Tonybet Virslīga officially opened its 2026 season today during a formal presentation event held at AC Hotel by Marriott Riga. Representatives of all ten Virslīga clubs, league management, and the Latvian Football Federation gathered to mark the start of the new campaign.
League president Maksims Krivuņecs opened the event with tangible signs of progress. The Virslīga budget will increase from €750,000 to approximately €830,000 this year – a steady but meaningful step forward for Latvia’s top division. Even more significant is the launch of a new centralized streaming platform, “Virslīga Plus,” which will provide live matches, highlights and press conferences in one place. The platform will be free within Latvia, while international viewers will be able to purchase individual match access (€2.99) or a season subscription model similar to that used in the Swiss top division.
Not everything, however, will arrive immediately. Latvian Football Federation general secretary Arturs Gaidels confirmed that while VAR was originally planned for all matches from the opening round, the transition to a centralized remote system is still being finalized. The expectation is for VAR to be introduced in April.
After the formal announcements, attention shifted to the football itself.
Representing the newcomers Ogre United, club director Maksims Saveļjevs chose restraint over bold proclamations. No grand promises, no public survival targets. Just quiet belief. The only certainty? Midfielder Kristers Čudars, a leader at Super Nova last season, will captain the team as Ogre takes its first steps in the top flight. Stability before spectacle
FK Grobiņa manager Oskars Kļava did not hesitate when naming the club’s biggest loss: goalkeeper Frenks Orols who was on loan from FC RFS in Grobiņa and was one of the biggest reason why Grobiņa kept the spot in Virslīga last season. A commanding presence between the posts is not easily replaced. Yet Grobiņa will lean on continuity elsewhere – centre-back Dāvids Družiņins remains captain, anchoring a side that knows its identity.
For new head coach Maksims Rafaļskis, this is his first Virslīga season in charge after being named the SK Super Nova coach. His tone was measured, analytical. No dramatics. Leadership remains under discussion, though experienced defender Mārcis Ošs has worn the armband in preseason. A team vote will decide – a democratic beginning to a new chapter.
Few clubs faced more turnover than Tukums. Head coach Kristaps Dišlers openly acknowledged that Ingars Pūlis and Niks Dusalijevs leave significant gaps. Yet he spoke most carefully about defender Oskars Vientiess, hinting that central defence may be the area most tested this year. Still, captain Bogdans Samoilovs remains.
For Jelgava strategist Aleksandrs Basovs, the departure of midfielder Kristers Penkevics to Czech football represents more than just numbers – it’s creativity, tempo, personality leaving the midfield. Jelgava’s captaincy will be decided internally this week, Basovs preferring unity over pre-selection.
Head coach Didier Zanetti admitted that losing centre-back Paolo Eduardo to champions Riga FC is significant. But his tone suggested evolution rather than loss. Auda will adapt. And leadership remains clear: Latvian international winger Eduards Dašķevičs, scorer of last season’s cup-winning goal, continues as captain.
Perhaps the most colorful moment of the afternoon came from Nauris Mackevičs of BFC Daugavpils. Asked about key departures, he eventually settled on English defender Wasiri Williams, though not without a story.
Williams, he explained, was more than a centre-back. He was mood-driven, intense, unpredictable. A player who could dominate a match one week and spark chaos in training the next. “He could argue and pick up fights in the training and send his CV to another club managers,” club director joked.
Replacing his defensive strength is one challenge. Replacing his personality is another entirely. Leadership now shifts toward long-serving figures Raivis Skrebels or Edgars Cucurs
Liepāja’s biggest exit? Marin Lausič, now at Spartak Trnava in Slovakia. But the club’s head coach suggested the system will evolve accordingly. Interestingly, captaincy will rotate depending on who starts in goal – either Montenegrin international Danijel Petkovič or Latvian goalkeeper Dāvis Ošs.
Vice-champions RFS, represented by head coach Viktors Morozs, radiated composure. No drama about losses. “I kept the players I wanted,” he said. Captaincy remains with Žiga Lipušček. The message: continuity, belief, unfinished business as in getting back the title.
Defending champions Riga FC were represented by assistant coach Mareks Zuntners, and while several departures were mentioned, one name stood above the rest.
Yes, Joao Grimaldo has moved to Sparta Prague. Yes, El Bachir Ngom has earned a transfer to the Swiss Super League. But when asked about the biggest loss, Zuntners did not hesitate – Marko Regža.
The club’s all-time leading scorer, a decisive figure in recent title runs, Regža leaves not only goals behind but identity.
The 2026 season begins Friday at LNK Sporta Parks, where RFS host debutants Ogre United. A new broadcast platform, a growing budget, and ambitions across the board – the stage is set.
