2026 Latvian Higher League
| Season | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 6 March 2026 - 8 November 2026[1] |
← 2025 2027 → | |
The 2026 Latvian Higher League, known as the TonyBet Virslīga for sponsorship reasons,[2][3] will be the 35th season of top-tier football in Latvia. According to the LFF 2026 regulations, the championship is scheduled to be played in four rounds from 6 March until 8 November 2026; the official regulations and calendar are published by the Latvian Football Federation. [4]
Teams
The league consisted of ten teams; the top nine clubs from the previous season, and one team promoted from the Latvian First League. Riga entered the season as defending champions (for the second consecutive season).
The promoted team was 2025 Latvian First League champions Ogre United. They replaced the 2025 Latvian Higher League bottom-placed team Metta.
2026 Virslīga competitors
| Club | Seasons in Virsliga |
2025 position | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auda | 8th | 5th | Skonto Stadium | 6,747 |
| Daugavpils | 11th | 4th | Esplanādes stadions | 575 |
| Grobiņa | 3rd | 9th | Daugava Stadium (Liepāja) | 4,022 |
| FS Jelgava | 4th | 6th | Zemgale Olympic Center | 1,560 |
| Liepāja | 13th | 3rd | Daugava Stadium (Liepāja) | 4,022 |
| RFS | 11th | 2nd | LNK Sporta Parks | 1,700 |
| Ogre United | 1st | 1st in Latvian First League | Ogres stadions | 1,200 |
| Riga | 11th | 1st | Skonto Stadium | 6,747 |
| Super Nova | 4th | 8th | Jānis Skredelis' Stadium | 396 |
| Tukums 2000 | 6th | 7th | Tukuma Pilsētas Stadions | 425 |
Personnel
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Head coach | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Auda | Didier Zanetti | Eduards Dašķevičs |
| BFC Daugavpils | Kirils Kurbatovs | Edgars Ivanovs |
| FK Grobiņa | Oskars Kļava | Dāvids Družiņins |
| FS Jelgava | Aleksandrs Basovs | Armands Pētersons |
| FK Liepāja | Andreas Alm | Danijel Petković |
| Ogre United | Aleksandre Rekhviashvili | Krists Kristers Gulbis |
| RFS | Viktors Morozs | Žiga Lipušček |
| Riga FC | Adrián Guľa | Antonijs Černomordijs |
| SK Super Nova | Maksims Rafaļskis | Mārcis Ošs |
| FK Tukums 2000 | Kristaps Dišlers | Bogdans Samoilovs |
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SK Super Nova | Ervīns Pērkons | End of Contract | 20 November 2025 | Pre-season | Maksims Rafaļskis[5] | 22 December 2025 |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RFS | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 | 9 | Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Riga | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 6 | Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Auda | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 | |
| 4 | Liepāja | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 6 | |
| 5 | Grobiņa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | |
| 6 | Jelgava | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
| 7 | Tukums 2000 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 | |
| 8 | Super Nova | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 1 | |
| 9 | Ogre United | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 | Qualification for the Latvian Higher League play-off |
| 10 | Daugavpils | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 0 | Relegation to Latvian First League |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-off.[6]
Results
Teams play each other four times (twice at home and twice away).
Position by round
| Lider/Champions of 2026 Latvian Higher League/ Qualification for Champions League | |
| Qualification for Conference League | |
| Qualification for the Latvian Higher League play-off | |
| Relegation to Latvian First League |
Statistics
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|
Clean sheets
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
|---|
References
- ^ Virslīgas čempionāts sāksies 6. martā Rīgā
- ^ "Virslīga – Baltic Football News". Baltic Football News. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Tonybet Virslīga – LFF". Latvijas Futbola federācija. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "2026. gada Latvijas Virslīgas futbola čempionāta reglaments" (PDF). Latvijas Futbola federācija. 12 December 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Rafaļskis appointed SK Super Nova manager". 22 December 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "2026.gada Latvijas Virslīgas futbola čempionāta reglaments" (PDF) (in Latvian). Latvian Football Federation. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 9 March 2026.