The Primera Division de Costa Rica is the highest tier of domestic football in Costa Rica. Domestic football in Costa Rica began in 1921 and the recent 1999 creation of UNAFUT now runs the top league. Deportivo Saprissa is the most successful team having won the title on 28 occasions. The league is formed of two tournaments that last the whole season to determine the overall champion. This is the classical South American format seen in such leagues as the Colombian and Argentinian. These are called the Apertura and Clausura. 2 groups of 6 teams play each other home and away with their own group and then play once with the 6 teams form the second group. A total of 16 games with the top 4 from each group advancing to the playoffs.

The playoffs follow a quarter final, semi final and then final. This gets played in the same format twice and then the winner of the Apertura plays the winner of the Clausura - however as in 2007 when Saprissa won both Apertura and Clausura there was no final game to determine the total year champion.