Liga 1 (Indonesia)
Liga 1,, is the men's top professional football division of the Indonesian football league system. Administered by the PT Liga Indonesia Baru, Liga 1 is contested by 18 clubs and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Liga 2.
In its current format, the Indonesian league was revised from having tournament format, to a single-tier league from the 2008–09 season onwards.
Thirty-six teams have competed in Liga 1 since its inception. Six teams have been crowned champions, with Persipura winning the title a record three times. Persipura also won the inaugural Liga 1 in 2009.
History
Origins
In 1994, PSSI merged Perserikatan and Galatama to formed Liga Indonesia, integrating the fanaticism in the Perserikatan and the professionalism of Galatama with the aim of improving the quality of Indonesian football. And also marks a tiered system in Indonesian football league in the level of competition.The format of group stage like Perserikatan, combined with a full competition system followed by the semifinal and final like Galatama, became a combination of Liga Indonesia competition formats.
Foundation
Modern competition era started. In 2008, PSSI organize Indonesia Super League as the new professional football league in Indonesia, replacing Indonesia Premier Division as top-tier competition in Indonesia. Indonesia Super League which puts full competition format, became a new thing for Indonesian football. If previously Indonesian football was identical to the tournament competition format, now the competition champion was generated from the points obtained in the competition.The league held its first season in 2008–09. It was composed of 18 clubs for that season. The first Indonesia Super League goal was scored by Ernest Jeremiah of Persipura in a 2–2 draw against Sriwijaya. The 18 inaugural members of the new Indonesia Super League were Persipura, Persiwa, Persib, Persik, Sriwijaya, Persela, Persija, PSM, Pelita Jaya, Arema, Persijap, Persiba, PKT Bontang, Persitara, PSMS, Deltras, Persita, and PSIS. Originally, Persiter and Persmin were qualified as top nine in east region 2007–08 Liga Indonesia Premier Division. But they failed the verification to be inaugural members of the Indonesia Super League.
Dualism
Liga Primer Indonesia emerged in 2011 as a breakaway league managed by Konsorsium Liga Premier Indonesia and PT Liga Primer Indonesia that was not recognized by the PSSI. PSM, Persema, and Persibo joined as defectors of Indonesia Super League. That competition was then stopped during the half-season break.After the inauguration of the new PSSI board, member of Executive Committee and Chairman of the Competition Committee of PSSI, Sihar Sitorus, appointed PT Liga Prima Indonesia Sportindo as new league operator replacing PT Liga Indonesia because they didn't provide an accountability report to the PSSI and announced Indonesia Premier League as the new top level competition in Indonesia.
But the problem arose when Sihar Sitorus said the competition would be divided into two regions and there would be an addition of six clubs in the top division which caused many members to be dissatisfied with it. Therefore, there were defections of 14 Indonesia Premier League contestants to Indonesia Super League. Indonesia Super League keep rolling as illegal competition that is not recognized by FIFA and AFC. Indonesia Premier League became the top-tier league from 2011 to 2013.
In PSSI Extraordinary Congress on 17 March 2013, it was decided that Indonesia Super League would once again emerge as the top level competition as an unification league following the disbandment of the Indonesian Premier League. Best seven teams of the 2013 Indonesian Premier League followed the verification to be in that unified league. But only Semen Padang, Persiba Bantul, Persijap, and PSM that passed the verification while Perseman, Persepar, and Pro Duta failed, making 2014 season followed by 22 teams.
Government intervention and FIFA suspension
Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs, Imam Nahrawi, officially banned PSSI on 18 April 2015. This decision was taken because PSSI did not recognize the results of BOPI's recommendations not to pass verification of Arema Cronus and Persebaya. Previously, Menpora had sent three letters of reprimand. But up to a predetermined deadline, PSSI does not provide an answer. It made PSSI officially stopped all competitions in 2015 season after PSSI Executive Committee meeting on 2 May 2015.FIFA also suspend PSSI on 30 May 2015 because the Indonesian government has committed a violation through intervention. During suspension, some tournaments were made to replace the competition, starting with the Indonesia President's Cup 2015 where Persib came out as champions, until Bhayangkara Cup closed the tournament games. And then a long-term tournament with full competition format, Indonesia Soccer Championship was held in 2016 season where Persipura won that tournament.
On 13 May 2016, FIFA officially revoked the suspension PSSI, following revocation by Menpora on 10 May 2016.
Name changes
In 2017, the competition was restarted under a new official name, Liga 1. The name changes also applied to Premier Division and Liga Nusantara. The operator of the competition was also changed from PT Liga Indonesia to PT Liga Indonesia Baru. Bhayangkara is the first champions of the competition under the new name, having a head-to-head advantage against Bali United after both teams had the same points at the end of the season.Competition format
Competition
There are 18 clubs in Liga 1. During the course of a season each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents', for 34 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then head-to-head records, then goal difference, and then goals scored. If still equal, a drawing held to determine which clubs is above the other. The three lowest placed teams are relegated into Liga 2, and the top two teams from Liga 2, together with the winner of third place play-off involving the loser of Liga 2 semifinals, are promoted in their place.Promotion and relegation
A system of promotion and relegation exists between Liga 1 and Liga 2. The three lowest placed teams in Liga 1 are relegated to Liga 2, and the top two teams from Liga 2 promoted to the Liga 1, with an additional team promoted after a third place play-off involving the loser of Liga 2 semifinals. Liga 1 had 22 teams in 2014 for the merging of the two professional leagues in Indonesia – Indonesia Premier League and Indonesia Super League, but originally until present time, it is 18-team format.Clubs
Thirty-six clubs have played in the Liga 1 from its inception in 2008 as Indonesia Super League, up to and including the 2019 season.Champions
Most successful clubs
2020–21 season
The following 18 clubs will be compete in the Liga 1 during the 2020–21 season.| Club | Position in 2019 | First season in top division | First season in Liga 1 | Seasons in top division | Seasons in Liga 1 | First season of current spell in top division | Top division titles | Last top division title |
| Aremaa, b | 9th | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 23 | 11 | 2008–09 | 1 | 2009–10 |
| Bali Unitedb | 1st | 1994–95 | 2009–10 | 17 | 10 | 2009–10 | 1 | 2019 |
| Barito Puterab | 13th | 1994–95 | 2013 | 16 | 7 | 2013 | 0 | |
| Bhayangkarab | 4th | 2014 | 2014 | 6 | 6 | 2014 | 1 | 2017 |
| Borneob | 7th | 2015 | 2015 | 5 | 5 | 2015 | 0 | |
| Madura Uniteda, b | 5th | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 23 | 11 | 2008–09 | 0 | |
| Persebaya | 2nd | 1994–95 | 2009–10 | 15 | 4 | 2018 | 2 | 2004 |
| Perselaa, b | 11th | 2004 | 2008–09 | 15 | 11 | 2008–09 | 0 | |
| Persiba, b | 6th | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 24 | 11 | 2008–09 | 2 | 2014 |
| Persijaa, b | 10th | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 24 | 11 | 2008–09 | 2 | 2018 |
| Persika | 1st in the Liga 2 | 2003 | 2008–09 | 9 | 4 | 2020 | 2 | 2006 |
| Persikabo 1973b | 15th | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 8 | 8 | 2011–12 | 0 | |
| Persipuraa, b | 3rd | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 24 | 11 | 2008–09 | 4 | 2013 |
| Persirajab | 3rd in the Liga 2 | 1994–95 | 2020 | 9 | 1 | 2020 | 0 | |
| Persitaa | 2nd in the Liga 2 | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 16 | 4 | 2020 | 0 | |
| PSISa | 14th | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 16 | 4 | 2018 | 1 | 1998–99 |
| PSMa | 12th | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 21 | 9 | 2014 | 1 | 1999–2000 |
| PSSb | 8th | 2001 | 2019 | 9 | 2 | 2019 | 0 |
- Top division began from 1994–95 season when Galatama and Perserikatan merged to formed Liga Indonesia.
- Badak Lampung, Kalteng Putra, and Semen Padang were relegated to the Liga 2 for the 2020 season, while Persik, Persita, and Persiraja as winners, runners-up, and third-place play-off winners respectively, were promoted from the 2019 Liga 2 season.
b: Never been relegated from Liga 1
Maps
Other clubs
The following clubs are not competing in the Liga 1 during the 2020–21 season, but competed in the Liga 1 for at least one season.| Club | Current league | Position in 2019 | First season in top division | First season in Liga 1 | Most recent season in Liga 1 | Seasons in top division | Seasons in Liga 1 | Top division titles | Last top division title |
| Badak Lampung | Liga 2 | 16th in the Liga 1 | 2014 | 2014 | 2019 | 5 | 5 | 0 | |
| Bontanga | Liga 3 | Did not enter | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 2010–11 | 16 | 3 | 0 | |
| Deltrasa | Liga 3 | Eliminated in qualifying round | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 2011–12 | 16 | 3 | 0 | |
| Kalteng Putra | Liga 2 | 18th in the Liga 1 | 2019 | 2019 | 2019 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Mitra Kukar | Liga 2 | Eliminated in second round | 1994–95 | 2011–12 | 2018 | 10 | 6 | 0 | |
| Gresik United | Liga 3 | Eliminated in qualifying round | 1994–95 | 2011–12 | 2017 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 2002 |
| Persema | Liga 3 | Eliminated in qualifying round | 1994–95 | 2009–10 | 2009–10 | 12 | 1 | 0 | |
| Persepam | Liga 3 | Banned | 2013 | 2013 | 2014 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| Persibaa | Liga 2 | Eliminated in first round | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 2017 | 16 | 8 | 0 | |
| Persiba Bantul | Liga 3 | Eliminated in national round | 2014 | 2014 | 2014 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Persidafon | Liga 3 | Eliminated in qualifying round | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 2013 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| Persijapa | Liga 3 | TBD | 2005 | 2008–09 | 2014 | 7 | 4 | 0 | |
| Persitaraa | Liga 3 | Eliminated in qualifying round | 2006 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 4 | 2 | 0 | |
| Persiwaa | Liga 3 | Disqualified | 2006 | 2008–09 | 2013 | 7 | 5 | 0 | |
| PSAP | Liga 3 | Eliminated in qualifying round | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 2011–12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| PSMSa | Liga 2 | Eliminated in second round | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 2018 | 15 | 3 | 0 | |
| PSPS Riau | Liga 2 | Eliminated in first round | 2001 | 2009–10 | 2013 | 9 | 4 | 0 | |
| Semen Padang | Liga 2 | 17th in the Liga 1 | 1994–95 | 2010–11 | 2019 | 18 | 5 | 0 | |
| Sriwijayaa | Liga 2 | 4th | 1994–95 | 2008–09 | 2018 | 19 | 9 | 2 | 2011–12 |
a: Founding member of the Liga 1
All-time Liga 1 table
The All-time Liga 1 table is an overall record of all match results, points, and goals of every team that has played in Liga 1 since its inception in 2008. The table is accurate as of the end of the 2019 season. Because the 2014 season used a two-region format, as per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. This all-time table also include the abandoned 2015 season.| Team | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Persipura | 10 | 296 | 165 | 80 | 51 | 562 | 279 | +283 | 575 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | Arema | 10 | 295 | 140 | 65 | 90 | 488 | 348 | +140 | 482 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | Persib | 10 | 296 | 134 | 76 | 86 | 477 | 357 | +120 | 478 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | Persija | 10 | 288 | 125 | 78 | 85 | 428 | 315 | +113 | 453 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Madura United | 10 | 295 | 111 | 74 | 110 | 416 | 395 | +21 | 404 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Sriwijaya | 9 | 255 | 112 | 55 | 88 | 404 | 359 | +45 | 391 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | Persela | 10 | 294 | 106 | 71 | 117 | 414 | 415 | −1 | 389 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Bali United | 9 | 254 | 109 | 54 | 91 | 380 | 329 | +51 | 381 | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | PSM | 7 | 192 | 82 | 47 | 63 | 276 | 249 | +27 | 293 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Persiba | 8 | 219 | 75 | 52 | 92 | 289 | 314 | −25 | 277 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Persiwa | 5 | 164 | 74 | 23 | 67 | 250 | 242 | +8 | 245 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Mitra Kukar | 6 | 164 | 70 | 26 | 68 | 255 | 262 | −7 | 236 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Persikabo 1973 | 7 | 192 | 61 | 50 | 81 | 249 | 296 | −47 | 233 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Bhayangkara | 5 | 130 | 66 | 31 | 33 | 209 | 145 | +63 | 226 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | Barito Putera | 6 | 159 | 60 | 42 | 57 | 225 | 223 | +2 | 222 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Semen Padang | 5 | 124 | 42 | 38 | 44 | 149 | 151 | –2 | 164 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Borneo | 4 | 104 | 41 | 29 | 34 | 157 | 133 | +24 | 152 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Persebaya | 3 | 102 | 38 | 26 | 38 | 159 | 149 | +10 | 140 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | Badak Lampung | 5 | 124 | 36 | 31 | 57 | 128 | 182 | −54 | 139 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | PSPS Riau | 4 | 130 | 39 | 20 | 71 | 147 | 245 | −98 | 134 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Persijap | 4 | 116 | 34 | 26 | 56 | 121 | 190 | −69 | 128 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Gresik United | 5 | 125 | 32 | 27 | 66 | 129 | 253 | −124 | 120 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Persik | 3 | 88 | 32 | 19 | 37 | 123 | 137 | −14 | 115 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | PSIS | 3 | 102 | 29 | 23 | 50 | 92 | 145 | −53 | 110 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | PSMS | 3 | 102 | 26 | 26 | 50 | 134 | 186 | −52 | 104 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Bontang | 3 | 96 | 24 | 24 | 48 | 129 | 185 | −56 | 96 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Deltras | 3 | 96 | 25 | 18 | 53 | 98 | 155 | −57 | 93 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Persita | 3 | 88 | 19 | 21 | 48 | 81 | 152 | −71 | 78 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Persidafon | 2 | 68 | 21 | 13 | 34 | 96 | 126 | −30 | 76 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Persepam | 2 | 54 | 18 | 12 | 24 | 70 | 86 | −16 | 66 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Persitara | 2 | 68 | 16 | 16 | 36 | 77 | 107 | −30 | 64 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | PSS | 1 | 34 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 45 | 42 | +3 | 48 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Persema | 1 | 34 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 43 | 52 | −9 | 45 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Kalteng Putra | 1 | 34 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 33 | 54 | −21 | 31 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | PSAP | 1 | 34 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 33 | 66 | −33 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Persiba Bantul | 1 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 17 | 53 | −36 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Persiraja | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
League or status at 2020:
| 2020–21 Liga 1 teams | |
| 2020 Liga 2 teams | |
| 2020 Liga 3 teams | |
| Defunct teams |
Players
Foreign players
Foreign players policy has changed multiple times since the league inception.- 2008–2013: 5 foreign players including 2 Asian quota.
- 2014: 4 foreign players including 1 Asian quota and only 3 can be on the field at a time.
- 2015: 3 foreign players. All 3 players can be on the field.
- 2017: 4 foreign players including 1 Asian quota and 1 marquee player quota. All 4 players can be on the field.
- 2018–present: 4 foreign players including 1 Asian quota. All 4 players can be on the field.
Awards
Top scorers
| Season | Name | Club | Nationality | Goals |
| 2008–09 | Boaz Solossa | Persipura | Indonesia | 28 |
| 2008–09 | Cristian Gonzáles | Persik/Persib | Uruguay | 28 |
| 2009–10 | Aldo Baretto | Bontang | Paraguay | 19 |
| 2010–11 | Boaz Solossa | Persipura | Indonesia | 22 |
| 2011–12 | Alberto Gonçalves | Persipura | Brazil | 25 |
| 2013 | Boaz Solossa | Persipura | Indonesia | 25 |
| 2014 | Emmanuel Kenmogne | Persebaya ISL | Cameroon | 25 |
| 2017 | Sylvano Comvalius | Bali United | Netherlands | 37 |
| 2018 | Aleksandar Rakić | PS TIRA | Serbia | 21 |
| 2019 | Marko Šimić | Persija | Croatia | 28 |
Notes: