UEFA
2006
Serbia
12
1
FC Partizan
- Meridian Bank is the league's general sponsor.
- Nike is the league's official ball.
- Western Union is a sponsorship partner.
History
Contents |
League Overview
The Serbian Superliga (officially known as the Meridian Superliga for sponsorship reasons), is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top echelon of the Serbian football league system. The competition is currently contested by twelve clubs from across Serbia. The Serbian Superliga was formed in 2006 after the secession of Montenegro from Serbia.
Serbian clubs used to compete in the Yugoslav First League. This competition was formed in 1923 and lasted until 2003. After the downfall of SFR Yugoslavia in 1991 a new Yugoslavia would be formed that would be named FR Yugoslavia with Montengro and Serbia. They kept the name Yugoslavia until 2003 when the country changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro: this union lasted until 2006 when Montenegro gained independence and formed its own league, the Montenegrin First League.
The current Superliga champions are Partizan
League Ranking
UEFA currently ranks the league 21st in Europe.
History
The Superliga was apart of the Yugoslav First League after its creation in 1992 since the country was still known as Yugoslavia. In 2003, Yugoslavia was renamed to Serbia and Montenegro and the football league followed suit. The First League of Serbia and Montenegro contained 16 teams, but the current Superliga has only 12 in an attempt to bring up the level of play. The Football Association of Serbia questioned their decision prior to the 2007-08 season but have decided that there will be no changes in the number of teams.
The first official kick-off under the name of Meridian Superliga was in Fall 2004.
League Format
The Superliga began as a league with a playoff system in an attempt to boost ratings and improve competition. After the first season however, the superliga changed it's format. The 2007-08 season was the first to be played in a more traditional format. The league no longer divided into a playoff and playout group midway through the campaign. Instead, the 12 teams began playing each other three times in a more conventional league format.
The champion of the Superliga begins it's UEFA Champions League campaign in the second round of qualifying as a seeded team. The second, and third placed teams compete in the qualifying for the UEFA Cup as seeded teams. The second place team however begins in the second round while the third place side joins Serbia's Domestic Cup winner in the first round of qualifying. The fourth placed team is Serbia's representative in the UEFA Intertoto Cup.
The last two teams at the end of the season get relegated to the Second Division known as Prva Liga Telekom Srbija.
The team holding 10th position at the end of the season is not automatically relegated. It plays against the winner from the Prva Liga Telekom Srbija playoff in a two-legged matchup for the right to play in the Superliga.
League Trophies
Recognition and Awards
Most League Goals of All Time
| Ranking | Player | Games | Goals | First Match | Last Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Most League Appearances
| Ranking | Player | # Appearances |
|---|---|---|
League Management
Sponsors
The Serbian Superliga currently has three major sponsors.
- Meridian Bank is the league's general sponsor.
- Nike is the league's official ball.
- Western Union is a sponsorship partner.
Media Coverage
Radio Television of Serbia(RTS)
Important Links
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