NB: a substantial number of the seasons indicated as a calendar year tournament below
in fact finished in the first few months of the next calendar year, but at least
all were started with the intention of finishing before the end of the year; this
pretension was given up de iure in 1990 (a season cancelled, as 1989, which had
finished in October 1990, was followed by 1991, which started in November 1990),
but de facto already by the 1986 season, which started in July and finished in
July 1987); below the actual fall-spring rhythm is reflected in the denomination
of the seasons from 1986/87 onwards.
[ArL 02] refers to Olympic Club as "national champions" in March 1918, but it is
not clear on what this is based.
Champions Runners-Up
1921 Herediano Gimnastica Española
1922 Herediano La Libertad
1923 Cartaginés La Libertad
1924 Herediano Cartaginés
1925 La Libertad Herediano
1926 La Libertad Cartaginés (Alajuelense?)
1927 Herediano La Libertad
1928 Alajuelense Gimnastica Española
1929 La Libertad Alajuelense
1930 Herediano Gimnastica Española
1931 Herediano Orión
1932 Herediano La Libertad (Orión?)
1933 Herediano Gimnastica Española
1934 La Libertad Alajuela Junior
1935 Herediano Alajuela Junior
1936 Cartaginés La Libertad
1937 Herediano Gimnastica Española (Orión?)
1938 Orión Gimnastica Española
1939 Alajuelense Herediano
1940 Cartaginés Orión
1941 Alajuelense La Libertad
1942 La Libertad Gimnastica Española
1943 Universidad de Costa Rica Alajuelense
1944 Orión Herediano
1945 Alajuelense Orión
1946 La Libertad Herediano
1947 Herediano La Libertad
1948 Herediano Alajuelense
1949 Alajuelense Orión
1950 Alajuelense Saprissa
1951 Herediano Orión
1952 Saprissa Alajuelense
1953 Saprissa Herediano
1954 not played
1955 Herediano Saprissa
1956 not played
1957 Saprissa Alajuelense
1958 Alajuelense Saprissa
1959 Alajuelense Saprissa
1960 Alajuelense Herediano
1961 Herediano Saprissa [Asofútbol]
Carmelita Uruguay [Federación]
1962 Saprissa Alajuelense
1963 Uruguay Saprissa
1964 Saprissa Orión
1965 Saprissa Alajuelense
1966 Alajuelense Saprissa
1967 Saprissa Alajuelense
1968 Saprissa Cartaginés
1969 Saprissa Alajuelense
1970 Alajuelense Saprissa
1971 Alajuelense Saprissa
1972 Saprissa Alajuelense
1973 Saprissa Cartaginés
1974 Saprissa Herediano
1975 Saprissa Cartaginés
1976 Saprissa Barrio México
1977 Saprissa Cartaginés
1978 Herediano M. Puntarenas
1979 Herediano Cartaginés
1980 Alajuelense Herediano
1981 Herediano Limonense
1982 Saprissa M. Puntarenas
1983 Alajuelense M. Puntarenas
1984 Alajuelense Saprissa
1985 Herediano Alajuelense
1986/87 M. Puntarenas Alajuelense
1987/88 Herediano Cartaginés
1988/89 Saprissa Herediano
1989/90 Saprissa Alajuelense
1990/91 Alajuelense Saprissa
1991/92 Alajuelense Saprissa
1992/93 Herediano Cartaginés
1993/94 Saprissa Alajuelense
1994/95 Saprissa Alajuelense
1995/96 Alajuelense Cartaginés
1996/97 Alajuelense Saprissa
1997/98 Saprissa Alajuelense
1998/99 Saprissa Alajuelense
1999/00 Alajuelense Saprissa
2000/01 Alajuelense Herediano
2001/02 Alajuelense Santos
2002/03 Alajuelense Saprissa
2003/04 Saprissa Herediano
2004/05 Alajuelense Pérez Zeledón
2005/06 Saprissa Puntarenas FC
2006/07 Saprissa Alajuelense
2007/08 Saprissa Herediano [Ap.]
Saprissa Alajuelense [Cl.]
2008/09 Saprissa Alajuelense [Ap.]
Liberia Herediano [Cl.]
2009/10 Brujas Puntarenas FC [Ap.]
Saprissa San Carlos [Cl.]
2010/11 Alajuelense Herediano [Ap.]
Alajuelense San Carlos [Cl.]
2011/12 Alajuelense Herediano [Ap.]
Herediano Santos [Cl.]
2012/13 Alajuelense Herediano [Ap.]
Herediano Cartaginés [Cl.]
2013/14 Alajuelense Herediano [Ap.]
Saprissa Alajuelense [Cl.]
2014/15 Saprissa Herediano [Ap.]
Herediano Alajuelense [Cl.]
2015/16 Saprissa Alajuelense [Ap.]
Herediano Alajuelense [Cl.]
2016/17 Saprissa Herediano [Ap.]
Herediano Saprissa [Cl.]
2017/18 Pérez Zeledón Herediano [Ap.]
Saprissa Herediano [Cl.]
2018/19 Herediano Saprissa [Ap.]
San Carlos Saprissa [Cl.]
2019/20 Herediano Alajuela [Ap.]
Saprissa Alajuelense [Cl.]
2020/21 Alajuelense Herediano [Ap.]
Saprissa Herediano [Cl.]
2021/22 Herediano Saprissa [Ap.]
Cartaginés Alajuelense [Cl.]
2022/23 Saprissa Herediano [Ap.]
Saprissa Alajuelense [Cl.]
2023/24 Saprissa Herediano [Ap.]
Saprissa Alajuelense [Cl.]
2024/25 Herediano Alajuelense [Ap.]
Herediano Alajuelense [Cl.]
Total Championships (121; runners-up finishes (121) between square brackets)
40 [19] Deportivo Saprissa (San José)
31 [25] CS Herediano (Heredia)
30 [31] LD Alajuelense (Alajuela)
6 [ 7] CS La Libertad (San José)
4 [11] CS Cartaginés (Cartago)
2 [ 6] Orión FC
1 [ 3] Municipal Puntarenas (Puntarenas)
1 [ 2] San Carlos FC (San Carlos)
1 [ 1] Municipal Pérez Zeledón
1 [ 1] CS Uruguay (Coronado)
1 Brujas de Escazú (Desamparados)
1 AD Carmelita (Alajuela)
1 Liberia Mía
1 Universidad de Costa Rica (San José)
[ 7] Sociedad Gimnastica Española
[ 2] Alajuelense Junior (Alajuela)
[ 2] Puntarenas FC
[ 2] AD Santos (Guapiles)
[ 1] AD Limonense (Limón)
[ 1] AD Barrio México
NB: there were two rival championships in 1961; both are included in the above summary;
since 2007/08 there are two championships each season
Prepared and maintained by Juan Pablo Andrés and Gerardo Coto for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Authors: Juan Pablo Andrés and Gerardo Coto
Last updated: 30 May 2025
(C) Copyright Juan Pablo Andrés, Gerardo Coto and
RSSSF 1996/2025
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the authors. All rights reserved.