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Jupiler LeagueThe Belgian First Division, also known as Jupiler League (for sponsorship reasons), is the top competition in Belgian football. It was created in 1895. R.S.C. Anderlecht is the most successful league club with 27 titles, followed by Club Brugge K.V. (12), R. Union Saint-Gilloise (11) and R. Standard de Lige (8). The competition Each of the annual 18 competitors play against each of its 17 opponents twice. At the end of the season the two lowest-placed teams go to Belgian Second Division, while the champion of that division plus the winner of a mini-championship (called Belgian Second Division Final Round) with 4 Second Division teams are promoted to First Division. Currently, the Belgian champion is directly qualified for UEFA Champions League, the runner-up must play the preliminary round. A win earns three points since season 1995-96. A draw earns one point. If two teams have the same number of points, the number of wins is the first criterium, before the goalaverage. Matches are usually played on saturday at 20.00 or sunday at 15.00 depending on the venues. Though, some matchdays are played on wednesday. Furthermore, in recent years, televised games are played either on friday or during the weekend at different times (e.g. saturday at 18.00 or sunday at 13.00 or 20.00). The main reason is the new law that forbids televised matches to be played at the same time that other Jupiler League matches (to avoid stadium emptying for those matches). Each team playing the Jupiler League (and second division) must have been granted the Belgian Football Association license guaranteeing the club has no excessive debts, has a secure stadium, etc. It was introduced in season 2001-02 to decrease the number of teams in the division. Originally, clubs that could not get the license were supposed not to be replaced (and are sent to third division). However, it is still not effective as, for example, K.S.K. Beveren finished 18th in 2001-2002 but were saved as K.S.C. Eendracht Aalst (17th) and R.W.D. Molenbeek (10th) were refused a license. The 2004-2005 clubs This year, the 18 participating clubs are the following : & : Last season position History The first league in Belgian football (called Championship Cup) was held in 1895-1896 with 7 teams. Those teams were Antwerp F.C., Club Brugge, F.C. Ligeois and 4 teams from Brussels : Racing Club de Bruxelles, Lopold Club de Bruxelles, Sporting Club de Bruxelles and Union d'Ixelles. The last two clubs (Brugge and Union d'Ixelles) were withdrawn and a new club entered the competition (Atheltic & Running Club de Bruxelles). Since season 1898-99, there were two leagues at the top level. In 1900-01, the two leagues were reunited with 9 clubs. However, the next year, first division split again, with a playoff (4 teams) instead of a final game to decide the champion. The season 1904-05 the two leagues merged and championship was played between 11 teams (but was unfinished). One year later, the promotion to new second division was created and only 10 teams played first division until 1908 when two more clubs were admitted. The number of teams grew in 1921 (14 teams), 1942 (16 teams), 1945 (19 teams), then decreased to 16 clubs two years later. Again, in 1974-75 the number of teams increased to 20 teams then decreased to 19 the next season and to 18 in 1976-77. Top scorers Josip Weber changed nationality during the 1993-94 season. Past winners | Season | Champion | | 1895-1896 | F.C. Ligeois | | 1896-1897 | Racing de Bruxelles | | 1897-1898 | F.C. Ligeois | | 1898-1899 | F.C. Ligeois | | 1899-1900 | Racing de Bruxelles | | 1900-1901 | Racing de Bruxelles | | 1901-1902 | Racing de Bruxelles | | 1902-1903 | Racing de Bruxelles | | 1903-1904 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1904-1905 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1905-1906 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1906-1907 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1907-1908 | Racing de Bruxelles | | 1908-1909 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1909-1910 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1910-1911 | Cercle Brugge K.S.V. | | 1911-1912 | Daring Club de Bruxelles | | 1912-1913 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1913-1914 | Daring Club de Bruxelles | | 1914-1919 | stopped because of the war | | 1919-1920 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1920-1921 | Daring Club de Bruxelles | | 1921-1922 | Beerschot A.C. | | 1922-1923 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1923-1924 | Beerschot A.C. | | 1924-1925 | Beerschot A.C. | | 1925-1926 | Beerschot A.C. | | 1926-1927 | Cercle Brugge K.S.V. | | 1927-1928 | Beerschot A.C. | | 1928-1929 | R. Antwerp F.C. | | 1929-1930 | C.S. Brugge | | 1930-1931 | R. Antwerp F.C. | | 1931-1932 | K. Lierse S.K. | | 1932-1933 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1933-1934 | Union Saint-Gilloise | | 1934-1935 | Union Saint-Gilloise | > | idth="50"| | valign="top"| | Season | Champion | | 1935-1936 | Daring Club de Bruxelles | | 1936-1937 | Daring Club de Bruxelles | | 1937-1938 | Beerschot A.C. | | 1938-1939 | Beerschot A.C. | | 1939-1941 | stopped because of the war | | 1941-1942 | K. Lierse S.K. | | 1942-1943 | K.V. Mechelen | | 1943-1944 | R. Antwerp F.C. | | 1944-1945 | stopped because of the war | | 1945-1946 | K.V. Mechelen | | 1946-1947 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1947-1948 | K.V. Mechelen | | 1948-1949 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1949-1950 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1950-1951 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1951-1952 | F.C. Ligeois | | 1952-1953 | F.C. Ligeois | | 1953-1954 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1954-1955 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1955-1956 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1956-1957 | R. Antwerp F.C. | | 1957-1958 | R. Standard de Lige | | 1958-1959 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1959-1960 | K. Lierse S.K. | | 1960-1961 | R. Standard de Lige | | 1961-1962 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1962-1963 | R. Standard de Lige | | 1963-1964 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1964-1965 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1965-1966 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1966-1967 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1967-1968 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1968-1969 | R. Standard de Lige | | 1969-1970 | R. Standard de Lige | | width="50"| | valign="top"| | Season | Champion | | 1970-1971 | R. Standard de Lige | | 1971-1972 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1972-1973 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1973-1974 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1974-1975 | R.W.D. Molenbeek | | 1975-1976 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1976-1977 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1977-1978 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1978-1979 | K.S.K. Beveren | | 1979-1980 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1980-1981 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1981-1982 | R. Standard de Lige | | 1982-1983 | R. Standard de Lige | | 1983-1984 | K.S.K. Beveren | | 1984-1985 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1985-1986 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1986-1987 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1987-1988 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1988-1989 | K.V. Mechelen | | 1989-1990 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1990-1991 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1991-1992 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1992-1993 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1993-1994 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1994-1995 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 1995-1996 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1996-1997 | K. Lierse S.K. | | 1997-1998 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 1998-1999 | K.R.C. Genk | | 1999-2000 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 2000-2001 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | | 2001-2002 | K.R.C. Genk | | 2002-2003 | Club Brugge K.V. | | 2003-2004 | R.S.C. Anderlecht | |