The Primeira Liga has increased its reputation in recent years, occupying the sixth place of UEFA's national league ranking, as of 2024. It broke into the top five for the first time in the 2011 12 season, passing the French Ligue 1, one of the historical "big five" European leagues, for the first time since 1990.

Since 1999, Primeira Diviso has been known as Primeira Liga. FC Porto were the first club to be crowned League champions, in the 1934 35 season. S.L. Benfica, with 38 titles, have been crowned champions more times than any other club and dominated the league during the 1960s and 1970s.