Liga I: The Top Flight of Romanian Football

Liga I, officially known as the SuperLiga for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional football division in Romania. It is the pinnacle of the Romanian football league system, where the country's most celebrated clubs compete for the national championship. The league has a rich history dating back to 1909 and is known for producing talented players and hosting fierce rivalries.

League Structure and Season Progression

The Liga I season typically involves 16 teams. They first play a double round-robin regular season, totaling 30 matches per club. Afterwards, the league splits into a championship playoff group (top six) and a relegation playoff group (bottom ten). Teams carry forward a portion of their points into these playoffs, where they play additional matches to ultimately decide the champion, European qualification places, and the relegated teams.

European Qualification and Relegation

Success in Liga I is rewarded with access to European club competitions. The league champion qualifies for the UEFA Champions League preliminary rounds. The next highest-placed teams earn entry into the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying stages. At the other end of the table, the lowest-finishing teams are relegated directly to Liga II, Romania's second division, ensuring a constant cycle of competition and renewal.

Historic Powerhouses and Modern Contenders

Romanian football is historically dominated by clubs from Bucharest. Steaua București (now FCSB) is the most successful club, famously winning the European Cup in 1986. Dinamo București and Rapid București are other traditional powers. In recent decades, clubs from outside the capital like CFR Cluj, Universitatea Craiova, and FCV Farul Constanța have risen to challenge for and win titles, creating a more balanced and unpredictable league landscape. The current champion continues to write the latest chapter in this competitive history.