no competition]
1927 Nimbles Sport
1928 Colegio Militar
1929 CD Universitario
1930 The Strongest
1931 Nimbles Sport
1932 Bolívar
1933 [no competition]
1934 [no competition]
1935 The Strongest
1936 Ayacucho
1937 Bolívar
1938 The Strongest
1939 Bolívar
1940 Bolívar
1941 Bolívar
1942 Bolívar
1943 The Strongest
1944 Ferroviario
1945 The Strongest
1946 The Strongest
1947 CD Lítoral
1948 CD Lítoral
1949 CD Lítoral

La Paz Semi-Professional Championships

1950 Bolívar
1951 Always Ready
1952 The Strongest
1953 Bolívar
1958 Jorge Wilstermann
1959 Jorge Wilstermann
1960 Jorge Wilstermann
1961 Deportivo Municipal
1962 not held
1963 Aurora
1964 The Strongest
1965 Deportivo Municipal
1966 Bolívar
1967 Jorge Wilstermann
1968 Bolívar
1969 Universitario(La Paz)
1970 Chaco Petrolero

Bolivian FA Cup

1971 Oriente Petrolero
1972 Jorge Wilstermann
1973 Jorge Wilstermann
1974 The Strongest
1975 Guabirá
1976 Bolívar

Professional era

1977 The Strongest
1978 Bolívar
1979 Oriente Petrolero
1980 Jorge Wilstermann
1981 Jorge Wilstermann
1982 Bolívar
1983 Bolívar
1984 Blooming
1985 Bolívar
1986 The Strongest
1987 Bolívar
1988 Bolívar
1989 The Strongest
1990 Oriente Petrolero
1991 Bolívar
1992 Bolívar
1993 The Strongest
1994 Bolívar
1995 San José
1996 Bolívar
1997 Bolívar
1998 Blooming
1999 Blooming
2000 Jorge Wilstermann
2001 Oriente Petrolero
2002 Bolívar
2003 Apertura The Strongest
2003 Clausura The Strongest
2004 Apertura Bolívar
2004 Clausura The Strongest
2005 Adecuación Bolívar
2005 Apertura Blooming
2006 Clausura Bolívar

Titles by team(from 1971)

Bolívar 16 titles
Jorge Wilstermann 5 titles
The Strongest 8 titles
Oriente Petrolero 4 titles
Blooming 4 titles
Guabirá 1 title
San José 1 title

External link

RSSSF