Football in Latvia

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Football in Latvia
CountryLatvia
Governing body Latvian Football Federation
National team Latvia national football team
National competitions
Club competitions
International competitions

Football in Latvia is the number one sport based on participation, but the third sport after ice hockey and basketball based on popularity. [1] Many other sports are also more popular than football in Latvia, but in recent years it has gained more popularity. [2] [3] The Latvian Football Federation (Latvian : Latvijas Futbola federācija) is the sport's national governing body. [4] [5] There is a league system, with the Higher League and First League serving as the top leagues in Latvia. The Latvian Second League is composed mostly of amateur teams.

Contents

The Latvian Cup is the main national cup competition in the country.

History

Origins in Latvia

Football was first introduced to Latvia through the British, transferring the sport through sailors, civil servants, fairs, and businesses. In 1907, workers from the British metal-working factory Salamandra formed the first football club in Latvia, titled the British Football Club (BFC). [6] The first latvian football club, Amatieris, was founded in 1912. [7] [ verification needed ] Between 1906 and 1921, Latvian football became organized by regional leagues, with the Riga Football Cup serving as largest organization nationally between 1910 and 1915. [8] The Riga Football Cup continued to be held intermittently between 1910 and 1936 until it was replaced by the Latvian Football Cup in 1937.

The Latvian Football Union (LFS) was founded in 1921, the same year that Latvia gained independence from Russia following the First World War. Latvia joined FIFA through LFS in 1922. [9] Between 1922 and 1927, LFS organized the Latvian Championship as a qualifier for FIFA, succeeding the Riga Football Cup as the highest championship. In 1927, Virsliga (Premier League) replaced the Latvian Championship. [10]

Between 1922 and 1927, international football matches between Baltic teams led to the formation of the Baltic Cup in 1928. [11] The cup was tri-lateral, held between Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, and was intended to improve the union between the Baltic countries. Both Finland and Poland were considered for inclusion, but it was decided to limit those countries to bi-lateral competitions. As part of the cup, a unified Baltic team was also proposed, but was not achieved. [12]

WWII

During WWII, successive occupations by Russia and Germany lessened sport activity in the nation. With the first occupation by Russia in 1940, the Virsliga was disbanded, along with many other regional teams. The Soviets began a new Soviet Latvian Championship in 1941, but this was interrupted by German occupation later that year. In 1942, 1943, and 1944, a reduced Virsliga was held with less than 8 teams, but was interrupted before completion in 1944. [13] [14]

Football in Soviet Latvia (SSR)

The Soviet re-occupation of Latvia in 1944 led to a lasting reorganization of the football system according to a soviet-socialist model. Football functioned for the Soviets as a method to build nationalism and display successes of the socialist model. Old teams were often renamed instead of dispanded, and became sponsored by new soviet-organized associations; industries, trade unions, and state organizations. [15] Professionalism within teams was derided as capitalistic, although players were still retained as employees of the sponsored teams. Soviet media restricted coverage of leagues through sports publications and exhibited the accomplishments of teams as examples of collective action. Coverage of players propagandized the image of the Soviet-man, excluding women from football. [16] Women's football was unrecognized in the USSR and officially banned as an organized sport from 1972 until 1989, at which point the USSR Women's Football Association was formed. [17]

To replace the disbanded Virsliga, the newly formed Latvian SSR resumed the Soviet Latvian Championship in 1945. The League would last until 1991 during the collapse of the Soviet Union. Unlike other eastern-european SSRs, Latvia left FIFA under soviet control and did not participate in the World Cup and European championships. [16] Instead, various teams of the Latvian SSR, including FC Dinamo Riga and FC Daugava Riga, played in the Soviet First League and the Soviet Top League. [18]

Post-Soviet Football

After regaining independence in 1990, the Latvian Football Union reformed as the Latvian Football Federation (LFF). As a part of this reformation, Virsliga was also reorganized. Membership to FIFA was restored in 1992 and membership to the EUFA was gained the same year. [19] [20]

Domestic Football

Skonto FC were the most popular and successful football team in Latvia and have won the Latvian Higher League 14 times since independence from Russia. [21] [22] [23] FK Ventspils and FK RFS are the only teams from Latvia which have played in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League (2009–10 and 2024–25, respectively). Also FK RFS reached group stage of the UEFA Conference League (2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League). [24] No Latvian team has ever reached the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.

Women's Football

Women's football was not recognized as a sport in the USSR, with organized competitions being banned in the 1972. [17] As a result of the ban Latvia was unable to form a women's team until after the ban was lifted and the USSR Women's Football Association was formed in 1989. [25] [17] The first women's team, "Latvija", was formed in 1989, and was renamed to "RAF Jelgava" in 1990. The team competed in the 1990 Soviet women's football championship in the highest league, where they finished in 8th place, they competed again in 1991, but did not qualify for the final playoff stage. [26]

The national team has never qualified for any major international tournaments, however they started competing in the Baltic Women's Cup in 1996, winning for the first time in 1997, then winning five more time in 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2025. [27] [28] [29] The team participated in the World Cup Qualifiers for the first time in 2013, but did not make it through. [17]

League system

The table below illustrates the comprehensive structure of Latvian league football. [30]

Note: Exact numbers of clubs at every level of the league system, particularly those at lower levels, are subject to change and are current as of the 2022 season.

Level

Total clubs (80 +-)

League(s) / division(s)

1

10

Higher League
10 clubs – 1 or 2 relegations

2

14

First League
14 clubs – 1 or 2 promotions, 2 or 3 relegations

3

16

Second League East
8 clubs – 0 to 3 promotions (2 to 3 nationwide), 0 to 4 relegations (4 nationwide)

Second League West
8 clubs – 0 to 3 promotions (2 to 3 nationwide), 0 to 4 relegations (4 nationwide)

4

37

Third League Centre
10 clubs – 0 to 2 promotions (4 nationwide) [a]

Third League East
9 clubs – 0 to 2 promotions (4 nationwide)

Third League North
10 clubs – 0 to 2 promotions (4 nationwide) [a]

Third League West
8 clubs – 0 to 2 promotions (4 nationwide)

National team

The Latvia national football team in 2003 qualified to Euro 2004. [31] [32] This resulted in being the first and currently only Baltic national team to do so.

See also

National teams

Women's teams

Competitions

Leagues

Women's leagues

Cups

Clubs

Notes

  1. 1 2 Promotion to either the Second League East or Second League West is based on geographic factors.

References

  1. ↑ "A German aims to improve the state of football in Latvia". dpa International. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  2. ↑ "Daugava's recipe for title success". UEFA. 2012-11-28. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  3. ↑ "Hard work bearing fruit for Latvia –". UEFA . Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  4. ↑ "When Saturday Comes - Riga mortis". Wsc.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  5. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Football | Euro 2004 | Latvia | How they qualified: Latvia". BBC News. 2004-05-21. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  6. ↑ "futbols Latvijā". Archived from the original on 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  7. ↑ "Vēsture". LFF.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  8. ↑ UEFA.com. "The official website for European football". UEFA.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  9. ↑ "Par LFF". LFF.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  10. ↑ UEFA.com. "The official website for European football". UEFA.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  11. ↑ "Latvian football survives setbacks | Inside UEFA". UEFA . July 9, 2018. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020.
  12. ↑ Medijainen, Eero (1991). EESTI VÄLISPOLIITIKA BALTI SUUND 1926 - 1934 [The Baltic Direction of Estonian Foreign Policy, 1926-1934] (in Estonian). University of Tartu. pp. 82–84.
  13. ↑ "Vēsture". LFF.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  14. ↑ "Latvian football survives setbacks | Inside UEFA". UEFA . July 9, 2018. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020.
  15. ↑ "futbols Latvijā". Archived from the original on 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  16. 1 2 Duke, Vic; Crolley, Liz (2002). Football, nationality and the state. A Pearson Education print on demand edition (1. publ ed.). Harlow: Longman. p. 88. ISBN   978-0-582-29306-9.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Girvičs, Kristiāns. "Latvijas sieviešu futbola izlase". Atbild Nacionālā enciklopēdija.
  18. ↑ "futbols Latvijā". Archived from the original on 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  19. ↑ "Vēsture". LFF.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  20. ↑ "futbols Latvijā". Archived from the original on 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  21. ↑ Bousfield, Jonathan (13 March 2019). Baltic States. Rough Guides. ISBN   9781858288406 . Retrieved 13 March 2019– via Google Books.
  22. ↑ Fuller, Stuart (17 October 2016). The Football Tourist: The Second Half. Ockley Books. ISBN   9781912022519 . Retrieved 13 March 2019– via Google Books.
  23. ↑ "Skonto FC declared insolvent". eng.lsm.lv. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  24. ↑ "Hearts to face Fiorentina, Istanbul Basaksehir & RFS in Europa Conference League". bbc.com. BBC. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  25. ↑ "Женский футбол в РФ. Справка" . Retrieved 9 November 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ↑ Fadeyev, Sergey (29 December 2006). "Soviet Union 1990 Women". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 November 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ↑ "Results - Europe Baltic Women's Cup 2025 - Scoresway". Stats Perform. Retrieved December 7, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ↑ "Tables - Europe Baltic Women's Cup 2019 - Scoresway". Stats Perform. 7 December 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ↑ Garin, Erik; Fadeyev, Sergey (October 18, 2018). "Baltic Cup - Women Tournaments". RSSSF. Retrieved December 7, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ↑ "Latvijas Futbola federācija". lff.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  31. ↑ uefa.com. "UEFA EURO 2004 - History - Latvia". UEFA . Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  32. ↑ "Johnson's vision provides cause for celebration in Latvia and Yeovil". The Independent. 22 November 2003. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
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