Liga Indonesia Premier Division (Indonesian: Divisi Utama Liga Indonesia) was the second-tier of the football competition system in Indonesia, organized by the PSSI. The competition started in 1994 as a top-tier division, prior to the formation of the Indonesia Super League in 2008. In its time as a top-flight league, the competition used to be contested by 28 to 36 teams divided into 2 groups. The top four teams from each group would advance to the second stage where they were placed in a group of four teams, with the top two advancing to the knockout stage. After the establishment of the Liga 2 in 2017, the Premier Division was dissolved.
History In 1994, the PSSI merged the existing Perserikatan and Galatama to form Liga Indonesia. This decision was taken to increase the quality of Indonesian football. In order to do so, PSSI sought to combine supporter's fanaticism from Perserikatan and Galatama's professionalism. The Premier Division was the first-tier in Liga Indonesia. The system stayed put until 2007.
In 2008, PSSI formed the Indonesia Super League (ISL), the first fully professional league in Indonesia, as the new top-tier of Indonesian football. The Premier Division was then being relegated to the second-tier.
As a result of continuing conflict between PT Liga Indonesia (LI) and PT Liga Prima Indonesia Sportindo (LPIS), there were two different Liga Indonesia Premier Division being organized for 2011–12 and 2013 season, one for the Indonesia Super League and the other for Indonesian Premier League. Starting in the 2014 season Premier Division was organized again by PT Liga Indonesia after the dissolution of LPIS.
In January 2017, PSSI renamed the competition from Premier Division to Liga 2 along with the change in the name of the league in the top division from Indonesia Super League to Liga 1.
First-tier era Champions SeasonChampionsScoreRunners-up1994–95Persib Bandung1–0Petrokimia Putra1995–96Bandung Raya2–0PSM Makassar1996–97Persebaya Surabaya3–1Bandung Raya1997–98Season abandoned due to political and economic turmoil1998–99PSIS Semarang1–0Persebaya Surabaya1999–2000PSM Makassar3–2Pupuk Kaltim2001Persija Jakarta3–2PSM Makassar2002Petrokimia Putra2–1 (g.g.)Persita Tangerang2003Persik Kediri–PSM Makassar2004Persebaya Surabaya–PSM Makassar2005Persipura Jayapura3–2 (a.e.t.)Persija Jakarta2006Persik Kediri1–0 (a.e.t.)PSIS Semarang2007–08Sriwijaya3–1 (a.e.t.)PSMS Medan
Title sponsors PeriodSponsor(s)Brand1994–1996DunhillLiga Dunhill1996–1997KansasLiga Kansas1997–1999No sponsorsLigina (Liga Indonesia)1999–2004Bank MandiriLiga Bank Mandiri2005–2008Djarum SuperLiga Djarum Indonesia
Broadcasting partner TVRI (1994–2002) ANTV (1994–1999, 2002–2007) RCTI (1999–2001) SCTV (2003) Trans TV (2004) TV7 (2004–2006)
Player of the season SeasonPlayerTeam1994–95 Widodo C. PutroPetrokimia Putra1995–96 Ronny WabiaPersipura Jayapura1996–97 NuralimBandung Raya1998–99 Ali SunanPSIS Semarang1999–2000 Bima SaktiPSM Makassar2001 Bambang PamungkasPersija Jakarta2002 Ilham Jaya KesumaPersita Tangerang2003 MusikanPersik Kediri2004 Ponaryo AstamanPSM Makassar2005 Christian WarobayPersipura Jayapura2006 Maman AbdurrahmanPSIS Semarang2007–08 Zah Rahan KrangarSriwijaya
Top scorers SeasonTop scorerTeamGoals1994–95 Peri SandriaBandung Raya341995–96 Dejan GluscevicBandung Raya301996–97 Jacksen F. TiagoPersebaya Surabaya261997–98 Kurniawan Dwi YuliantoPelita Jaya201998–99 Alain MabendaPSDS Deli Serdang111999–2000 Bambang PamungkasPersija Jakarta242001 Sadissou BakoBarito Putera222002 Ilham Jaya KesumaPersita Tangerang262003 Oscar AravenaPSM Makassar312004 Ilham Jaya KesumaPersita Tangerang222005 Cristian GonzálesPersik Kediri252006 Cristian GonzálesPersik Kediri292007–08 Cristian GonzálesPersik Kediri32
Second-tier era Champions SeasonChampionsScoreRunners-up2008–09Persisam Putra Samarinda1–0Persema Malang2009–10Persibo Bojonegoro0–0 (a.e.t.)Deltras Sidoarjo2010–11Persiba Bantul1–0Persiraja Banda Aceh2011–12(LPIS)Persepar Palangkarayaround robinPro Duta2011–12(LI)Barito Putera2–1Persita Tanggerang2013(LPIS)PSS Sleman2–1Lampung FC2013(LI)Persebaya DU2–0Perseru Serui2014Pusamania Borneo2–1Persiwa Wamena2015Season abandoned due to FIFA suspension of Indonesia
Title sponsors PeriodSponsor(s)Brand2008–2009EsiaEsia Divisi Utama2009–2010Extra JossLiga Joss Indonesia2010–2011Ti-PhoneLiga Ti-Phone2012–2016No sponsorsDivisi Utama
Broadcasting partner ANTV (2008–2013) tvOne (2013) First Media and Big TV (2014)
Player of the season SeasonPlayerTeam2008–09 Aldo BarettoPersisam Putra Samarinda2009–10 Victor da SilvaPersibo Bojonegoro2010–11 Wahyu WijiastantoPersiba Bantul2011–12(LPIS) George Oyebode OyedepoPersepar Palangkaraya2011–12(LI) Cristian CarrascoPersita Tangerang2013(LPIS)Not awarded2013(LI) Jean Paul BoumsongPersebaya (DU)2014 Sengbah KennedyPersiwa Wamena
Top scorers SeasonTop scorerTeamGoals2008–09 Herman Dzumafo Epandi Jean Paul Boumsong MardiansyahPSPS PekanbaruPersikad DepokPersikabo Bogor172009–10 Edward Junior WilsonSemen Padang202010–11 Udo FortunePersiba Bantul342011–12(LPIS) Abel CieloPerseman Manokwari112011–12(LI) Sackie Teah DoeBarito Putera182013(LPIS)Not awarded2013(LI) Jean Paul Boumsong Oliver MakorPersebaya (DU)Persik Kediri182014 Yao Rudy AbblodePersiwa Wamena17
See also Indonesian football league system Liga 1 (Indonesia) Liga 2 (Indonesia)
References