Nemzeti Bajnokság I


The Nemzeti Bajnokság is the Hungarian professional league for association football clubs. The league is currently known as the OTP Bank Liga for sponsorship reasons, and it has been the highest level of the professional league since its inception in 1901. UEFA currently ranks the league 33rd in Europe.
Twelve teams compete in the league, playing each other thrice, once at home and once away. At the end of the season, the top team enters the qualification for the UEFA Champions League, while the runner-up and the third place, together with the winner of the Hungarian Cup enter the UEFA Europa League qualification round. The bottom two clubs are relegated to Nemzeti Bajnokság II, the second-level league, to be replaced by the winner and the runner up of the NB2.

History

The first championship in 1901 was contested by BTC, MUE, FTC, Műegyetemi AFC and Budapesti SC, with the latter winning the championship. Although the two first championships were won by Budapesti TC, the other titles that decade were won by FTC and MTK.
In the 1910s and 1920s the championship was dominated by Ferencváros and MTK.
In the 1930s, the rivalry between Ferencváros and MTK Budapest expanded with another club, Újpest FC. One of the most iconic figures of the 1930s Hungarian football was Újpest's Zsengellér who managed to top goalscorer three times in a row in the 1930s. Ferencváros's Sárosi and MTK Budapest's Cseh and Újpest's Zsengellér were the embodiment of the rivalry of the three clubs from Budapest, named Budapest derby.
In the 1940s, Csepel could win its first title which was followed by two other titles in 1942 and 1943. During the World War II there were no interruptions in the Hungarian league. Due to the expansion of the territories of the country, new clubs could re-join the league such as Nagyvárad and Kolozsvár. The second half of the 1940s was dominated by Újpest by winning the championship in 1945, 1946 and 1947.
scored 352 goals in 341 matches for Budapest Honvéd|150px
In the 1950s, the dominance of Ferencváros and MTK weakened by the emergence of Honvéd with players such as Puskás, Bozsik, Czibor and Budai. Later these players played in the final of the 1954 FIFA World Cup. In the 1950s, Honvéd could win the championship five times. During the early 1950s, Honvéd players formed the backbone of the legendary Mighty Magyars. In 1956 the Hungarian league was suspended due to the Hungarian Revolution. The league was led by Honvéd after 21 rounds but the championship has never been finished.
In the first season of the European Cup, MTK Budapest reached the quarter-finals while in the 1957-58 season Vasas Budapest played in the semi-finals of the European Cup.
Vasas won four titles in the 1960s.
Ujpest dominated the 1970s, winning seven titles.
In 1982 Győr won the championship becoming the first non-Budapest team who could win the Hungarian league. Győr could repeat the triumph in the following year in 1983. However, the 1980s was dominated by Honvéd who celebrated its second heyday during the 1980s.
Due to the collapse of communism, Hungarian football clubs lost the support of the state. Therefore, many clubs were faced with financial problems the effects of which are still present in Hungarian football. However, the 1990s were still dominated by the 'traditional' clubs of the championships such as Ferencváros, MTK and Újpest. Ferencváros always finished in the top three, except for the 1993–94 season, when they finished 4th. The financial problems affected the performance of the clubs outside the Hungarian League as well. Hungarian clubs could not compete with their European counterparts. Moreover, the Bosman ruling also had a deep impact on the Hungarian League. Since big European clubs could invest loads of money into football, clubs from the Eastern Bloc were restricted to employing only home nationals.
In the 2000s new clubs became champions, mainly from rural Hungary. In 2002 Bozsik's Zalaegerszeg won the championship. Debrecen won the Hungarian league in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010. In 2008 MTK could win.
The dominance of the rural clubs continued in the 2010s. In 2011 and 2015 Székesfehérvár's Videoton won the championship. In 2013 Győr and in 2014 Debrecen could win the Hungarian League title.

Format

As of the 2016–17 season there are 12 clubs in the division, who play each other three times for a total of 33 games each. The bottom two clubs are relegated.

SeasonNumber of teams
from 1901 to 19025 teams
in 19038 teams
from 1904 to 19059 teams
in 1906-078 teams
from 1907-08 to 1909-109 teams
from 1910-11 to 1913-1410 teams
from 1916-17 to 1918-1912 teams
in 1919-2015 teams
in 1920-2113 teams
from 1921-22 to 1925-2612 teams
in 1926-2710 teams
from 1927-28 to 1934-3512 teams
from 1935-36 to 1940-4114 teams
from 1941-42 to 1943-4416 teams
in 194528 teams
in 1946-4716 teams
in 1947-4817 teams
from 1948-49 to 195016 teams
from 1951 to 195514 teams
in 195712 teams
from 1957-58 to 196614 teams
from 1967 to 1973-7416 teams
in 1974-7515 teams
in 1975-7616 teams
from 1976-77 to 1981-8218 teams
from 1982-83 to 1995-9616 teams
from 1996-97 to 1999-0018 teams
in 2000-0116 teams
from 2001-02 to 2003-0412 teams
from 2004-05 to 2014-1516 teams
from 2015–16 to present12 teams

Champions

  • 1901: BTC
  • 1902: BTC
  • 1903: FTC
  • 1904: MTK
  • 1905: FTC
  • 1906–07: FTC
  • 1907–08: MTK
  • 1908–09: FTC
  • 1909–10: FTC
  • 1910–11: FTC
  • 1911–12: FTC
  • 1912–13: FTC
  • 1913–14: MTK
  • 1914-16 – Unofficial championships
  • 1916–17: MTK
  • 1917–18: MTK
  • 1918–19: MTK
  • 1919–20: MTK
  • 1920–21: MTK
  • 1921–22: MTK
  • 1922–23: MTK
  • 1923–24: MTK
  • 1924–25: MTK
  • 1925–26: FTC
  • 1926–27: Ferencváros
  • 1927–28: Ferencváros
  • 1928–29: Hungária
  • 1929–30: Újpest
  • 1930–31: Újpest
  • 1931–32: Ferencváros
  • 1932–33: Újpest
  • 1933–34: Ferencváros
  • 1934–35: Újpest
  • 1935–36: Hungária
  • 1936–37: Hungária
  • 1937–38: Ferencváros
  • 1938–39: Újpest
  • 1939–40: Ferencváros
  • 1940–41: Ferencváros
  • 1941–42: Csepel
  • 1942–43: Csepel
  • 1943–44: Nagyvárad
  • 1944 – unofficial championship
  • 1945: Újpest
  • 1945–46: Újpest
  • 1946–47: Újpest
  • 1947–48: Csepel
  • 1948–49: Ferencváros
  • 1949–50: Honvéd
  • 1950: Honvéd
  • 1951: Bástya
  • 1952: Honvéd
  • 1953: Vörös Lobogó
  • 1954: Honvéd
  • 1955: Honvéd
  • 1956 – abandoned due to Revolution
  • 1957: Vasas
  • 1957–58: MTK
  • 1958–59: Csepel
  • 1959–60: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1960–61: Vasas
  • 1961–62: Vasas
  • 1962–63: Ferencváros
  • 1963: Győri Vasas ETO
  • 1964: Ferencváros
  • 1965: Vasas
  • 1966: Vasas
  • 1967: Ferencváros
  • 1968: Ferencváros
  • 1969: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1970: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1970–71: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1971–72: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1972–73: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1973–74: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1974–75: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1975–76: Ferencváros
  • 1976–77: Vasas
  • 1977–78: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1978–79: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1979–80: Honvéd
  • 1980–81: Ferencváros
  • 1981–82: Rába Vasas ETO Győr
  • 1982–83: Rába Vasas ETO Győr
  • 1983–84: Honvéd
  • 1984–85: Honvéd
  • 1985–86: Honvéd
  • 1986–87: MTK-VM
  • 1987–88: Honvéd
  • 1988–89: Honvéd
  • 1989–90: Újpesti Dózsa
  • 1990–91: Honvéd
  • 1991–92: Ferencváros
  • 1992–93: Kispest-Honvéd
  • 1993–94: Vác-Samsung
  • 1994–95: Ferencváros
  • 1995–96: Ferencváros
  • 1996–97: MTK
  • 1997–98: Újpesti TE
  • 1998–99: MTK
  • 1999–00: Dunaferr
  • 2000–01: Ferencváros
  • 2001–02: Zalaegerszegi TE
  • 2002–03: MTK-Hungária
  • 2003–04: Ferencváros
  • 2004–05: Debreceni VSC
  • 2005–06: Debrecen
  • 2006–07: Debrecen
  • 2007–08: MTK
  • 2008–09: Debrecen
  • 2009–10: Debrecen
  • 2010–11: Videoton
  • 2011–12: Debrecen
  • 2012–13: Győr
  • 2013–14: Debrecen
  • 2014–15: Videoton
  • 2015–16: Ferencváros
  • 2016–17: Honvéd
  • 2017–18: Videoton
  • 2018–19: Ferencváros
  • 2019–20: Ferencváros

    Name changes

  • Budapest Honvéd FC:
  • Csepel FC: 1912 CSTK, 1932 Csepel FC, 1937 Weizs Manfréd FC, 1945 CSMTK, 1946 Cs. Vasas, 1957, Csepel SC)
  • Ferencvárosi TC:
  • MTK Budapest FC: 1883 MTK, 1926 Hungária, 1945 MTK, 1949 Textiles, 1951 Bp. Bástya, 1953 Vörös Lobogó, 1957 MTK, 1974 MTK-VM, 1991 MTK, 1997 MTK Hungária)
  • Újpest FC: 1885 ÚTE, 1926 Újpest, 1949 Bp. Dózsa, 1957 Újpesti Dózsa, 1991 ÚTE, 2000 Újpesti FC)

    Most titles

Below is a ranking of the clubs by most titles won.
ClubTitlesWinning seasons
Ferencváros
31
1903, 1905, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1909–10, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1962–63, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1975–76, 1980–81, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20
MTK Budapest
23
1904, 1907–08, 1903–14, 1916–17, 1917–18, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1920–21, 1921–22, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1928–29, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1951, 1953, 1957–58, 1986–87, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2007–08
Újpest
20
1929–30, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1938–39, 1945, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1959–60, 1969, 1970, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1989–90, 1997–98
Budapest Honvéd
14
1949–50, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1992–93, 2016–17
Debrecen
7
2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14
Vasas
6
1957, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1965, 1966, 1976–77
Győr *
4
1963, 1981–82, 1982–83, 2012–13
Csepel
4
1941–42, 1942–43, 1947–48, 1958–59
Fehérvár
3
2010–11, 2014–15, 2017–18
Budapesti TC
2
1901, 1902
Vác
1
1993–94
Nagyvárad ‡
1
1943–44
Dunaferr
1
1999–2000
Zalaegerszeg
1
2001–02

Notes:
  • † Dissolved before World War II
  • ‡ Team from Oradea, which is now located in Romania
  • * Includes Rába Vasas ETO Győr, Győri Vasas ETO

    Most seasons

The following clubs have spent more than 50 seasons in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I. Clubs in bold compete in the 2020–21 season.
SeasonNumber of teams
116Ferencváros
113Újpest
109MTK Budapest
106Budapest Honvéd
86Vasas
69Győr
63Szombathely
53Diósgyőr
51Csepel, Pécs
51Fehérvár

For a complete list see: Most seasons

Top scorers

All time top scorers

As listed at RSSSF in July 2000.
#NamePeriodClubsGoalsMatchesAverage
1.Imre Schlosser1906–1928FTC/MTK4113011.33
2.Ferenc Szusza1940–1961Újpest3934620,85
3.Gyula Zsengellér1935–1947Salgótarjáni BTC, Újpest3873251,22
4.József Takács1920–1940Vasas Budapest, Ferencváros, Erszébet, Szürketaxi3603551,01
5.Ferenc Puskás1943–1956Kispest-Honvéd3573541,01
6.György Sárosi1931–1948Ferencváros3513830,92
7.Gyula Szilágyi1943–1960Debrecen, Vasas3133900,80
8.Ferenc Deák1944–1954Szentlőrinc, Ferencváros, Újpest3052381,28
9.Ferenc Bene1960–1978Újpest3034180,72
10.Géza Toldi1928–1946Ferencváros, Gamma-Budatok, Szegedi AK, MADISZ2713240,84
11Nandor Hidegkuti1942–1958MTK-Hungaria2653810,70
12.Flórián Albert1959–1974Ferencváros2563510,73

Top scorer in a season

Correct as of 2018–19.

Players

One of the most notable players of the Hungarian League was Ferenc Puskás who played for Budapest Honvéd. He played for Honvéd from 1943 to 1955 and then for Real Madrid. He made his first senior appearance for Kispest in November 1943 in a match against Nagyváradi AC.

Statistics

UEFA coefficients

The following data indicates Hungarian coefficient rankings between European football leagues.
;Country ranking:
UEFA League Ranking as of 16 December 2019:
;Club ranking:
UEFA 5-year Club Ranking as of 16 December 2019:
  • 122. Fehérvár
  • 135. Ferencváros
  • 258. Budapest Honvéd
  • 316. Debrecen
  • 329. Újpest

    Attendance

Attendances reached peaks in 1963, 1968, 1977 and 2007, and were at their lowest in 1986.
The record for highest average home attendance for a club was set by Budapest Kinizsi in 1955. 27 March 1955 saw the record for highest attendance at a match, with 98,000 in the game between Budapest Honvéd and Budapest Kinizsi at Ferenc Puskás Stadium. The highest ever average attendance for NB I as a whole was set in 1955 with 17,151.
YearAverageChange
195717,083/
1957/5814,668-14,1%
1958/5914,659-0,1%
1959/6016,712+14,0%
1960/6115,198-9,1%
1961/6212,951-14,8%
1962/6314,184+9,5%
196313,649-3,8%
196416,151+18,1%
196514,521-10,1%
196611,951-17,7%
196711,368-4,9%
19689,392-17,4%
19698,343-11,2%
19708,668+3,9%

YearAverageChange
1985/867,581-3,0%
1986/877,683+1,3%
1987/887,977+3,8%
1988/896,925-13,2%
1989/905,888-15,0%
1990/915,307-9,9%
1991/925,586+5,2%
1992/935,398-3,4%
1993/945,355-0,8%
1994/955,842+9,1%
1995/964,965-15,0%
1996/974,443-10,5%
1997/985,786+30,2%
1998/995,009-13,4%
1999/003,686-26,4%

YearAverageChange
2015/162,602+3,9%
2016/172,705+4,0%
2017/182,907+7,5%
2018/193,300+16,0%
2019/203,467 *+5,1%

  • In season 2019/20 198 was played, however only 160 games were played without covid-19 limitations.
554 741 tickets were sold for 160 games without crowd limitations - season`s average 3 467 per game.
599 676 tickets were sold for all 198 games - season`s average 3 029 per game, not including 8 games behind close doors, 190 games - season`s average 3 156 per game.