Football in Estonia
Encyclopedia
Football
in Estonia
is governed by the Estonian Football Association
(Eesti Jalgpalli Liit). The EJL
controls the domestic club championships (Meistriliiga
, II liiga, III liiga, IV liiga; Naiste Meistriliiga
, Naiste Esiliiga, Naiste II liiga), the Estonian Cup
, Estonian SuperCup
, Estonian Small Cup
and the national teams (Estonia national football team
, Estonia women's national football team
, all youth teams).
Clubs participate in the Estonian Cup
, an annual knock-out club competition.
Meistriliiga and Estonian Cup winners go head to head in Estonian Super Cup, annual one-game competition.
took part in the qualifying campaigns for the 1934 and 1938 FIFA World Cup
s in Italy
and France
respectively. And then, from the 1994 FIFA World Cup
, in all qualifying campaigns for both the World and European Championships, although they have, so far, failed to qualify for any major competition. The country has given the international goalkeeper star Mart Poom
. Estonia advanced to the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying play-offs against the Republic of Ireland.
Estonia's highest FIFA ranking (58th) came in September 2011.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
is governed by the Estonian Football Association
Estonian Football Association
The Estonian Football Association is the governing body of football, beach soccer and futsal in Estonia. It organizes the football league, including the championship which is called Meistriliiga, Estonian Cup and the Estonian national football team. It is based in Tallinn...
(Eesti Jalgpalli Liit). The EJL
Estonian Football Association
The Estonian Football Association is the governing body of football, beach soccer and futsal in Estonia. It organizes the football league, including the championship which is called Meistriliiga, Estonian Cup and the Estonian national football team. It is based in Tallinn...
controls the domestic club championships (Meistriliiga
Meistriliiga
Meistriliiga is the highest division of the Estonian Football Association annual football championship. The league was founded in 1991 and the current, 2011 is the league's 21st season...
, II liiga, III liiga, IV liiga; Naiste Meistriliiga
Naiste Meistriliiga
The Naiste Meistriliiga is the highest-level women's football league in Estonia. The league consists of seven teams who each play one another three times per season; the league champion qualifies for a spot in the UEFA Women's Champions League.-2011 teams:...
, Naiste Esiliiga, Naiste II liiga), the Estonian Cup
Estonian Cup
The Estonian Cup is the main "knockout" cup competition in Estonian football.The competition is a knockout tournament.The winner will compete in UEFA Europa League qualification round.-Finals:* As Levadia Maardu...
, Estonian SuperCup
Estonian SuperCup
The Estonian SuperCup is a one-match competition, held annually between last year's Meistriliiga champion and current year's Estonian Cup winner. Reigning champion is FC Levadia Tallinn.- Winners :...
, Estonian Small Cup
Estonian Small Cup
The Estonian Small Cup is a knock-out competition for Estonian amateur teams, which play in the 3rd or lower level.-Finals:-------------------------Winners:-Finalists:...
and the national teams (Estonia national football team
Estonia national football team
The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
, Estonia women's national football team
Estonia women's national football team
The Estonia women's national team is controlled by the Estonian Football Association. The team is composed of players from the domestic league.-World Cup record:-European Championship record:*1984 to 1991 – Did not enter, was part of Soviet Union...
, all youth teams).
Men's
The Estonian football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Estonia. Reserve teams play in the same league pyramid as their feeder clubs, but, like in most other leagues, can't be promoted to the same division. The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues at different levels, and allows even the smallest club to dream of rising to the very top of the system. There are currently 146 teams in 12 leagues, although the exact number of clubs varies from year to year as clubs join and leave leagues or fold altogether.- MeistriliigaMeistriliigaMeistriliiga is the highest division of the Estonian Football Association annual football championship. The league was founded in 1991 and the current, 2011 is the league's 21st season...
– Top division, consists of Professional, Semi-professional and Amateur club sides.
- EsiliigaEsiliigaEsiliiga is the second-top league arranged by the Estonian Football Association. The league format was changed along with the Meistriliiga's, and therefore from the year 2005 consists of ten teams. Esiliiga starts from April and lasts until around the start of November...
– Second tier of Estonian club football, consists of Amateur and Reserve clubs. Winner wins automatic promotion to the top division, runner up plays in the promotion/relegation play-off.
- II Liiga – Third level of Estonian club football consists of two regional divisions – North/East and South/West, winners of each division win automatic promotion to the EsiliigaEsiliigaEsiliiga is the second-top league arranged by the Estonian Football Association. The league format was changed along with the Meistriliiga's, and therefore from the year 2005 consists of ten teams. Esiliiga starts from April and lasts until around the start of November...
.
- III Liiga – Fourth level of Estonian club football is divided into four regional divisions – North, East, South and West. Winners of every division win automatic promotion to II Liiga.
- IV Liiga – Fifth level of Estonian League pyramid is divided into four divisions – North, East, South and West.
Clubs participate in the Estonian Cup
Estonian Cup
The Estonian Cup is the main "knockout" cup competition in Estonian football.The competition is a knockout tournament.The winner will compete in UEFA Europa League qualification round.-Finals:* As Levadia Maardu...
, an annual knock-out club competition.
Meistriliiga and Estonian Cup winners go head to head in Estonian Super Cup, annual one-game competition.
Men's
The table below shows the current structure of the system. For each division, its official name, its name in English and number of clubs is given. Each division promotes to the division(s) that lie directly above it and relegates to the division(s) that lie directly below it.Level |
League(s)/Division(s) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Meistriliiga Meistriliiga Meistriliiga is the highest division of the Estonian Football Association annual football championship. The league was founded in 1991 and the current, 2011 is the league's 21st season... (Premier League) 10 clubs |
|||
2 |
Esiliiga Esiliiga Esiliiga is the second-top league arranged by the Estonian Football Association. The league format was changed along with the Meistriliiga's, and therefore from the year 2005 consists of ten teams. Esiliiga starts from April and lasts until around the start of November... (First Division) 10 clubs |
|||
3 |
II liiga Ida/Põhi (Second Division East/North) |
II liiga Lääs/Lõuna (Second Division West/South) |
||
4 |
III liiga Ida (Third Division East) |
III liiga Põhi (Third Division North) |
III liiga Lääs (Third Division West) |
III liiga Lõuna (Third Division South) |
5 |
IV liiga Ida (Fourth Division East) |
IV liiga Põhi (Fourth Division North) |
IV liiga Lääs (Fourth Division West) |
IV liiga Lõuna (Fourth Division South) |
Men's
The Estonia national football teamEstonia national football team
The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
took part in the qualifying campaigns for the 1934 and 1938 FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
s in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
respectively. And then, from the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
, in all qualifying campaigns for both the World and European Championships, although they have, so far, failed to qualify for any major competition. The country has given the international goalkeeper star Mart Poom
Mart Poom
Mart Poom is an Estonian former football goalkeeper. He retired after Estonia's 0–0 draw against Portugal on 10 June 2009 to focus on his job as goalkeeping coach at Arsenal and the Estonian national team, as well as other more "personal" projects....
. Estonia advanced to the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying play-offs against the Republic of Ireland.
Estonia's highest FIFA ranking (58th) came in September 2011.
See also
- Estonia national football teamEstonia national football teamThe Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
- Estonia women's national football teamEstonia women's national football teamThe Estonia women's national team is controlled by the Estonian Football Association. The team is composed of players from the domestic league.-World Cup record:-European Championship record:*1984 to 1991 – Did not enter, was part of Soviet Union...
- Estonian Footballer of the YearEstonian Footballer of the YearEstonian Footballer of the Year is an annual award given to the best Estonian footballer. The award was launched in 1992. Mart Poom has won the award a record six times.-Footballer of the Year:-Female Footballer of the Year:...
- MeistriliigaMeistriliigaMeistriliiga is the highest division of the Estonian Football Association annual football championship. The league was founded in 1991 and the current, 2011 is the league's 21st season...
- EsiliigaEsiliigaEsiliiga is the second-top league arranged by the Estonian Football Association. The league format was changed along with the Meistriliiga's, and therefore from the year 2005 consists of ten teams. Esiliiga starts from April and lasts until around the start of November...
- Estonian CupEstonian CupThe Estonian Cup is the main "knockout" cup competition in Estonian football.The competition is a knockout tournament.The winner will compete in UEFA Europa League qualification round.-Finals:* As Levadia Maardu...
- Estonian SuperCupEstonian SuperCupThe Estonian SuperCup is a one-match competition, held annually between last year's Meistriliiga champion and current year's Estonian Cup winner. Reigning champion is FC Levadia Tallinn.- Winners :...