Tikariot Premier League

The Tikariot Premier League, sometimes referred to as the TPL, is a professional association football league in Tikariot. At the top of the Tikariot football league system, the Tikariot Premier League is Tikariot's primary football competition. The Tikariot Premier League comprises 22 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Tikariot Second League. Seasons run from August to May. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played on weekdays. All of the TPL clubs qualify for the Cup of Tikariot. The winner of the TPL qualifies for the Tikariot Supercup.

Forty-seven clubs have competed in the Tikariot Premier League since its founding. Morannon Athletic FC has won the title 11 times, the most among TPL clubs. However, the Tikariot Premier League has seen other champions, with Parakleion Firebirds FC, Oriannor Mountaineers FC, Carathyr Emeralds FC, Eivora Athletic FC, and Baraldhur AFC most prominent among them.

Overview
The Tikariot Premier League is composed of two divisions: the Tikariot Premier League, and, below that, the Tikariot Second League, which has been the second tier of Tikariotian football since season 50. The Leagues are professional leagues.

Below the level of the Tikariot Second League there are three more divisions, united under the Tikariot National League banner, consisting of a single-tier 24 team League 1 and two two-tier, 24 team fourth and fifth divisions.

Every team in the two top leagues must have a license to play in the league, or else they are relegated into the regional leagues. To obtain a license, teams must be financially healthy and meet certain standards of conduct as organisations.

The Tikariot Premier League is financially strong, and the Tikariot Second League has begun to evolve in a similar direction, becoming more stable organizationally and financially, and reflecting an increasingly higher standard of professional play.

In season 50, the TPL instated a system of promotion and relegation, with the bottom four finishes being relegated to the Tikariot Second League.

Origins
After the independence of Tikariot during the Velvet Revolution, Tikariotians flocked to football as the one constant in their lives. Many of the clubs in existence during the [pre-Tikariotian union] ceased to be as remnants of the old regime and new clubs were founded all across the nation. At first mostly provincial, calls for a nation-wide league became louder and eventually the Tikariot Football Federation announced the foundation of the Tikariot Premier League with 20 teams from all over Tikariot. Originally the TPL was a closed league with no promotion or relegation, allowing for professionalism to take root and prosper.

With the immense success the league was enjoying, lower level clubs started a petition to open the league for other clubs and in season 22 four teams were admitted into the league, but the TFF did not introduce promotion and relegation. It took 28 more years until lower league teams were allowed into the TPL, with the bottom four teams relegated to the Tikariot Second League and the top four promoted to the TPL.

Foundation
Over 100 clubs from all across Tikariot applied for a spot in the newly founded Tikariot Premier League and at an extraordinary TFF convention in Port Rhovanyon delegates from all provincial football federations evaluated all application and after days of deliberation announced the 20 teams to compete in the first ever season of the Tikariot Premier League.
 * From Acrassia: Alcassar United FC, Port Tacassam FC
 * From Dhaencunor: Vilharady Owls FC, Viathyn Park AFC, Tikariot City FC, Bul Khungur Miners FC
 * From the Emerald Coast: Carathyr Emeralds FC
 * From Frahaul: Guillarim Blades FC
 * From Khazagh: Oriannor Mountaineers FC
 * From Paladon: Avanaroch White Wings FC, Vantanoch FC, Miruan City FC, Parakleion Firebirds FC
 * From Rhovannyr: Esmora Cove Rangers FC, Port Rhovanyon AFC
 * From Saburnia: Morannon Athletic FC
 * From Soharr: Saevaroy Town FC
 * From Taeria: Tovaca Thunder FC
 * From Viljamark: Fort Viljan Northern FC
 * From Xark: Xanark City FC

The first ever TPL champion was Miruan City FC, ahead of Tikariot City FC and Xanark City FC.

Competition format
The Tikariotian football champion is decided strictly by play in the Tikariot Premier League. Each club plays every other club once at home and once away. A victory is worth three points, while a draw is worth a single point, and zero points are given for a loss. The club with the most points at the end of the season becomes Tikariotian champion without any playoffs. Currently, the top clubs in the table qualifies automatically for the IFCF Champions League. The four teams at the bottom of the table are relegated into the Tikariot Second League, while the top four teams in the TSL are promoted.

If teams are level on points, tie-breakers are applied in the following order:
 * 1) Goal difference for the entire season
 * 2) Total goals scored for the entire season
 * 3) Head-to-head results (total points)
 * 4) Head-to-head goals scored
 * 5) Head-to-head away goals scored
 * 6) Total away goals scored for the entire season

If two clubs are still tied after all of these tie-breakers have been applied, a single match is held at a neutral site to determine the placement. However, this has never been necessary in the history of the Tikariot Premier League.

Changes in league structure

 * Number of teams:
 * Seasons 0-21: 20
 * Season 22 to 103: 24
 * Season 104 to present: 22
 * Number of teams relegated (automatic relegation):
 * Seasons 0-50: 0
 * Seasons 51-present: 4

Qualification for international competitions

 * 1st place: IFCF Champions League
 * 2nd-4th place: IFCF Challengers Cup
 * 1st-3rd place of the Tikariot Second League: Liga B Champions' Trophy
 * Cup of Tikariot winner: Cup Winners' Cup

The number of Tikariotian clubs which may participate in IFCF competitions is determined by IFCF coefficients, which take into account the results of a particular nation's clubs in IFCF competitions over the preceding five years.

Clubs
a Founding member of the Tikariot Premier League

b Never been relegated from the Tikariot Premier League

Domestic
The TPL TV, radio, internet, and mobile broadcast rights are distributed by the TPL Media Corporation, a subsidiary of the Tikariot Football Federation. The TPL broadcast rights are sold along with the broadcast rights to the Tikariot Second League and the Tikariot Supercup.

Currently the broadcast rights are split between free TV provider TBC 1 and pay-TV channel Zenith with TBC 1 having exclusive rights to the Friday games, while Zenith broadcasts all games on Saturday and Sunday with TBC 1 having first rights for the usage of highlights material in their daily sports news program Sports Central.

Radio coverage includes the national Konferenz (whip-around coverage) on the stations of TRG and full match coverage on local radio stations.

Champions
In total, 21 clubs have won the Tikariotian championship. The record champions are the Parakleion Firebirds FC with 11 titles, ahead of Morannon Athletic FC with 10.

Performance by club
Clubs in bold currently play in the top division.