---
title: "Karjanian Premier League"
nativeTitle: "Karjanmaan Valioliiga"
type: "organization"
nation: "karjania"
infobox: (11 rows)
---
The Karjanian Premier League (KPL) (Routan: *Karjanmaan Valioliiga*) is a professional football league in Karjania and the highest level of the Karjanian Football Pyramid. It is competed by 16 clubs every year, with the bottom two relegated to the Karjanian Secondary League. The KPL was founded in 1896 as the Royal First League. The first 3 finishers automatically qualify for the Karjanian Super Cup, and if the winner of the cup finishes in the top 3, the 4th place club qualifies as well. It is governed by the KAF. The league is where majority of the [[karjanian-national-football-team]] play.
## Structure
The KPL is played between early August and Late June each year. It is contested by 16 clubs over 30 Matchdays, meaning a total of 240 matches per season. A win gives 3 points, a draw 1 and a loss 0. The tiebreakers, in order are Head to head, goal difference, and goals scored. The 16 teams play eachother twice, meaning 30 games per club. Each team has 15 home and 15 away games. The first place finisher at the end of the season is crowned champion. The top 4 teams qualify for the AFA Club World Cup, while 5th and 6th qualify for the AFA Club World Shield along with the winner of the Karjanian Cup. The bottom 2 finishers, 15th and 16th are relegated and replaced by the top 2 finishers of the Karjanian Secondary League. The top 3 finishers are automatically qualified to the Karjanian Super Cup along with the Cup winners. Teams who play in the KPL skip the first round of the Karjanian Cup.
## History
Between 1883 and 1896, several football competitions were present in Karjania. In 1896, the Karjanian Football Association (KAF) announced the creation of the nationwide Royal First League, competed by 10 teams over 27 Matchdays between August and June. The inaugural season was won by Pietari FK after a 3-way tie heading into the final round. The next 2 seasons were won by Roudanjärvi JK and Red Star Roudanjärvi respectively. During the period between 1899 and 1901, Roudanjärvi JK won all 3 titles, before Syväsjärvi JK won it's first in 1902. After this, Pietari FK won 3 in a row between 1903 and 1905, before Roudanjärvi JK won again in 1906. Murmánska Partisani took it's first and only title after a close fight with VKS in 1907. Roudanjärvi JK won in 1908. The 1909 season expanded to 12 teams and 33 games, and introduced Relegation. Toksavaara Lõvid and Arkankeli FK became the first ever teams to get relegated from the KPL, while Surtuja JK and Åulot FK became the first to get promoted. The season was once again won by Roudanjärvi JK. In 1910, Union Nowgorod took it's first title, beating Roudanjärvi JK on goal difference after a 7-2 win in the final matchday where Roudanjärvi JK lost 2-1 to bottom of the league Åulot FK, who successfully escaped the relegation zone with their shock victory, and relegated former champions Syväsjärvi JK. Next year, Roudanjärvi JK won by 7 points over Union Nowgorod. In 1912, Pietari FK got their 5th title ahead of RöPS. Roudanjärvi JK won the 1913 season with 73 points, a Royal First League Record. The next season was shortened due to [[great-war|Great War]], but Red Star Roudanjärvi were still awarded the title. The next season was only in 1918, when Union Nowgorod won their second and last title. This season was run under a new format, with 20 teams and 38 Matchdays, under the exact format currently used in [[nichirin]]. The format stayed for 1919, when XIV. District claimed their first title. In 1920, due to the Karjanian Civil War, there were 3 different leagues run across Karjania. The Free Esti State ran the Esti First League. For it's inaugural season, which would also be it's last, it was won by Esti JK 1920, a team that was later disbanded in 1922 after not receiving a spot in the Karjanian Communist football pyramid. The Karjanian Upper League, ran by the Republic was won by Syväsjärvi JK, while the KPL, ran by the communist government was won by 1830 Pietari. The 1921 season brought a new format with 16 teams and 30 games, as well as the creation of the Karjanian Kolmonen, the third division on the Karjanian football pyramid. This season was won by Pietari FK. Later, the 1922 and 1923 seasons would both be contested under the old format with 12 teams and 33 games, both won by Pietari FK. The 16 team format returned for 1924, and Pietari FK won it's 4th title in a row, in total it's 8th and last. The 1925 season was won by Syväsjärvi JK on goal difference over Roudanjärvi JK. Next year in 1926,XIV. District JK won over Red Star Roudanjärvi. Roudanjärvi JK won in 1927 and 1928, before XIV. District JK won again in 1929 as Åulot FK finished second in a shocking season. Åulot FK later went on to defeat Pietari FK in the Super Cup final as well. Next season, Roudanjärvi JK won again before Syväsjärvi JK won 3 in a row between 1931 and 1933.
## List of clubs
This is a list of every club that has ever competed in the KPL or the Royal First League sorted by the year of their debut season
- Pietari FK (1896)
- Roudanjärvi JK (1896)
- Red Star Roudanjärvi (1896)
- XIV. District JK (1896)
- RöPS (1896)
- Syväsjärvi JK (1896)
- VKS (1896)
- Union Nowgorod (1896)
- Murmánska Partisani (1896)
- Toksavaara Lõvid (1896)
- Tsirvakka JK (1909)
- Arkankeli FK (1909)
- Surtuja JK (1910)
- Åulot FK (1910)
- Laatokka JK (1911)
- Vostamo JK (1912
- KHY Palloseura (1914)
- Okrug JK (1918)
- Kalaraava JK (1918)
- Perona JS (1918)
- Narovsky JK (1918)
- Musta Roudanjärvi (1918)
- 1830 Pietari (1921)
- Kuittijärvi JK (1921)
- Rautaniemi JK (1930)
- Kajuunia Pines (1932)
- Tolvajärvi PS (1934)
## List of Champions
This is a list of every club that has ever won the KPL or Royal First League sorted by the amount of their championships
- Roudanjärvi JK (12)
- Pietari FK (8)
- Syväsjärvi JK (5)
- XIV. District JK (3)
- Union Nowgorod (2)
- Red Star Roudanjärvi (2)
- Murmánska Partisani (1)
