Uruguayan Primera División facts for kids
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| Founded | 1900 |
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| Country | Uruguay |
| Confederation | CONMEBOL |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Segunda División |
| Domestic cup(s) | Copa Uruguay Supercopa Uruguaya |
| International cup(s) | Copa Libertadores Copa Sudamericana |
| Current champions | Liverpool (1st title) (2023) |
| Most championships | |
| Top goalscorer | Fernando Morena (230) |
| TV partners | Tenfield, Gol TV, Arena Sport |
The Liga Profesional de Primera División is the top professional football league in Uruguay. It is also known as "Torneo Uruguayo Copa Coca-Cola" because of its sponsor. The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) organizes this exciting league.
The first championship was held in 1900. Back then, it was a league for amateur players. It became a professional league in 1932. From 1900 to the 2014–15 season, there have been 111 seasons of this top division.
In 2011, the Uruguayan Primera División was ranked as the 23rd toughest football league in the 21st century. This ranking came from the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
Two clubs, Peñarol (including its earlier name, CURCC) and Nacional, are the most successful teams. Peñarol/CURCC has won 51 titles, and Nacional has won 49 titles. Only one club, Rampla Juniors, has won a title just once. Rampla Juniors and Wanderers are the only clubs that did not win titles in a row.
Contents
History of the League
The Uruguayan Primera División started in 1900. For a short time between 1923 and 1925, there was another football league called the Federación Uruguaya de Football (FUF). It ran at the same time as the official AUF league. In 1926, the government stepped in to bring the two groups together. A special championship was held to unite them. Peñarol won a part of this tournament. However, neither the AUF nor FIFA (the world football body) officially recognize the titles from the FUF or this special tournament.
For many years, from 1930 to 1975, either Nacional or Peñarol won every single championship. This amazing streak ended when Defensor won its first title in 1976. No other club besides Nacional or Peñarol has won titles in a row. Both Peñarol (from 1958 to 1962 and 1993 to 1997) and Nacional (from 1939 to 1943) hold the record for winning five titles in a row. The longest time without either Peñarol or Nacional winning was from 1987 to 1991. During this period, Defensor, Danubio, Progreso, Bella Vista, and Defensor again, won the five tournaments.
After 1994, the league season was split into two parts: the Opening Championship (Torneo Apertura) and the Closing Championship (Torneo Clausura). The winners of these two tournaments would then play a final match to decide the overall champion.
The league used to follow the calendar year, from summer to summer in the Southern Hemisphere. In 2005, it changed to the "European season" style, starting in August. This was done to stop clubs from losing their best players in the middle of the season. A short special season was held in early 2005 to help with this change. The league went back to the calendar year system in 2017 after a short 2016 season.
Teams in the League
A total of 60 teams have played in the Primera Division since it began in 1900. Nacional has played the most seasons, followed by Peñarol/CURCC. These two teams are also the only ones that have never been moved down to a lower division. Among the other teams, Montevideo Wanderers has played the most seasons.
2024 Season Teams
Here are the teams playing in the 2024 season. The information below is only for championships organized by the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF). It does not include tournaments from the FUF (1923, 1924) or the 1926 Consejo Provisorio tournament. The founding dates are what the clubs themselves say. The "Stadium" column shows where the team plays its home games, but it does not mean the team owns the stadium.
| Club | City | Stadium | Capacity | Establ. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston River | Montevideo | Campeones Olímpicos | 5,124 | 1939 |
| Cerro | Montevideo | Luis Tróccoli | 25,000 | 1922 |
| Cerro Largo | Melo | Antonio Ubilla | 9,000 | 2002 |
| Danubio | Montevideo | Jardines del Hipódromo | 18,000 | 1932 |
| Defensor Sporting | Montevideo | Luis Franzini | 16,000 | 1913 |
| Deportivo Maldonado | Maldonado | Domingo Burgueño Miguel | 22,000 | 1928 |
| Fénix | Montevideo | Parque Capurro | 10,000 | 1916 |
| Liverpool | Montevideo | Belvedere | 10,000 | 1915 |
| Miramar Misiones | Montevideo | Parque Luis Méndez Piana | 6,500 | 1980 |
| Montevideo Wanderers | Montevideo | Parque Alfredo Víctor Viera | 11,000 | 1902 |
| Nacional | Montevideo | Gran Parque Central | 34,000 | 1899 |
| Peñarol | Montevideo | Campeón del Siglo | 40,000 | 1891 / 1913 |
| Progreso | Montevideo | Abraham Paladino | 8,000 | 1917 |
| Racing | Montevideo | Osvaldo Roberto | 8,500 | 1919 |
| Rampla Juniors | Montevideo | Olímpico | 9,500 | 1914 |
| River Plate | Montevideo | Parque Federico Omar Saroldi | 5,624 | 1932 |
League Champions: Who Won?
This section lists the winners of the Uruguayan Primera División. All these tournaments were organized by the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF). We don't have records for top goalscorers from 1900 to 1931.
| Edition | Season | Champion | Runner-up | Third | Leading goalscorer(s) |
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1900 | CURCC (1) | Albion | Uruguay Athletic | |
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1901 | CURCC (2) | Nacional | Uruguay Athletic | |
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1902 | Nacional (1) | CURCC | Deutscher | |
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1903 | Nacional (2) | CURCC | Deutscher | |
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1904 | (No championship held) | |||
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1905 | CURCC (3) | Nacional | Montevideo Wanderers | |
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1906 | Montevideo Wanderers (1) | CURCC | Nacional | |
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1907 | CURCC (4) | Montevideo Wanderers | River Plate FC | |
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1908 | River Plate FC (1) | Montevideo Wanderers | Nacional | |
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1909 | Montevideo Wanderers (2) | CURCC | River Plate FC | |
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1910 | River Plate FC (2) | CURCC | Nacional | |
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1911 | CURCC (5) | Montevideo Wanderers | Nacional | |
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1912 | Nacional (3) | CURCC | Montevideo Wanderers | |
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1913 | River Plate FC (3) | Nacional | CURCC | |
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1914 | River Plate FC (4) | Peñarol | Nacional | |
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1915 | Nacional (4) | Peñarol | Universal | |
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1916 | Nacional (5) | Peñarol | Montevideo Wanderers | |
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1917 | Nacional (6) | Peñarol | Universal | |
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1918 | Peñarol (6) | Nacional | Universal | |
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1919 | Nacional (7) | Universal | Peñarol | |
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1920 | Nacional (8) | Peñarol | Central Español | |
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1921 | Peñarol (7) | Nacional | Universal | |
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1922 | Nacional (9) | Montevideo Wanderers | Rampla Juniors | |
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1923 | Nacional (10) | Rampla Juniors | Bella Vista | |
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1924 | Nacional (11) | Bella Vista | Rampla Juniors | |
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1925 |
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1926 |
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1927 | Rampla Juniors (1) | Peñarol | Nacional | |
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1928 | Peñarol (8) | Rampla Juniors | Nacional | |
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1929 | Peñarol (9) | Nacional | Defensor Sporting | |
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1930 | (No championship held) | |||
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1931 | Montevideo Wanderers (3) | Nacional | Rampla Juniors | |
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1932 | Peñarol (10) | Rampla Juniors | Nacional |  Juan Labraga (Rampla Juniors; 17 goals) |
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1933 | Nacional (12) | Peñarol | Rampla Juniors | Pedro Young (Peñarol; 33 goals) |
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1934 | Nacional (13) | Peñarol | Montevideo Wanderers | Aníbal Ciocca (Nacional; 13 goals) |
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1935 | Peñarol (11) | Nacional | Montevideo Wanderers | Antonio Castaldo (Defensor; 12 goals) |
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1936 | Peñarol (12) | Nacional | Rampla Juniors | Aníbal Ciocca (Nacional; 14 goals) |
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1937 | Peñarol (13) | Nacional | Montevideo Wanderers | Horacio Tellechea (Peñarol; 16 goals) |
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1938 | Peñarol (14) | Nacional | Central Español |  Atilio García (Nacional; 20 goals) |
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1939 | Nacional (14) | Peñarol | Montevideo Wanderers | Atilio García (Nacional; 22 goals) |
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1940 | Nacional (15) | Rampla Juniors | Montevideo Wanderers | Atilio García (Nacional; 18 goals) |
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1941 | Nacional (16) | Peñarol | Rampla Juniors | Atilio García (Nacional; 23 goals) |
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1942 | Nacional (17) | Peñarol | Montevideo Wanderers | Atilio García (Nacional; 19 goals) |
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1943 | Nacional (18) | Peñarol | Miramar Misiones | Atilio García (Nacional; 18 goals) |
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1944 | Peñarol (15) | Nacional | Defensor Sporting | Atilio García (Nacional; 21 goals) |
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1945 | Peñarol (16) | Nacional | Defensor Sporting | Nicolás Falero (Central Español; 21 goals) Raúl Schiaffino (Peñarol; 21 goals) |
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1946 | Nacional (19) | Peñarol | CA River Plate | Atilio García (Nacional; 21 goals) |
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1947 | Nacional (20) | Peñarol | Rampla Juniors | Nicolás Falero (Peñarol; 17 goals) |
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1948 | (Not finished) | |||
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1949 | Peñarol (17) | Nacional | Rampla Juniors | Óscar Míguez (Peñarol; 20 goals) |
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1950 | Nacional (21) | Peñarol | Rampla Juniors | Juan Ramón Orlandi (Nacional; 14 goals) |
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1951 | Peñarol (18) | Nacional | Rampla Juniors | Juan Hohberg (Peñarol; 17 goals) |
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1952 | Nacional (22) | Peñarol | Rampla Juniors | Jorge Enrico (Nacional; 15 goals) |
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1953 | Peñarol (19) | Nacional | Rampla Juniors | Juan Hohberg (Peñarol; 17 goals) |
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1954 | Peñarol (20) | Nacional | Danubio | Juan Romay (Peñarol; 12 goals) |
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1955 | Nacional (23) | Peñarol | Cerro | Javier Ambrois (Nacional; 17 goals) |
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1956 | Nacional (24) | Peñarol | Cerro | Carlos Carranza (Cerro; 18 goals) |
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1957 | Nacional (25) | Peñarol | Defensor Sporting | Walter Hernández (Defensor; 16 goals) |
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1958 | Peñarol (21) | Nacional | Rampla Juniors | Manuel Pedersen (Rampla Juniors; 12 goals) |
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1959 | Peñarol (22) | Nacional | Racing | Víctor Guaglianone (Wanderers; 13 goals) |
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1960 | Peñarol (23) | Cerro | Nacional | Ángel Cabrera (Peñarol; 14 goals) |
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1961 | Peñarol (24) | Nacional | Defensor Sporting |  Alberto Spencer (Peñarol; 18 goals) |
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1962 | Peñarol (25) | Nacional | Fénix | Alberto Spencer (Peñarol; 16 goals) |
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1963 | Nacional (26) | Peñarol | Montevideo Wanderers | Pedro Rocha (Peñarol; 18 goals) |
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1964 | Peñarol (26) | Rampla Juniors | Nacional | Héctor Salva (Rampla Juniors; 12 goals) |
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1965 | Peñarol (27) | Nacional | Cerro | Pedro Rocha (Peñarol; 15 goals) |
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1966 | Nacional (27) | Peñarol | Cerro |  Araquem de Melo (Danubio; 12 goals) |
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1967 | Peñarol (28) | Nacional | Cerro | Alberto Spencer (Peñarol; 11 goals) |
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1968 | Peñarol (29) | Nacional | Cerro | Alberto Spencer (Peñarol; 8 goals) Pedro Rocha (Peñarol; 8 goals) Ruben Garcia (Cerro; 8 goals) Rúben Bareño (Cerro; 8 goals) |
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1969 | Nacional (28) | Peñarol | Bella Vista | Luis Artime (Nacional; 24 goals) |
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1970 | Nacional (29) | Peñarol | Huracán Buceo | Luis Artime (Nacional; 21 goals) |
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1971 | Nacional (30) | Peñarol | Liverpool | Luis Artime (Nacional; 16 goals) |
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1972 | Nacional (31) | Peñarol | Defensor Sporting | Juan Carlos Mamelli (Nacional; 20 goals) |
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1973 | Peñarol (30) | Nacional | Danubio | Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 23 goals) |
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1974 | Peñarol (31) | Nacional | Liverpool | Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 27 goals) |
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1975 | Peñarol (32) | Nacional | Liverpool | Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 34 goals) |
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1976 | Defensor Sporting (1) | Peñarol | Nacional | Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 18 goals) |
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1977 | Nacional (32) | Peñarol | Defensor Sporting | Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 19 goals) |
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1978 | Peñarol (33) | Nacional | Fénix | Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 36 goals) |
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1979 | Peñarol (34) | Nacional | Fénix | Waldemar Victorino (Nacional; 19 goals) |
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1980 | Nacional (33) | Montevideo Wanderers | Peñarol | Jorge Luis Siviero (Rentistas; 19 goals) |
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1981 | Peñarol (35) | Nacional | Montevideo Wanderers | Rubén Paz (Peñarol; 17 goals) |
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1982 | Peñarol (36) | Nacional | Defensor Sporting | Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 17 goals) |
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1983 | Nacional (34) | Danubio | Defensor Sporting | Arsenio Luzardo (Nacional; 13 goals) |
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1984 | Central Español | Peñarol | Nacional | José Villareal (Central Español; 18 goals) |
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1985 | Peñarol (37) | Montevideo Wanderers | Cerro | Antonio Alzamendi (Peñarol; 13 goals) |
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1986 | Peñarol (38) | Nacional | Central Español | Juan Ramón Carrasco (Nacional; 11 goals) Gerardo Miranda (Defensor; 11 goals) |
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1987 | Defensor Sporting (2) | Nacional | Bella Vista | Gerardo Miranda (Defensor; 13 goals) |
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1988 | Danubio (1) | Peñarol | Defensor Sporting | Rubén da Silva (Danubio; 23 goals) |
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1989 | Progreso | Nacional | Peñarol | Diego Aguirre (Peñarol; 7 goals) Johnny Miqueiro (Progreso; 7 goals) Óscar Quagliata (Huracán Buceo; 7 goals) |
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1990 | Bella Vista | Nacional | Peñarol | Adolfo Barán (Peñarol; 13 goals) |
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1991 | Defensor Sporting (3) | Nacional | Montevideo Wanderers |  Julio Dely Valdés (Nacional; 16 goals) |
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1992 | Nacional (35) | CA River Plate | Danubio | Julio Dely Valdés (Nacional; 13 goals) |
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1993 | Peñarol (39) | Defensor Sporting | Danubio | Wilmar Cabrera (Huracán Buceo; 12 goals) |
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1994 | Peñarol (40) | Defensor Sporting | Nacional | Darío Silva (Peñarol; 19 goals) |
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1995 | Peñarol (41) | Nacional | Liverpool | Juan González (Nacional; 16 goals) |
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1996 | Peñarol (42) | Nacional | Defensor Sporting | Juan González (Nacional; 13 goals) |
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1997 | Peñarol (43) | Defensor Sporting | CA River Plate | Pablo Bengoechea (Peñarol; 10 goals) |
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1998 | Nacional (36) | Peñarol | Bella Vista | Martín Rodríguez (CA River Plate; 13 goals) Rubén Sosa (Nacional; 13 goals) |
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1999 | Peñarol (44) | Nacional | Defensor Sporting | Gabriel Álvez (Nacional; 24 goals) |
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2000 | Nacional (37) | Peñarol | Defensor Sporting | Javier Chevantón (Danubio; 33 goals) |
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2001 | Nacional (38) | Danubio | Peñarol | Eliomar Marcón (Defensor Sporting; 21 goals) |
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2002 | Nacional (39) | Danubio | Peñarol | Germán Hornos (Fénix; 25 goals) |
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2003 | Peñarol (45) | Nacional | Danubio | Alexander Medina (Liverpool; 22 goals) |
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2004 | Danubio (2) | Nacional | Defensor Sporting | Carlos Bueno (Peñarol; 26 goals) Alexander Medina (Nacional; 26 goals) |
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2005 | Nacional (40) | Defensor Sporting | Peñarol | Pablo Granoche (Miramar Misiones; 16 goals) |
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2005–06 | Nacional (41) | Rocha | Defensor Sporting | Pedro Cardoso (Rocha; 17 goals) |
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2006–07 | Danubio (3) | Peñarol | Defensor Sporting | Aldo Díaz (Tacuarembó; 15 goals) |
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2007–08 | Defensor Sporting (4) | Peñarol | CA River Plate |  Richard Porta (CA River Plate; 19 goals) Cristhian Stuani (Danubio; 19 goals) |
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2008–09 | Nacional (42) | Defensor Sporting | Cerro | Antonio Pacheco (Peñarol; 12 goals) Liber Quiñones (Racing; 12 goals) |
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2009–10 | Peñarol (46) | Nacional | Liverpool | Antonio Pacheco (Peñarol; 23 goals) |
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2010–11 | Nacional (43) | Defensor Sporting | Peñarol | Santiago García (Nacional; 23 goals) |
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2011–12 | Nacional (44) | Defensor Sporting | Peñarol | Richard Porta (Nacional; 17 goals) |
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2012–13 | Peñarol (47) | Defensor Sporting | Nacional | Juan Manuel Olivera (Peñarol; 18 goals) |
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2013–14 | Danubio (4) | Montevideo Wanderers | Nacional | Héctor Acuña (Cerro; 20 goals) |
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2014–15 | Nacional (45) | Peñarol | River Plate | Iván Alonso (Nacional; 22 goals) |
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2015–16 | Peñarol (48) | Nacional | Cerro | Gastón Rodríguez (M. Wanderers; 19 goals) Junior Arias (Liverpool; 19 goals) |
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2016 | Nacional (46) | Montevideo Wanderers | Danubio | Pablo Silva (Villa Española; 8 goals) Gabriel Fernández (Racing; 8 goals) |
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2017 | Peñarol (49) | Defensor Sporting | Nacional | Cristian Palacios (M. Wanderers / Peñarol; 29 goals) |
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2018 | Peñarol (50) | Nacional | Danubio | Gonzalo Bergessio (Nacional; 17 goals) |
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2019 | Nacional (47) | Peñarol | Cerro Largo | Juan Ignacio Ramírez (Liverpool; 24 goals) |
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2020 | Nacional (48) | Rentistas | Liverpool | Gonzalo Bergessio (Nacional; 25 goals) |
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2021 | Peñarol (51) | Nacional | Plaza Colonia | Maximiliano Silvera (Cerrito; 22 goals) |
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2022 | Nacional (49) | Liverpool | Deportivo Maldonado | Thiago Borbas (River Plate; 18 goals) |
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2023 | Liverpool (1) | Peñarol | Nacional | Ignacio Ramírez (Nacional; 19 goals) |
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2024 | ||||
Titles Won by Clubs
This table shows how many times each club has won the championship.
- Clubs playing in the 2023 Uruguayan Primera División season are in bold.
- Clubs that are no longer active are in italics.
| Rank | Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons |
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| 1 | CURCC / Peñarol |
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1900, 1901, 1905, 1907, 1911, 1918, 1921, 1928, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1944, 1945, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2017, 2018, 2021 |
| 2 | Nacional | 49 | 45 | 1902, 1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1933, 1934, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022 |
| 3 | Defensor Sporting | 4 | 9 | 1976, 1987, 1991, 2007–08 |
| Danubio | 4 | 3 | 1988, 2004, 2006–07, 2013–14 | |
| River Plate FC | 4 | — | 1908, 1910, 1913, 1914 | |
| 6 | Montevideo Wanderers | 3 | 8 | 1906, 1909, 1931 |
| 7 | Rampla Juniors | 1 | 5 | 1927 |
| Bella Vista | 1 | 1 | 1990 | |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1 | 2023 | |
| Central Español | 1 | — | 1984 | |
| Progreso | 1 | — | 1989 |
Special Tournaments
Over the years, the league has also held shorter tournaments. These include the Apertura and Clausura (which are like "opening" and "closing" halves of the season), the Torneo Intermedio, Torneo Clasificatorio, and the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores de América. These tournaments help decide which teams qualify for international competitions like the Copa Libertadores.
| Club | Total Wins | Special Tournament Wins | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torneo Apertura (1994–) |
Torneo Clausura (1994–) |
Torneo Intermedio (2017–) |
Liguilla Pre-Libertadores (1974–2009) |
Torneo Clasificatorio (2001–2004) |
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| Nacional | 32 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Peñarol | 31 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
| Defensor Sporting | 16 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Danubio | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Liverpool | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Montevideo Wanderers | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Plaza Colonia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rentistas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rocha | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bella Vista | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cerro | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fénix | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Top Goal Scorers of All Time
This list shows the players who have scored the most goals in the league from 1900 until now.
| Rank | Player | Years Played | Goals | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fernando Morena |
1969–84 | 230 | 244 |
| 2 | Atilio García |
1938–50 | 208 | 210 |
| 3 | Héctor Scarone |
1916–34 | 163 | 191 |
| 4 | Pablo Terevinto |
1920–31 | 124 | 157 |
| 5 | Alberto Spencer |
1960–70 | 113 | 166 |
| 6 | René Borjas |
1920–31 | 109 | 199 |
| 7 | Héctor Castro |
1921–36 | 107 | 181 |
| 8 | Óscar Míguez |
1948–60 | 107 | 137 |
| 9 | Pedro Petrone |
1923–33 | 103 | 97 |
| 10 | Peregrino Anselmo |
1922–35 | 102 | 180 |
Images for kids
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The official logo of the Uruguayan Primera División.
See also
In Spanish: Primera División de Uruguay para niños
- Uruguayan football league system
- Uruguayan Segunda División
- Uruguayan Football Stadiums
