Catalan football champions

The Catalan football championship was the most important football competition in Catalonia for the first half of the XX century.

In December 1900 Alfons Macaya, the president of Hispania AC, offered a trophy (the Copa Macaya) to be disputed by several teams in the Championship of Catalonia. It was played between 1901 and 1940 and was disbanded during Franco's dictatorship.

History

In 1901 Hispania AC became the first Catalan champions after winning the inaugural "Copa Macaya". The following season, 1901-02, saw FC Barcelona win the title, their first ever trophy. During the 1902-03 season two rival competitions were organised with Club Espanyol winning the "Copa Macaya" and FC Barcelona winning the Copa Barcelona. After 1903 the championship was organised by the Football Associació de Catalunya and it became known as the "Campionat de Catalunya". The winners also began to represent Catalonia in the Copa del Rey. By 1917 the league had turned professional and included a second division.

In 1928 three Catalan clubs - FC Barcelona, RCD Espanyol and CE Europa - became founder members of La Liga and the "Campionat de Catalunya" gradually began to decline in importance. However during the Spanish Civil War, La Liga was suspended. Clubs in the Republican area of Spain, competed in the Mediterranean League. This competition was made up of teams mainly from Catalonia and the Levante and in 1937 FC Barcelona emerged as champions. During the 1937-38 season the Republican area was reduced even further in size. However a Lliga Catalana featuring exclusively Catalan clubs was organised. In effective two Catalan championships, both won by FC Barcelona, were played out over the same season.

Champions

Copa Macaya

*Hispania AC : 1
**1901

*FC Barcelona: 1
**1901-02,

*Club Espanyol: 1
**1903

Copa Barcelona

*FC Barcelona: 1
**1903

Campionat de Catalunya

*FC Barcelona: 21
**1904-05, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1910-11, 1912-13, 1915-16, 1918-19, 1919-20, 1920-21, 1921-22, 1923-24, 1924-25, 1925-26, 1926-27, 1927-28, 1929-30, 1930-31, 1931-32, 1933-34, 1935-36, 1937-38

*Club Espanyol / X Sporting Club / RCD Espanyol/ CD Espanyol : 11
**1903-04, 1905-06, 1906-07, 1907-08, 1911-12, 1914-15, 1917-18, 1928-29, 1932-33, 1936-37, 1939-40

*FC Espanya de Barcelona : 3
**1912-13, 1913-14, 1919-17

*CE Europa : 1
**1922-23

*CE Sabadell : 1
**1933-34

Mediterranean League

*FC Barcelona: 1
**1936-37

Lliga Catalana

*FC Barcelona: 1
**1937-38

External links

* [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesc/catchamp.html List of Champions at Rsssf]
* [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesc/cathist.html Final Tables at Rsssf]
* [http://www.futcat.org/html/futbol_catala/CAMPIONAT_CATALANS/CAMPIONAT_CATALUNA.htm Stats and Squads at www.futcat.org]