This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2016) |
The Portuguese football league system consists of several leagues bound together hierarchically by promotion and relegation. Reserve teams are allowed to compete in the main league system, as is the case with most of Europe. However, they are not allowed to compete in the same tier as their senior team, thus no reserve team has ever competed in Portugal's top flight, the Primeira Liga.
Men's league system
editThe Portuguese men's football league system consists of four national divisions and up to four district leagues (depending on the district).
National leagues
editAll four national divisions provide access to the Portuguese Cup. The first two leagues are operated by the Portuguese Professional Football League, and they also guarantee participation in the Portuguese League Cup. Lastly, the third and fourth divisions are divided into two and four leagues respectively and are the only divisions operated by the Portuguese Football Federation. The federation announced the creation of Liga 3 (League 3) for 2021–22.[1][2]
Level | League(s)/Division(s) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Liga Portugal | |||||||
↓↑ 2 clubs + 1 club play-off | ||||||||
2 | Liga Portugal 2 | |||||||
↓↑ 2 clubs + 1 club play-off | ||||||||
3 | Liga 3 | |||||||
Serie A 10 clubs | Serie B 10 clubs | |||||||
↓↑ 4 clubs | ||||||||
4 | Campeonato de Portugal | |||||||
Serie A 14 clubs | Serie B 14 clubs | Serie C 14 clubs | Serie D 14 clubs | |||||
↓↑ 20 clubs |
District leagues
editDistrict leagues are operated by 22 District Associations: 18 from each district, plus 1 from Madeira Islands, and 3 from Azores Islands (western, central and eastern groups). The winner of each district league is promoted to the fourth national tier, the Campeonato de Portugal. Moreover, all district leagues provide access to their correspondent district cup, and the winner of the district cup, along with the second-placed team in the district league, is allowed to participate in the next season's Portuguese Cup. The bottom tier of each association is open to any new club or reserve team based on that district.
District Association | Level 5 | Level 6 | Level 7 | Level 8 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Porto FA | Elite Pro-National | Division of Honour | First Division | Second Division |
Lisbon FA | First Division | Second Division | Third Division | |
Aveiro FA | Elite | First Division | Second Division | |
Braga FA | Pro-National | Division of Honour | First Division | |
Coimbra FA | Elite | Division of Honour14 clubs | First Division16 clubs | |
Algarve FA | First Division12 clubs | Second Division19 clubs (Series 1 and 2) | ||
Beja FA | First Division12 clubs | Second Division29 clubs (Series 1, 2 and 3) | ||
Évora FA | Elite Division12 clubs | Division of Honour19 clubs (Series 1 and 2) | ||
Guarda FA | First Division14 clubs | Second Division9 clubs | ||
Leiria FA | Campeonato Lizsport16 clubs | First Division27 clubs (Series 1 and 2) | ||
Madeira FA | Division of Honour12 clubs | First Division10 clubs | ||
Santarém FA | First Division16 clubs | Second Division25 clubs (Series 1, 2 and 3) | ||
Setúbal FA | First Division16 clubs | Second Division17 clubs | ||
Viana do Castelo FA | First Division16 clubs | Second Division17 clubs | ||
Viseu FA | Division of Honour18 clubs | First Division28 clubs (Series 1, 2 and 3) | ||
Angra do Heroísmo FA | Azores Championship10 clubs | Graciosa Championship2 clubs São Jorge Championship3 clubs Terceira Championship2 clubs | ||
Horta FA | Horta Championship7 clubs | |||
Ponta Delgada FA | São Miguel Championship9 clubs | |||
Bragança FA | Division of Honour12 clubs | |||
Castelo Branco FA | Division of Honour10 clubs | |||
Portalegre FA | First Division7 clubs | |||
Vila Real FA | Division of Honour19 clubs (Series 1 and 2) |
Women's league system
editThe Portuguese women's football league system consists of three national divisions and no district leagues.
All divisions provide access to the Women's Portuguese Cup and are operated by the Portuguese Football Federation. The second and third divisions are divided in series by geographical proximity.
Level | League(s)/Division(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
↓↑ 1 club + 2 clubs play-off | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino II Divisão | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Serie North 8 clubs | Serie South 8 clubs | |||||||||||||||||||||||
↓↑ 2 clubs + 2 clubs play-off | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino III Divisão | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Serie A 6 clubs | Serie B 6 clubs | Serie C 6 clubs | Serie D 6 clubs | Serie E 6 clubs | Serie F 6 clubs | Serie G 6 clubs | Serie H 6 clubs | Serie I 6 clubs | Serie J 6 clubs | Serie L 6 clubs | Serie M 5 clubs |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "FPF avança com 3.ª Liga em 2021/22 e cria megaplano para o Campeonato de Portugal" [FPF advances with 3rd League in 2021–22 and creates megaplan for the Championship of Portugal]. Record.pt (in Portuguese). 6 May 2020. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ "Conhecido o formato da Liga 3". FPF (in Portuguese). 8 April 2021. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.