 |
Current season, competition or edition: 2012 Latvian Baseball League season | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 |
| President | Ainārs Birulis |
| No. of teams | 4 (6) |
| Country | Latvia |
| Continent | Europe |
| Most recent champion(s) | Riga Lions (3rd in a row) |
| Most titles | Riga Lions (4) |
| Official website | |
The Latvian Baseball League (LBL) is the men's amateur league in Latvia. It started play in 2003 and continues to this day. The season runs from May to September and games are played on the weekends.
| Year | Team |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Sigulda YMCA |
| 2004 | BK Riga |
| 2005 | BK Riga |
| 2006 | BK Riga |
| 2007 | Riga Diamonds |
| 2008 | Riga Lions |
| 2009 | Riga Diamonds / University of Latvia |
| 2010 | Riga Lions |
| 2011 | Riga Lions |
| 2012 | Riga Lions |
Latvian Higher League or Virslīga, known for sponsorship reasons as Optibet Virslīga since 2019, is a professional football league and the top tier of association football in Latvia. Organised by the Latvian Football Federation, the Higher League is contested by 10 clubs.
Skonto FC was a Latvian football club, active from 1991 until 2016. The club played at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Skonto won the Virsliga in the first 14 seasons of the league's resumption, and often provided the core of the Latvia national football team. With those 14 national championships in a row, they set a European record, men and women's football combined, until the women of Faroese club KÍ Klaksvík won their 14th championship in a row in 2013.
FK Liepājas Metalurgs was a Latvian football club in the city of Liepāja and playing in the Virslīga. They played at the Daugava Stadium. In 2005 Liepājas Metalurgs became the first team other than Skonto Riga to win the Virslīga since the league restarted in 1991. After the 2013 league season the club was dissolved due to the bankruptcy of its sole sponsor metallurgical plant Liepājas Metalurgs. The club was replaced by FK Liepāja, founded in 2014.
FK Ventspils is a Latvian football club, based at Ventspils Olimpiskais Stadions in Ventspils city and is one of the most popular football clubs in the country. The club played in the Latvian Virsliga since 1997. It was abolished in 2020, but has since returned to Latvian football and competes in the Latvian First League as of 2023.
VEF Rīga is a Latvian professional basketball team that is based in Riga, Latvia. VEF Rīga is a ten-time Latvian Basketball League champion.
The 2008 Virslīga season was the 17th Virslīga season. It began on 5 April 2008 with the first round of games and ended on 9 November 2008 with the final matches of the championship and relegation rounds. Ventspils were the defending champions.
Football is the number one sport based on participation, but the third sport in Latvia after ice hockey and basketball based on popularity. Many other sports are also more popular than football in Latvia, but in recent years it has gained more popularity. The Latvian Football Federation is the sport's national governing body. There is a league system, with the Higher League and First League serving as the top leagues in Latvia. There is the Latvian Second League also, where mostly amateur teams play. There are also national cup competitions, with the Latvian Cup being the most notable.
Latvian Higher League 2009 was the 18th season of top-tier football in Latvia. It began on 14 March 2009 with the first round of games and ended on 8 November 2009 with the 36th round of matches. Ventspils were the defending champions.
2010 Latvian Higher League was the 19th season of top-tier football in Latvia. It began on 9 April 2010 with the first round of games. Liepājas Metalurgs were the defending champions, having won their second league title last season.
The 2011 Latvian Higher League was the 20th season of top-tier football in Latvia. It began on 15 April 2011 and ended on 5 November 2011.
FK Spartaks is a Latvian football club that is based in Sloka, Jūrmala. In 2012, they finished 3rd in the Latvian First League championship and after winning the play-offs against JFK Olimps were promoted to the Latvian Higher League. The club plays its home matches at the Sloka Stadium with capacity of 2,500 people.
The 2015 Latvian Higher League is the 24th season of top-tier football in Latvia. FK Ventspils are the defending champions. The season started on 13 March 2015.
Riga Football Club, commonly referred to as Riga FC, is a Latvian football club, founded in 2014. The club is based at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Since 2016 the club has been playing in the Virslīga.
The 2016 Latvian Higher League was the 25th season of top-tier football in Latvia. FK Liepāja were the defending champions. The season began on 11 March 2016 and ended on 5 November 2016; the relegation play-offs took place on 9 and 13 November 2016.
The 2017 Latvian Higher League is the 26th season of top-tier football in Latvia. Spartaks Jūrmala are the defending champions, having won their first title in the previous season.
The 2018 Latvian Higher League was the 27th season of top-tier football in Latvia. Spartaks Jūrmala were the defending champions, having won their second title in the previous season.
The 2019 Latvian Higher League, known as the Optibet Virslīga for sponsorship reasons, was the 28th season of top-tier football in Latvia. The season began on 9 March 2019 and ended on 9 November 2019.
The Latvian-Estonian Basketball League is the highest professional men's club basketball league in Latvia and Estonia; it has been organised since 2018, run by the Latvian Basketball Association and the Estonian Basketball Association.
The 2020 Latvian Higher League, known as the Optibet Virslīga for sponsorship reasons, was the 29th season of top-tier football in Latvia. The season began on 15 June 2020 and ended on 29 November 2020. The league winners earned a place in the UEFA Champions League and the second and third-placed clubs earned a place in the new UEFA Europa Conference League.
The 2023 Latvian Higher League, known as the Optibet Virslīga for sponsorship reasons, is the 32nd season of top-tier football in Latvia. The season began on 11 March 2023 and is set to end on 12 November 2023. Valmiera are the defending champions after winning the league the previous season.