The 2023–24 Liga I (also known as Superliga for sponsorship reasons) is the 106th season of the Liga I, the top Romanian professional league for association football clubs. The season started on 14 July 2023 and concluded on 27 May 2024. It is the ninth season to take place since the play-off/play-out format has been introduced.
Politehnica Iași, Oțelul Galați, and Dinamo București joined as the promoted clubs from the 2022–23 Liga II. Following the 2–1 home defeat of title contenders and defending champions Farul Constanța on 27 April, FCSB officially secured their first Liga I title in nine years;
Teams
Promotion and relegation (pre-season) The league consists of 16 teams: 12 teams from the 2022–23 Liga I, two teams promoted from the 2022–23 Liga II, and the winners of the 2022–23 promotion/relegation play-off.
Teams promoted from the Liga II The first club to be promoted was Politehnica Iași, following their 2–0 win against Oțelul Galați on 2 May 2023. Politehnica Iași returned to the Liga I after two years of absence.
The second club to be promoted was Oțelul Galați, following their 1–0 win against Unirea Dej on 21 May 2023. Oțelul Galați returned to the Liga I after eight years of absence, and the first time since being refounded in 2016 following bankruptcy.
The third club to be promoted was Dinamo București, after winning the 2022–23 promotion/relegation play-off against Argeș Pitești. Dinamo București returned to the Liga I after one year of absence.
Teams relegated to the Liga II The first club to be relegated was Mioveni, following a 0–2 defeat to Argeș Pitești on 29 April 2023, ending their two-year stay in the top flight.
The second club to be relegated was Chindia Târgoviște, which were relegated following their 2–2 draw with Voluntari on 19 May 2023, ending their four-year stay in the top flight.
The third club to be relegated was Argeș Pitești, which were relegated following their 4–2 loss against Dinamo București in the promotion/relegation play-offs on 3 June 2023, ending their three-year stay in the top flight.
Stadiums and locations FCSB Universitatea Craiova FCU 1948 Craiova Universitatea Cluj Arena Națională Ion Oblemenco Cluj Arena Capacity: 55,634 Capacity: 30,983 Capacity: 30,201 CFR Cluj Petrolul Ploiești Rapid București Oțelul Galați Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Ilie Oană Rapid–Giulești Oțelul Capacity: 22,198 Capacity: 15,073 Capacity: 14,047 Capacity: 13,500 Hermannstadt UTA Arad Municipal (Sibiu) Francisc von Neuman Capacity: 12,363 Capacity: 11,500 Politehnica Iași Sepsi OSK Emil Alexandrescu Sepsi Arena Capacity: 11,390 Capacity: 8,400 Dinamo București Botoșani Voluntari Farul Constanța Arcul de Triumf Municipal (Botoșani) Anghel Iordănescu Viitorul Capacity: 8,207 Capacity: 7,782 Capacity: 4,600 Capacity: 4,554
Number of teams by county RankCountyNumberTeams1Bucharest3FCSB, Rapid București, Dinamo București2Dolj2Universitatea Craiova, FCU 1948 CraiovaClujCFR Cluj, Universitatea Cluj4Sibiu1HermannstadtAradUTA AradCovasnaSepsi OSKBotoșaniBotoșaniPrahovaPetrolul PloieștiGalațiOțelul GalațiIașiPolitehnica IașiConstanțaFarul ConstanțaIlfovVoluntari
Personnel and sponsorship
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Main Shirt sponsorOther Shirt sponsor Botoșani Andrei Miron Adidas Unibet Elsaco CFR Cluj Dan Petrescu Mário Camora Nike RMB Inter Auto Dinamo București Răzvan Patriche Macron win2.ro Renovatio Farul Constanța (owner and manager) Ionuț Larie Nike Superbet FCSB Elias Charalambous Darius Olaru Nike Betano FCU 1948 Craiova Eugen Trică William Baeten Adidas Craiova Cetatea Banilor Hermannstadt Ionuț Stoica Nike Unibet Primăria Municipiului Sibiu Oțelul Galați Juri Cisotti Adidas Liberty Galați Municipality Petrolul Ploiești László Balint Valentin Țicu Macron La Cocoș Politehnica Iași Tony Silviu Lung Jr. Nike Mozzart Bet Municipiul Iași Rapid București (caretaker) Cristian Săpunaru Kappa Superbet IMAMED Sepsi OSK Bernd Storck Roland Niczuly Adidas Diószegi Gyermelyi Universitatea Cluj Ioan Sabău Alexandru Chipciu Adidas Superbet AROBS Universitatea Craiova Constantin Gâlcă Nicușor Bancu Puma Betano UTA Arad Florin Iacob Saller Efbet Maxximus Voluntari Igor Armaș Nike Metropola TV Maxbet
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Sepsi OSK End of contract 30 June 2023 Pre-season 1 July 2023 Voluntari 30 June 2023 8 June 2023 FCU 1948 Craiova 30 June 2023 17 July 2023 Universitatea Cluj 30 June 2023 1 July 2023 Botoșani Mutual agreement 30 June 2023 18 May 2023 CFR Cluj 30 June 2023 Andrea Mandorlini 1 July 2023 Rapid București Signed by Neftçi 7 July 2023 9 July 2023 Universitatea Craiova Sacked 25 July 2023 5th 25 July 2023 Botoșani 17 August 2023 16th 17 August 2023 FCU 1948 Craiova 19 August 2023 11th 19 August 2023 Universitatea Cluj 24 August 2023 12th 24 August 2023 Botoșani 1 September 2023 16th 1 September 2023 Universitatea Craiova Mutual agreement 21 September 2023 3rd 21 September 2023 FCU 1948 Craiova 16 October 2023 10th 16 October 2023 Botoșani 3 November 2023 16th 3 November 2023 Universitatea Craiova 7 November 2023 5th 7 November 2023 Dinamo București 28 November 2023 15th 1 December 2023 Sepsi OSK 29 November 2023 10th 29 November 2023 Botoșani 28 December 2023 16th 28 December 2023 CFR Cluj Sacked 23 January 2024 2nd 24 January 2024 Voluntari 31 January 2024 14th 31 January 2024 FCU 1948 Craiova 29 February 2024 14th 4 March 2024 Petrolul Ploiești 9 March 2024 10th caretaker 9 March 2024 Voluntari 12 March 2024 15th 13 March 2024 Politehnica Iasi 30 March 2024 13th 31 March 2024 CFR Cluj Resigned 3 April 2024 3th caretaker 4 April 2024 FCU 1948 Craiova Mutual Agreement 5 April 2024 14th 5 April 2024 Petrolul Ploiești caretaker 8 April 2024 11th 8 April 2024 Universitatea Craiova Sacked 11 April 2024 4th 17 April 2024 Rapid București 16 April 2024 5th caretaker 16 April 2024 CFR Cluj caretaker Mutual Agreement 1 May 2024 3th 1 May 2024
Regular season In the regular season the 16 teams will meet twice for a total of 30 matches per team, with the top 6 advancing to the championship play-offs and the bottom 10 qualifying for the relegation play-outs.
Table
Results
Positions by round
Play-off round The top six teams from Regular season will meet twice (10 matches per team) for places in 2024–25 UEFA Champions League and 2024–25 UEFA Conference League as well as deciding the league champion. Teams start the Championship round with their points from the Regular season halved, rounded upwards, and no other records carried over from the Regular season.
Play-off table
Play-out round The bottom ten teams from the regular season meet once to contest against relegation. Teams started the play-out round with their points from the Regular season halved, rounded upwards, and no other records carried over from the Regular season. The winner of the Relegation round finish 7th in the overall season standings, the second placed team – 8th, and so on, with the last placed team in the Relegation round being 16th.
Play-out table
European play-offs In the semi-final the 7th- and 8th-placed teams of the Liga I typically play a one-legged match on the ground of the better placed team (7th place). In the final, the winner of the play-out semi-final will play the highest ranked team of the play-off tournament, that did not already qualify for European competitions. The winner of the final will enter the second qualifying round of the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League. Oțelul Galați and Universitatea Cluj are qualified to this round because the other teams in the previous round don't have the European license to take part to any European competition.
European play-off semi-final
European play-off final
Promotion/relegation play-offs The 13th and 14th-placed teams of the Liga I faces the 3rd and 4th-placed team of the Liga II.
First leg
Second leg
Season statistics
Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Florinel ComanFCSB18 Philip OteleCFR Cluj3 Albion RrahmaniRapid București174 Alexandru MitrițăUniversitatea Craiova165 Darius OlaruFCSB156 Marius ȘtefănescuSepsi OSK14 Daniel BîrligeaCFR Cluj8 Dan NistorUniversitatea Cluj139 Louis MunteanuFarul Constanța1210 Alexandru PopOțelul Galați11 Daniel ParaschivHermannstadt Eduard FlorescuBotoșani Daniel PopaUniversitatea Cluj
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ionuț LarieFarul ConstanțaVoluntari4–1 (H)22 July 2023 Alexandru MitrițăUniversitatea CraiovaOțelul Galați3–1 (A)26 November 2023 Darius OlaruFCSBUTA Arad4–0 (H)22 January 2024 Daniel BîrligeaCFR ClujRapid București4–1 (A)6 April 2024 Daniel ParaschivHermannstadtUTA Arad3–1 (A)12 April 2024 Pavol ŠafrankoSepsi OSKFarul Constanța4–1 (A)3 May 2024 Alexandru Mitriță (2)Universitatea CraiovaFarul Constanța3–3 (A)13 May 2024
Top assists
Rank Player Club Assists1 Ciprian DeacCFR Cluj142 Alexandru MitrițăUniversitatea Craiova133 Nicușor BancuUniversitatea Craiova9 Florinel ComanFCSB Dan NistorUniversitatea Cluj
Clean sheets
Rank Player Club Clean sheets1 Ștefan TârnovanuFCSB152 Lukáš ZimaPetrolul Ploiești12 Adnan GolubovićDinamo București4 Răzvan SavaCFR Cluj115 Roland NiczulySepsi OSK106 Horațiu MoldovanRapid București9 Florin IacobUTA Arad Cătălin CăbuzHermannstadt9 Marian AioaniFarul Constanța / Rapid București8 Jesús FernándezVoluntari Laurențiu PopescuUniversitatea Craiova
Champion squad FCSBGoalkeepers: Ștefan Târnovanu (39 / 0); Andrei Vlad (1 / 0) Defenders: Nana Antwi (9 / 0); Vlad Chiricheș (10 / 0); Valentin Crețu (26 / 0); Joyskim Dawa (36 / 3); Cristian Ganea (5 / 0); Denis Haruț (10 / 0); Siyabonga Ngezana (30 / 0); Ricardo Pădurariu (1 / 0); Alexandru Pantea (20 / 0); Ionuț Panțîru (4 / 0); Risto Radunović (35 / 1) Midfielders: Baba Alhassan (17 / 1); Damjan Đoković (17 / 2); Malcom Edjouma (4 / 1); Valentin Gheorghe (1 / 0); Mihai Lixandru (34 / 1); Darius Olaru (36 / 15); Andrei Pandele (7 / 0); Ovidiu Popescu (30 / 1); Luis Phelipe (10 / 0); Eduard Radaslavescu (22 / 0); Adrian Șut (36 / 3); Mihai Toma (2 / 0) Forwards: Alexandru Băluță (32 / 6); Florinel Coman (34 / 18); Andrea Compagno (18 / 4); Andrei Cordea (4 / 0); David Miculescu (35 / 5); David Popa (3 / 0); Octavian Popescu (33 / 2); Dorin Rotariu (5 / 0) (league appearances and goals listed in brackets)
Manager: Elias Charalambous
Awards
Monthly Awards
Player of the Month YearMonthPlayerNationalityTeam2023JulyFlorinel ComanFWFCSBAugustAurelian ChițuFWFCU 1948 CraiovaSeptemberDarius OlaruMFFCSBOctoberDan NistorMFUniversitatea ClujNovemberHorațiu MoldovanGKRapid BucureștiDecember Darius OlaruMFFCSB2024FebruaryAlbion RrahmaniFWRapid BucureștiMarchAlexandru MitrițăFWUniversitatea CraiovaAprilFlorinel ComanFWFCSBMayDennis PoliticMFDinamo București
Manager of the Month YearMonthManagerNationalityTeam2023JulyLiviu CiobotariuSepsi OSKAugustLiviu CiobotariuSepsi OSKSeptemberDorinel MunteanuOțelul GalațiOctoberIoan SabăuUniversitatea ClujNovemberEdward IordanescuRomaniaDecemberRăzvan Lucescu PAOK2024FebruaryCristiano BergodiRapid BucureștiMarchIvaylo PetevUniversitatea CraiovaAprilElias CharalambousFCSBMayRăzvan Lucescu PAOK
Annual awards AwardWinnerClubManager of the Season Elias CharalambousFCSBPlayer of the Season Florinel ComanFCSBUnder-21 Player of the Season Răzvan SavaCFR Cluj
Team of the SeasonGoalkeeper Ștefan Târnovanu (FCSB)Defence Christopher Braun (Rapid București) Siyabonga Ngezana (FCSB) Joyskim Dawa (FCSB) Nicușor Bancu (Universitatea Craiova)Central Midfield Karlo Muhar (CFR Cluj) Darius Olaru (FCSB)Attacking Midfield Philip Otele (CFR Cluj) Alexandru Mitriță (Universitatea Craiova) Florinel Coman (FCSB)Attack Albion Rrahmani (Rapid București)
Attendances