Kalșerian Premier League
| Organising body | National Professional League |
|---|---|
| Founded | October 21, 1955 |
| First season | 1956 |
| Country |
 Kalșeri |
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Challenge League |
| Domestic cup(s) | |
| Current champions |
Evalria Citizens (2023) |
| Most championships | Evalria Citizens (15 titles) |
| TV partners | KalCom 1, KBC, Sky Sports |
 2023 season | |
The Kalșerian Premier League, often referred to as the Premier League (Kalhan: Oilor Lega) or KPL, and and called the First League until 1999, is the top tier of the Kalșerian association football league system. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Challenge League. A regular season runs from March to November, with each team playing 34 matches (each team plays all other seventeen twice, home and away). Most games are played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
The competition was launched in 1956 by the Kalșerian Association Football Federation, by unifying the cantonal leagues and grouping the champions into a single league. Fifty-five teams have participated in the Premier League since its inception in 1956, and fourteen of these clubs have won at least one title. Starting from the 1999 season, the Premier League has been the higher of the two nationwide leagues organized by the National Professional League (NPL), followed by the Challenge League.
In terms of spectators, the Premier League is the second sports competition in Kalșeri, behind the Kalșerian Ice Hockey Championship. For the 2019 season, the average match attendance was at 19,596.
Overview
The Premier League is the highest national league run by the NPL, followed by the Challenge League. Both competitions are run as a round-robin tournament, in which one team faces every other team twice, once home and once away.
At the end of the season, the three teams with the lowest number of points are relegated to the Challenge League and replaced with the champion, the runner-up and the winner of the playoffs of the Challenge League. Evalria Citizens, Olympia Takalim and Internacional Las Encinas are the only three clubs to have played every iteration of the Premier League since its inception in 1956.
Teams from the four highest levels of the national pyramid take part in the Sun Trophy, the national cup; Premier League and Challenge League teams enter the competition in the round of 32. The winner of the Sun Trophy and the winner of the Premier League face off in the Enrico Scioni Shield.
The Premier League is home to a number of rivalries between teams, including the Evalria Citizens F.C.–Olympia Takalim S.U. rivalry (also known as the Kalassico), the Limestone Derby (Olympia Takalim–Lennoxton Eagles), the Gulf Derby (Percy Union–Gymnasium Percy 1958), the Derby of the Two Rivers (Evalria Citizens–Tașarél Cavaliers) and the Shamrock Showdown (St. Patrick–A.F.C. Carnafarry).
History
Origins
Association football had become popular in Kalșeri in the late 1800s, and several leagues were established throughout the cantons, the first being the Evalrian Cantonal League in 1898. Despite its popularity, the Kalșerian association football scene lacked a central authority with consistent funding, meaning that multiple separate leagues often operated in the same territory, and their funds were not guaranteed to be enough to operate for back-to-back seasons.
In 1932, President Ioen Rovuan called for the establishment of a unified league (the "A League") that grouped the best teams in each canton, thus putting an end to the period of "glorified Sunday leagues". While the plan was ultimately abandoned, several cantonal associations began to streamline their pyramids and set up a system of promotion and relegation, and the Kalșerian Association Football Federation (KAFF) was founded in Jarronburg, Janval in 1938.
Calls for a national professional league were furthered with the rise of mass media, namely television, through which matches of cantonal and national importance began to be broadcast.
Foundation
On February 1, 1955, prompted by a letter sent by the Football Club Association to the Ministry of Sports, Prime Minister Enrico Scioni issued a decree that allowed the KAFF to invite the champion of the highest competition in each canton into a tentatively-named "First League". On October 21, KAFF President John Urbina announced that the following clubs would be taking part in the new First League, set to debut on March of the following year:
- Cartieroise
- Zeitgeist Chalmersville
- Evalria Citizens
- Bremen
- Percy Union
- Lág
- St. Patrick
- Varșvai
- Internacional Las Encinas
- Olympia Takalim
- Cowhill
- Locomotive St. Adrian
After complaints from clubs that had been excluded, such as the Lennoxton Eagles and the Tașarél Cavaliers, the KAFF announced that two more teams would be added, based on their on-field performance and financial situation. As a result of this selection process, A.F.C. Carnafarry and Jucunditas Evalria were selected as the two additional teams.
Subsequent developments
Although attendance and ratings for First League matches were high, the League and the KAFF were accused of elitism in a document signed by twelve club owners in Sayooville, Kalúen in June of 1956. The document, subsequently known as the "Sayooville Declaration", demanded that the KAFF "institute a mechanism in which smaller clubs are given the possibility to compete in the First League". The Declaration contributed to the creation of the second-tier National League (now Challenge League) in 1958, and the institution of promotion and relegation between the tiers.
On October 15, 1959, Enrico Scioni was named Honorary President, a position he would hold until his death in 1978. Under his tenure, the First League expanded to sixteen teams from the 1970 season onwards, and the KalPro Cup was created in 1966.
In 1999, the First League was renamed Premier League, after its English counterpart, and expanded to eighteen teams; handling of the league moved from the Federation to the National Professional League. In light of the Invicta Evalria scandal, rules for management and finance of clubs participating in the Premier League were tightened, barring former convicts of financial crimes from owning a club.
Clubs
Champions
Teams in bold are set to take part in the 2024 season.
| Club | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Evalria Citizens | 15 | 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1982, 1998, 1999, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 |
| Olympia Takalim | 11 | 1986, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2020, 2021, 2022 |
| Tașarél Cavaliers | 8 | 1960, 1961, 1963, 1970, 1971, 1978, 2003, 2004 |
| Internacional Las Encinas | 6 | 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979, 2013, 2014 |
| Gymnasium Percy 1958 | 5 | 1991, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015 |
| Jucunditas Evalria | 4 | 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 |
| Percy Union | 4 | 1965, 1966, 1995, 2000 |
| St. Patrick | 4 | 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985 |
| Harts F.C. (operating as Hartleyville City until 2017) |
3 | 1983, 1987, 1988 |
| Lennoxton Eagles | 3 | 1990, 1992, 1996 |
| Folkestone City | 2 | 1976, 1977 |
| Mars Falșak F.C. | 1 | 1962 |
| Carnafarry | 1 | 2001 |
| Zeitgeist Chalmersville | 1 | 2002 |
2024 season
Following the 2023 season, Folkestone City, Fuego de Loscafo and Rosby United were relegated to the Challenge League. Chalmersville City, Kalúen I.M. and King's Gate were promoted from the to replace them.
| 2024 club | 2023 position | First season in top division | Seasons in top division | First season of current spell in top division | No. of seasons of current spell in top division | Top division titles | Most recent top division title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnafarry | 3rd | 1956 | 58 | 2000 | 25 | 1 | 2001 |
| A.S. Cartieroise | 15th | 1956 | 34 | 2023 | 2 | 0 | – |
| Chalmersville City | 1st (CL) | 1962 | 29 | 2024 | 1 | 0 | – |
| Evalria Citizens | 1st | 1956 | 69 | 1956 | 69 | 15 | 2023 |
| Gymnasium Percy 1958 | 4th | 1959 | 62 | 1990 | 35 | 4 | 2015 |
| Harts | 5th | 1970 | 51 | 2020 | 5 | 3 | 1988 |
| Internacional Las Encinas | 7th | 1956 | 69 | 1956 | 69 | 6 | 2014 |
| Jucunditas Evalria | 9th | 1956 | 57 | 2016 | 9 | 4 | 1959 |
| Kalúen I.M. | 3nd (CL) | 1967 | 26 | 2024 | 1 | 0 | – |
| King's Gate A.F.C. | 2nd (CL) | 2007 | 15 | 2024 | 1 | 0 | – |
| Lennoxton Eagles | 12th | 1960 | 38 | 2015 | 9 | 3 | 1996 |
| Locomotive St. Adrian | 13th | 1956 | 34 | 2017 | 7 | 0 | – |
| Mars Falșak | 14th | 1959 | 32 | 2023 | 2 | 1 | 1962 |
| Olympia Takalim | 2nd | 1956 | 69 | 1956 | 69 | 11 | 2022 |
| Percy Union | 11th | 1956 | 57 | 2022 | 3 | 3 | 2000 |
| Santa Cruz | 10th | 1965 | 47 | 2022 | 3 | 0 | – |
| St. Patrick | 8th | 1956 | 40 | 2021 | 4 | 4 | 1985 |
| Zeitgeist Chalmersville | 6th | 1956 | 44 | 2021 | 4 | 1 | 2002 |
Seasons in the Premier League
Fifty-five clubs have participated in the First League/Premier League for at least one season. The teams in bold are set to compete in the 2024 season. Evalria Citizens, Inter Las Encinas and Olympia Takalim are the only clubs to have taken part in every iteration of the Premier League since its inception in 1956.
Sponsorship
The first sponsorship deal negotiated by the Premier League was with antivirus software company KibiSword. The deal from the inaugural 1999 season to the 2004 season, during which the league was known as "KibiSword Premier League".
After the end of the 2004 season, the Premier League and brewery Tașa Vonhal negotiated a five-season naming rights deal, after which the League agreed to take on Toyota as its main sponsor for the next five seasons.
For the 2015 season, gambling company Punty served as the name sponsor for the League. The deal was to last until the 2019 season, but it was rescinded in 2017 after objections from health care operators and the Ministry of Health over problem gambling. Starting from the 2018 season, the Premier League has opted not to negotiate any naming rights deals.
| Period | Sponsor | Brand |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2004 | KibiSword | KibiSword Premier League |
| 2005–2009 | Tașa Vonhal | Tașa Vonhal Premier League |
| 2010–2014 | Toyota | Toyota Premier League |
| 2015–2017 | Punty | Punty Premier League |
| 2018–present | none | Kalșerian Premier League |
Besides sponsorship deals for the league itself, the Premier League has entered a number of deals over various operations. Nike has served as the official ball supplier since the 2004 season. Starting from the 2014 season, Cusnax has served as the purveyor of snacks for the League. ComOp is the company in charge of installing devices for advertising in stadiums and KPL facilities.
Media coverage
Stadiums
To host a Premier League match, a stadium must have a capacity of no fewer than 15,000 spectators, and it must meet strict safety criteria. Following the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, only all-seater stadiums are allowed to host Premier League matches.
For the 2024 season, the average capacity of a Premier League stadium is 37,081.
2024 season
| Club | Stadium | Location | Capacity | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnafarry | Carns Stadium | Carnafarry, NK | 35,102 | 1958 |
| A.S. Cartieroise | Christophe-Marie Martin Presidential Stadium | Henriville, CI | 36,741 | 1904 |
| Chalmersville City | Henry J. Colavino Stadium | Norwich, CH | 24,118 | 1962 |
| Evalria Citizens | Allianz Stadium | Tașarél, EV | 45,623 | 1949 |
| Gymnasium Percy 1958 | Miramar Stadium | Percy, KL | 34,500 | 1983 |
| Harts F.C. | SmartShop Field | Hartleyville, LN | 43,819 | 2004 |
| Internacional Las Encinas | Augusto J. Gutiérrez Stadium | Las Encinas, SR | 47,081 | 1965 |
| Jucunditas Evalria | National Olympic Stadium | Gwastatir, EV | 72,592 | 1949 |
| Kalúen I.M. | Karl Rovuansi Presidential Stadium | Percy, KL | 21,448 | 1956 |
| King's Gate | Lichfield Road Park | Holbrook, CS | 19,291 | 1911 |
| Lennoxton Eagles | The Nest | Lennoxton, TK | 29,482 | 1922 |
| Locomotive St. Adrian | Marsellus Gerna Stadium | St. Adrian, UR | 24,293 | 1939 |
| Mars Falșak | Andy Garnier Stadium | Falșak, KL | 38,961 | 1896 |
| Olympia Takalim | Takalim Cantonal Stadium | Lennoxton, TK | 56,100 | 1939 |
| Percy Union | EnerKal Stadium | Percy, KL | 43,187 | 1983 |
| Santa Cruz | Puerto del Oeste Stadium | Las Encinas, SR | 24,823 | 1946 |
| St. Patrick | James H. Lockney Stadium | Treetoor, NK | 35,118 | 1919 |
| Zeitgeist Chalmersville | Robert Q. Garner Sr. Stadium | Nedwood Park, CH | 35,183 | 1964 |
Records
Appearances
Goals
Notes
- ↑ Of which 46 as Hartleyville City F.C. Harts F.C. is legally recognized as the successor club to Hartleyville City F.C., which folded in 2017.
| Association football in Kalșeri | |
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| National teams | |
| League system | |
| Domestic cups |
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| Cantonal cups | |
| Youth competitions | |
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