The 2016 Pirveli Liga was the 28th and last season under the name Pirveli Liga before the division was reorganized into Erovnuli Liga 2. It began on 19 August and ended with relegation play-off finals on 10 December.
The season was transitional back to the Autumn-Spring system. Apart from this change, the league consisting of 18 teams was due to be reduced to 10 for 2017. Taking into consideration the upcoming exit of four clubs from Umaglesi Liga at the end of this season, a total of twelve teams of Pirveli Liga were doomed for relegation, while no promotion to the top tier was envisaged.
Team changes The best two teams of the 2015–16 season, Liakhvi and WIT Georgia, were denied promotion to Umaglesi Liga. Georgian Football Federation referred to discrepancies found in submitted license documents as the reason behind this decision. Therefore, they both remained in Pirveli Liga.
To Pirveli Liga
Promoted from Meore Liga Sulori Vani • Gardabani • Mark Stars
Relegated from Umaglesi Liga Merani Martvili • Sapovnela Terjola
From Pirveli Liga Relegated to Meore Liga Betlemi Keda • Samegrelo Chkhorotsku • Matchakhela Khelvachauri • Algeti Marneuli • Mertskhali Ozurgeti
Promoted to Umaglesi Liga None
Review Within four months the clubs completed the regular season in two groups. Those, who qualified for relegation round, took part in play-offs based on the knock-out rule. As a result, even a third-placed team quit the league.
The season turned out unusual for a large amount of disciplinary decisions made by the Federation with regards to some league members. Overall, 11 teams out of 18 were deducted points for different reasons. Two clubs were found guilty of match-fixing offences, had their points annulled and expelled from the league.
Teams and stadiums Team City/Town Stadium Capacity Borjomi Borjomi Jemal Zeinklishvili Stadium 3,000 Chiatura Chiatura Temur Maghradze Stadium 11,700 Chkherimela Kharagauli Kharagauli Soso Abashidze Stadium 2,000 Gagra Tbilisi Merani Stadium 2,000 Gardabani Tbilisi Ameris Stadioni 500 Imereti Khoni Khoni Central Stadium 1,000 Kolkheti Khobi Khobi Central Stadium 12,000 Liakhvi Tskhinvali Gori Kartli Stadium 1,500 Mark Stars Tbilisi Sport complex Shatili 2,000 Merani Martvili Martvili Murtaz Khurtsilava Stadium 2,000 Meshakhte Tkibuli Tkibuli Vladimer Bochorishvili Stadium 6,000 Odishi 1919 Zugdidi Zugdidi Baias Baza 2,000 Rustavi Rustavi Poladi Stadium 6,000 Samgurali Tskaltubo Tskaltubo 26 May Stadium 12,000 Skuri Tsalenjikha Tsalenjikha Sasha Kvaratskhelia Stadium 4,000 Sapovnela Terjola Terjola Central Stadium 2,500 Sulori Vani Vani Stadioni Grigol Nikoleishvili 2,000 WIT Georgia Mtskheta Mtskheta Park 2,000
League table Group Red
Group White
Relegation play-offs
Source
Following these play-offs Merani Martvili and Meshakhte Tkibuli retained their places in Pirveli Liga.
References
External links Results, fixtures, tables at Soccerway