Meistriliiga is the highest division of the Estonian Football Association annual football championship. The league was founded in 1991 and 2009 is the league's 19th season. it is not fully professional; only six teams are professionals, and the other four teams are semi-professional.

As in most countries with low temperatures in winter time, the season starts around March and ends in late November. The championship's top division consists of ten clubs, all teams play each other four times. After each season the bottom team is relegated, with the winner of Esiliiga being promoted (unless it is a reserve team for a Meistriliiga team, in which case the next team receives automatic promotion) and the 2nd last team from Meistriliiga and the 2nd team from Esiliiga play a two-legged playoff to get into/stay in the Meistriliiga.

Meistriliiga clubs 2009

The following ten clubs are competing in the Meistriliiga during the 2009 season.

Champions and top goalscorers

Performance by club

1921-1944 Champions

• 1921Sport Tallinn

• 1922Sport Tallinn

• 1923Kalev Tallinn

• 1924Sport Tallinn

• 1925Sport Tallinn

• 1926Jalgpalliklubi Tallinn

• 1927Sport Tallinn

• 1928Jalgpalliklubi Tallinn

• 1929Sport Tallinn

• 1930Kalev Tallinn

• 1931Sport Tallinn

• 1932Sport Tallinn

• 1933Sport Tallinn

• 1934Estonia Tallinn

• 1935Estonia Tallinn

• 1936Estonia Tallinn

• 1937–38Estonia Tallinn

• 1938–39Estonia Tallinn

• 1939–40Olümpia Tartu

• 1941not finished

• 1942PSR Tartu (unofficial)

• 1943Estonia Tallinn (unofficial)

• 1944not finished

Estonian SSR Champions

• 1945Dünamo Tallinn

• 1946BL Tallinn

• 1947Dünamo Tallinn

• 1948Balti Laevastik Tallinn

• 1949Dünamo Tallinn

• 1950Dünamo Tallinn

• 1951Balti Laevastik Tallinn

• 1952Balti Laevastik Tallinn

• 1953Dünamo Tallinn

• 1954Dünamo Tallinn

• 1955Kalev Tallinn

• 1956Balti Laevastik Tallinn

• 1957Kalev Ülemiste

• 1958Kalev Ülemiste

• 1959Kalev Ülemiste

• 1960Balti Laevastik Tallinn

• 1961Kalev Kopli

• 1962Kalev Ülemiste

• 1963Tempo Tallinn

• 1964Norma Tallinn

• 1965Balti Laevastik Tallinn

• 1966Balti Laevastik Tallinn

• 1967Norma Tallinn

• 1968Balti Laevastik Tallinn

• 1969Dvigatel Tallinn

• 1970Norma Tallinn

• 1971Tempo Tallinn

• 1972Balti Laevastik Tallinn

• 1973Kreenholm Narva

• 1974Baltika Narva

• 1975Baltika Narva

• 1976Dvigatel Tallinn

• 1977Baltika Narva

• 1978Dünamo Tallinn

• 1979Norma Tallinn

• 1980Dünamo Tallinn

• 1981Dünamo Tallinn

• 1982Tempo Tallinn

• 1983Dünamo Tallinn

• 1984Estonia Jõhvi

• 1985Kalakombinaat/MEK Pärnu

• 1986Zvezda Tallinn

• 1987Tempo Tallinn

• 1988Norma Tallinn

• 1989Zvezda Tallinn

• 1990TVMK Tallinn

• 1991TVMK Tallinn

Individual all-time leaders

Appearance leaders

As of 18 December 2008. Source:
Players in bold are still active in Meistriliiga.

Goal scoring leaders

As of 18 December 2008. Source:
Players in bold are still active in Meistriliiga.

Notable former foreign players

Records

Club

As of 28 October 2009.

• Most championships: 7 championships – Flora (1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003) and Levadia (1999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)

• Most seasons in Meistriliiga: 19 seasons – Flora and Trans (All seasons, 1992 — present)

• Longest unbeaten run: 59 matches – Levadia (10/05/2008 — present)

• Most matches won in a row: 17 matches – Norma (15/05/1992 — 02/10/1993)

• Biggest win margin: 24 goals – Tevalte (24–0 v Sillamäe Kalev on 27/05/1994)

• Most goals in a season: 138 goals – TVMK (2005)

• Fewest goals in a season: 11 goals – Sillamäe Kalev (1993–94, 22 games), Valga (2000, 28), Kuressaare (2003, 28), Lootus (2004, 28)

• Fewest goals per game in a season: 0.389 gpg – Ajax Lasnamäe (2007, 14 goals in 36 games)

• Most goals against in a season: 157 goals – Dünamo (2005)

Player

As of 1 January 2009.

• Most appearances Meistriliiga: 385 appearances – Martin Reim (1992 — 2008)

• Most goals in Meistriliiga: 269 goals – Maksim Gruznov (1992 — present)

• Most goals in a season: 41 goals – Tarmo Neemelo (2005)

• Goal scored in consecutive matches: 15 matches – Tor Henning Hamre (2003)

• Most goals scored by one player in a match: 7 goals – Tor Henning Hamre (Flora v Kuressaare in 2003)

• Longest time without conceding a goal: 946 minutes – Martin Kaalma (2007 — 2008)

• Youngest goalscorer: 16 years, 80 days – Christian Kõrtsmik (Kalev Tallinn v Ajax Lasnamäe on 28/04/2007)

• Oldest goalscorer: 43 years, 16 days – Sergei Zamogilnõi (EP Jõhvi v Vall on 15/09/1996)

• Fastest goal: 12 seconds – Aleksander Saharov (Flora v Lootus on 15/09/1996)