Liga FPD (Costa Rica)

Liga FPD, officially known as the Primera División de Costa Rica and commercially as Liga Promerica, is the top professional football league in Costa Rica. Founded in 1921, it is one of the oldest leagues in Central America and features historic clubs such as Saprissa, Alajuelense, and Herediano.

History and facts

The Costa Rican top division was established in 1921 with the goal of organizing professional football nationwide. It quickly grew in popularity, with Saprissa, Alajuelense, and Herediano forming the traditional “Big Three”.

The league is divided into two tournaments each year: Apertura and Clausura, each ending with playoffs to determine the season champion.

Costa Rican clubs are among the most successful in the region, with Saprissa and Alajuelense winning multiple CONCACAF titles.

League system

Liga FPD is the top competitive tier in Costa Rica. The team with the lowest performance over the season is relegated to Liga de Ascenso.

Table 1. Costa Rican football structure

League	Tier
Liga FPD (Liga Promerica)	1
Liga de Ascenso	2

Regional amateur leagues operate below the second tier.

Stats

Teams with most titles

Table 2. Liga FPD champions by titles

Club	Titles
Saprissa	38
Alajuelense	30
Herediano	30
Cartaginés	4
Limón	2

Saprissa is the most successful club in Costa Rica and one of the strongest in Central America.

Teams with most participation

Table 3. Clubs with most Liga FPD seasons

Club	Seasons
Saprissa	75+
Alajuelense	75+
Herediano	75+
Cartaginés	70+
Santos de Guápiles	30+

The league is historically dominated by the Big Three: Saprissa, Alajuelense, and Herediano.

Audience

Stadium capacities

Table 4. Major stadiums in Costa Rica

Team	Stadium	Capacity
Saprissa	Estadio Ricardo Saprissa	23,112
Alajuelense	Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto	17,895
Herediano	Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero	8,000
Cartaginés	Estadio Fello Meza	13,500
Santos	Estadio Ebal Rodríguez	7,500

Players

Famous players

• Keylor Navas (Saprissa)
• Paulo Wanchope
• Joel Campbell
• Álvaro Saborío
• Hernán Medford
• Walter Centeno
• Rolando Fonseca

Liga FPD timeline

1921 The Costa Rican league is officially founded.

1950 Professional era begins with expansion of clubs.

1996 Apertura/Clausura tournament format introduced.

2019 League renamed as Liga Promerica due to sponsorship.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liga_FPD
https://www.unafut.com
https://www.rsssf.org