Astograthian First Division
 | |
| Country | Astograth |
|---|---|
| Confederation | Confederación Rushmori de Fútbol |
| Founded | 634 |
| Number of teams | 20 |
| Levels on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Second Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | Royal Cup |
| International cup(s) |
IFCF Champions' League IFCF Challengers' Cup Rushmore Copa de Campeones |
| Current champions |
Sporting Iturributa (5th title) (Year 683) |
| Most championships |
Ituraitz FC & Royal Rumiatzi (9 titles each) |
| Most appearances |
 Cheru Larretape (535) |
| Top goalscorer |
 Ellis Elmsvikur (286) |
The First Division (Astograthian: Taldo Lehan) of the Astograthian Football League is the top professional association football division of the Astograthian league system. It is contested by 20 teams, with the three lowest placed teams relegated to the Second Division and replaced by the top two teams in that division, plus the winner of a play-off series. A total of 38 teams have competed in the First Division, seven of which have been crowned champions. Founded in 634, the league was initially dominated by Royal Rumiatzi, Ituraitz FC, Iturributa United and Sporting Iturributa; following the departure in 647 of the latter two a number of clubs rose to prominence, namely Urbizania Wanderers, Echegoyan FC and Astograth University. Dissolved and inactive between 662 and 673, the league has run continuously since 674 to the present.
The First Division used to be consistently among the strongest leagues affiliated to the Union of International Club Associations (UICA), with two of its clubs winning the highly covetted Champions’ Cup.
Competition Format
The competition format follows the common double round-robin format. During the course of a season, which is year-long, each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 38 matches. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the highest-ranked club at the end of the season crowned champion. If points are equal between two or more clubs, the rules are:
- If all clubs involved have played each other twice:
- If the tie is between two clubs, then the tie is broken using the head-to-head goal difference (without the away goals rule)
- If the tie is between more than two clubs, then the tie is broken, using the games the clubs have played against each other:
- a) head-to-head points
- b) head-to-head goal difference
- c) head-to-head goals scored
- If two legged games between all clubs involved have not been played, or the tie is not broken by the rules above, it is broken using total goal difference.
- If the tie is still not broken, it is to be resolved by number of wins and finally alphabetical order, unless the title, an international qualification place or a relegation spot is in dispute. In these cases, number of wins is replaced as a tie-breaker by a special play-off match at the neutral ground of Grand Duke's Stadium in Rumiatzi; however, this method has yet to be used.
A system of promotion and relegation exists between the First Division and the Astograthian Second Division, whereby the three lowest placed teams in the First Division are relegated to the Second Division, and the top two teams from the Second Division promoted to the First Division, with an additional club promoted after a series of play-offs involving the third, fourth, fifth and sixth placed clubs.
Throughout the First Division's history it has gradually increased the amount of clubs in competition:
- 10 clubs = 634–637
- 12 clubs = 638
- 14 clubs = 639
- 16 clubs = 640–656
- 18 clubs = 657–662
- 20 clubs = 674–
History
Formation
In November 632, and spurred by Grand Duke Aitor IV, the Futbol Astograthiko Federazioa was formed with president Eneko Gandiaga at its head, and set about forming the first Astograthian national league system since the reunification. After much debate about the size of the league and who would take part, the FAF eventually agreed that ten teams would take part in the First Division and would be selected according to their standings in the most recent edition of their respective regional league, with some regions ranked above others.
Ituraitz FC were selected as champions of the Northwest Premier League, Sporting Iturributa as champions of the Iturributa Province Division One, Royal Rumiatzi as champions of the Rumiatzi Football Union, Urbizania Wanderers as champions of the Capital Region Elite League and Echegoyan FC as champions of the Blue Mountain Challenge Series. Iturributa United and Athletic Club Rumiatzi were further chosen as runners-up of the Iturributa Province Division One and the Rumiatzi Football Union respectively. Blue Mountain Range, runners-up of the Blue Mountain Challenge Series, earned their place after winning a play-off against Ituraitz Victory, runners-up of the Northwest Premier League. Royal Association, third-placed in the Iturributa Province Division One, were also chosen after beating Royal Garitzeta, champions of the Northeast Champions’ League; likewise South Factory, runners-up of the Capital Region Elite League, who defeated Oak-Builders FC, Anzar League I winners.
Three of the founding clubs, Royal Rumiatzi, Ituraitz FC, and Urbizania Wanderers, have played every First Division season.
Early Years
The first two seasons of the Astograthian First Division were both won by Royal Rumiatzi and were essentially trial runs, with no promotion or relegation system. The league proved popular and profitable, such that from the third season on out promotion and relegation began to function and the Football League became affiliated to the Union of International Club Associations (UICA), sending teams to the Champions’ Cup and Globe Cup from then on out. This also coincided with the creation of the Astograthian national team and the free inscription of foreign players in the First Division; Cotdelapomais Louis-Yves Lafayette and Kagdazkan Slava Semënov were the first to arrive, at Urbizania Wanderers and Royal Rumiatzi respectively.
In 637 the Ides of March Cup was established, played between the champions of Astograth and Polar Islandstates. In 639 the FAF became affiliated to the Confederación Rushmori de Fútbol, and began sending First Division teams to the Rushmore Copa de Campeones and the Rushmore Copa de los Príncipes.
Ituraitz FC won the 636 season to much acclaim, while Royal Rumiatzi reclaimed the trophy to make it three out of four in 637. In 638 and 639. Iturributa United trumped Royal Rumiatzi with a memorable team that included Estebe Bularte, Petter Bielsen and Zuzen Barta.
The 640s
Sporting Iturributa became the last of the so-called "Big 4" to win the First Division, in 640, but were superseded by an [[Ituraitz FC] side that won the double in 641 and the league title again in 642, with such players as Lester Sutton and Milian Erburu. Royal Rumiatzi then won their fourth title in dramatic fashion in 643 and were followed by the unexpected Echegoyan FC, which under the management of Gunutz Yaregi had gone from the Second Division to league champions in five years. Five different champions followed Echegoyan FC: Sporting Iturributa, who reached the UICA Champions’ Cup semifinals; Iturributa United, who went a step further and reached the Champions’ Cup final before abandoning the league following Iturributan Independence; Ituraitz FC, with a formidable team that featured Tomas Aer, Ikatz Ansotegi, Dima Petersen, Dei Ormache and Ikatz Alberro; Royal Rumiatzi, with Ellis Elmsvikur guiding them to victory; and finally the long-suffering Astograth University, who beat Royal Rumiatzi to the pulse largely thanks to star player Lekubegi Guerrikaechebarria.
The 650s
Echegoyan FC won their second title in 650, but that season it was Urbizania Wanderers who made all the headlines after becoming the first Astograthian club to win the Champions’ Cup - and before winning their own league. Having signed Vanorian World Cup superstar Laborious Hawk, the most high-profile transfer in First Division history, Wanderers comfortably won the league in 651. Ituraitz FC and Echegoyan FC were then champions, followed by two years in which Ituraitz FC became the most dominant side to come out of the First Division. Winning both First Division titles, they went on to win the UICA Champions’ Cup, Globe Cup, Super Cup and the Rushmore Copa de Campeones, becoming the most successful Astograthian club in international and domestic football. They were followed by a Royal Rumiatzi double in 656, who went on to win the Copa de Campeones after beating Sporting Iturributa 1-0 in a heated final. Urbizania Wanderers then clinched their second and third titles, the latter as part of their first Astograthian double.
