The 2023 Primera División season, officially Liga de Fútbol Profesional Venezolano or Liga FUTVE, was the 67th season of the Venezuelan Primera División, the top-flight football league in Venezuela, and the 42nd season since the start of the professional era. The season began on 3 February and ended on 25 November 2023.
Deportivo Táchira won their tenth title at the end of the season, defeating Caracas on penalty kicks following a 1–1 draw after extra time in the final. Metropolitanos were the defending champions.
Format The competition format for this season was announced by the Liga FUTVE on 31 January 2023. Similar to the previous season, the 15 participating clubs took part in a double round-robin first stage in which they played each other twice (once at home and once away) for a total of 28 games. The top four clubs, which qualified for the 2024 Copa Libertadores, also advanced to a final stage where they played each other twice with the top two teams playing a single-match final to decide the league champions. However, and unlike the previous season, no final stage to decide the teams qualified for the 2024 Copa Sudamericana was played, with the four berths to that competition instead being awarded to the teams placing 5th to 8th in the first stage. The team placing last in the first stage was relegated to Segunda División for the following season.
Teams 16 teams were expected to compete in the 2023 season, subject to the fulfillment of club licensing requirements: the top 15 teams in the first stage of the 2022 season as well as the 2022 Segunda División champions Angostura, who defeated Academia Anzoátegui in the Segunda División final on 16 October 2022. They replaced Aragua, who were relegated to Segunda División at the end of the previous season after finishing in bottom place.
On 12 December 2022, it was announced that Zulia and Segunda División side Rayo Zuliano would merge, with the latter taking the former's place in the league. The merger was officially confirmed on 28 January 2023, with which Rayo Zuliano competed in the top flight for the first time ever in this season. Furthermore, two days later it was confirmed that Deportivo Lara would not take part in the season, ultimately bringing the number of participating teams down to 15.
Relegated to 2023 Segunda División16Aragua
Failed club licensing processDeportivo Lara
Promoted to 2023 Primera División1Angostura
Stadia and locations Team City Stadium Capacity Academia Puerto Cabello Puerto Cabello La Bombonerita 7,500 Angostura Ciudad Bolívar Ricardo Tulio Maya 2,500 Carabobo Valencia Misael Delgado 10,400 Caracas Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Deportivo La Guaira Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Deportivo Táchira San Cristóbal Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo 38,755 Estudiantes de Mérida Mérida Metropolitano de Mérida 42,200 Hermanos Colmenarez Barinas Agustín Tovar 29,800 Metropolitanos Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Mineros de Guayana Ciudad Guayana Polideportivo Cachamay 41,600 Monagas Maturín Monumental de Maturín 51,796 Portuguesa Acarigua General José Antonio Páez 18,000 Rayo Zuliano Maracaibo José Pachencho Romero 40,800 Universidad Central Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Zamora Barinas Agustín Tovar 29,800
Personnel and kits Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor(s) Academia Puerto Cabello Noel Sanvicente Givova CLX Samsung Angostura Osmar Castillo RS Genpar Carabobo Juan Tolisano New Arrival Fospuca, El Maizal, Juega En Línea Caracas Leonardo González RS Maltín Polar, SellaTuParley, Pepsi, Canguro Venezuela Deportivo La Guaira Enrique García Fila Traki, Furia Energy, Pepsi Deportivo Táchira Eduardo Saragó Attle Juega En Línea, Grupo JHS, VenApp Estudiantes de Mérida Franklin Lucena New Arrival Petro, Oriente, Visite Mérida, VenApp, Vnet Hermanos Colmenarez Leonel Vielma Attle Corporation CSA Metropolitanos José María Morr RS Aerolíneas Estelar Mineros de Guayana Jesús Alonso Cabello RS Monagas Tony Franco RS Banplus Portuguesa Jesús Ortiz RS Alimentos Fina Ideal Rayo Zuliano Elvis Martínez Attle PDVSA, Javitour Universidad Central Daniel Sasso RS Avanti, Bancamiga Zamora Enrique Maggiolo RS Thundernet
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentFirst stageRayo Zuliano Alex García KingChange of role2 October 2022Pre-season Elvis Martínez29 September 2022Caracas Henry MeléndezEnd of caretaker spell21 October 2022 Leonardo González1 November 2022Carabobo Enrique MaggioloEnd of contract22 October 2022 Juan Tolisano17 November 2022Estudiantes de Mérida Leonardo GonzálezResigned29 October 2022 Alí Cañas27 January 2023Zamora Noel Sanvicente31 October 2022 Francesco Stifano5 January 2023Academia Puerto Cabello Juan TolisanoMutual agreement1 November 2022 Noel Sanvicente2 November 2022Deportivo La Guaira Daniel FaríasEnd of contract9 November 2022 Enrique García20 November 2022Mineros de Guayana Elías EmmonsEnd of caretaker spell27 January 2023 Tony Franco27 January 2023Portuguesa Martín BrignaniSacked1 March 202315th Jesús Ortiz1 March 2023Hermanos Colmenarez Horacio Matuszyczk25 March 20236th Leonel Vielma29 March 2023Mineros de Guayana Tony FrancoMutual agreement13 April 202314th Jesús Alonso Cabello14 April 2023Universidad Central Edson RodríguezSacked21 April 202315th Luis De Oliveira21 April 2023 Luis De OliveiraEnd of caretaker spell4 May 2023 Daniel Sasso4 May 2023Mineros de Guayana Jesús Alonso Cabello6 May 2023 Jorge Luis Bernal6 May 2023 Jorge Luis BernalResigned22 May 2023 Jesús Alonso Cabello22 May 2023Estudiantes de Mérida Alí Cañas30 May 202310th Franklin Lucena31 May 2023Mineros de Guayana Jesús Alonso CabelloEnd of caretaker spell24 June 202315th Matías Mazmud24 June 2023Monagas Jhonny FerreiraPromoted to sporting director10 July 202310th Tony Franco10 July 2023Zamora Francesco StifanoResigned16 July 202312th Alí Alvarado21 July 2023Mineros de Guayana Matías MazmudSacked26 July 202315th Jesús Alonso Cabello26 July 2023Zamora Alí AlvaradoEnd of caretaker spell1 August 202312th Enrique Maggiolo1 August 2023 Notes
First stage The first stage started on 3 February and ended on 8 October 2023.
Standings
Results
Final stage The top four teams in the first stage contested the competition's final stage, playing each other twice. The top two teams advanced to the final and also qualified for the group stage of the 2024 Copa Libertadores, whilst the third- and fourth-placed teams qualified for the preliminary stages of the same competition.
Standings
Results
Final The final match was hosted by the finalist with the best performance in the first stage of the season.
Top goalscorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Luifer HernándezAcademia Puerto Cabello182 Richard BlancoMineros de Guayana / Portuguesa143 Ade OgunsCaracas124 Franklin GonzálezHermanos Colmenarez9 Saúl GuarirapaCaracas Ervin ZorrillaEstudiantes de Mérida7 Edder FaríasDeportivo Táchira / Deportivo La Guaira8 Charlis OrtizMetropolitanos Gonzalo RitaccoDeportivo Táchira Anthony UribeDeportivo Táchira Source: Soccerway
References
External links of the Venezuelan Football Federation Liga FUTVE