2023 Latvian Higher League

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Season2023
Dates11 March –
11 November
ChampionsRFS
RelegatedSuper Nova
Latvian Higher League
Season2023
Dates11 March –
11 November
ChampionsRFS
RelegatedSuper Nova
Champions LeagueRFS
Conference LeagueAuda
Liepāja
Riga
Matches played180
Goals scored523 (2.91 per match)
← 2022
2024 →
All statistics correct as of 7 January 2024.

The 2023 Latvian Higher League, known as the Optibet Virslīga for sponsorship reasons, was the 32nd season of top-tier football in Latvia. The season began on 11 March 2023 and ended on 11 November 2023.[1]

The winners (RFS, their second title win) qualified for the 2024–25 Champions League first qualifying round. The second-placed team (Riga) qualified for the 2024–25 Conference League second qualifying round, with the third and fifth-placed teams (Auda and Liepāja) qualifying for the first qualifying round (fourth-placed Valmiera were refused a UEFA license). The ninth-placed team (Metta) qualified for the Latvian Higher League play-off, winning and retaining their place in the league. The bottom team (Super Nova) were relegated to the 2024 Latvian First League.

Ten teams contested the league; the top nine clubs from the previous season, and one team promoted from 1. līga.

Promoted from
2022 Latvian First League		 Relegated
Jelgava Spartaks Jūrmala

FS Jelgava won promotion by winning the First League in 2022.[2] After Spartaks Jūrmala withdrew their application for the necessary license for participation in the league, SK Super Nova (who had been relegated) were given the chance to return to the league.[3] Ninth-placed Metta defeated Grobiņa from the Latvian First League to retain their status in the top-flight. Valmiera entered the season as defending champions.[4]

2023 Virslīga competitors
Club Seasons
in Virsliga		 2022 position Stadium Capacity
BFC Daugavpils 10 7th Celtnieks Stadium 1,980
FK Auda 2 5th Audas Stadions 520
FS Jelgava 1 1st in 1. līga Zemgale Olympic Center 2,500
FK Liepāja 10 4th Daugava Stadium (Liepāja) 4,022
Metta/LU 12 9th Daugava Stadium (Riga) 10,461
RFS 8 3rd LNK Sporta Parks 2,300
Riga FC 8 2nd Skonto Stadium 8,087
SK Super Nova 2 10th Sloka Stadium 2,500
FK Tukums 2000 2 6th Tukuma Pilsētas Stadions 1,000
Valmiera FC 6 1st Jāņa Daliņa Stadions 1,250

League table

Results

Home \ Away AUD DAU JEL LIE MLU RFS RIG SUP TUK VAL AUD DAU JEL LIE MLU RFS RIG SUP TUK VAL
Auda 1–1 1–0 0–4 3–1 0–0 0–2 2–0 0–3 0–4 1–0 3–0 1–1 3–1 2–5 0–1 1–0 1–0 0–0
Daugavpils 0–2 5–2 1–2 1–1 0–5 1–1 3–0 3–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–1 4–2 0–1 0–2 2–0 3–1 0–0
Jelgava 0–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 0–2 1–3 2–0 2–2 2–0 0–2 0–0 3–2 2–3 0–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 0–1
Liepāja 1–1 1–0 3–2 1–1 0–3 0–3 2–1 0–1 1–2 1–1 2–1 1–1 3–2 1–1 0–4 2–0 1–0 1–4
Metta 0–2 3–2 0–1 1–1 0–0 0–2 4–1 3–2 0–1 0–1 0–0 0–1 1–1 0–6 1–3 0–1 1–1 4–1
RFS 2–0 3–1 4–0 2–0 5–0 0–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 3–0 3–1 1–0 3–1 1–0 0–0 5–0 7–0 3–0
Riga 2–0 1–0 2–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 5–1 5–1 3–0 1–0 3–0 3–5 3–1 1–0 2–2 1–1 4–0 3–0
Super Nova 0–2 0–4 2–2 2–6 0–3 1–6 0–4 2–0 1–0 0–5 0–1 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–4 1–5 2–5 0–2
Tukums 2000 2–2 1–0 2–0 0–3 1–2 1–7 0–2 3–2 0–0 2–2 3–0 0–0 1–2 1–1 4–5 0–6 1–0 3–2
Valmiera 1–1 1–0 2–0 0–1 1–1 0–0 1–0 3–1 4–3 1–2 0–1 2–2 1–1 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 6–0
Source: Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Latvian Higher League play-off

The ninth-placed club (Metta) faced the third-placed club from the 2023 Latvian First League (Skanste) for the final place in the following season's Latvian Higher League.

First leg

22 November 2023 Metta 6–1 Skanste Riga
16:00 BST
Stadium: Daugava Stadium

Second leg

25 November 2023 Skanste1–2
(2–8 agg.)		 Metta Riga
11:00 BST Stadium: Skanstes Stadium

Season statistics

References

External links

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