Liga III
Organising bodyFRF
Founded1936
CountryRomania
Number of teams100 (10x10)
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toLiga II
Relegation toLiga IV
Domestic cup(s)Cupa României
Supercupa României
Current championsForesta Suceava, Metalul Buzău, Afumați, Tunari, Blejoi, Alexandria, Deva, Reșița, Corvinul Hunedoara, Bihor Oradea
(2022–23)
Current: 2023–24 Liga III

The Liga 3, most often spelled as Liga III, is the third level of the Romanian football league system. It was founded in 1936 and was called Divizia C until 2006. An exception was the seasons 1992–93 to 1996–97, in which the league was called Divizia B. Its name was changed from Divizia C to Liga III before the start of the 2006–07 season.[1]

History

Divizia C was founded in 1936 with the task of forming both an organizational and managerial buffer between national and regional football. In this sense, it was abolished several times, when a totally local management was opted for. Even on other occasions, its format was highly unstable.

Until 1963 the competition was only held irregularly. After the first two seasons in 1936–37 and 1937–38, the Divizia C was discontinued and only resumed for one season in 1946–47. After another year's break, a new attempt was made in 1948–49, which was canceled after the first half of the season. The fourth edition of the Divizia C took place in 1956, which was followed by the two seasons 1957–58 and 1958–59. After a further four-year break, the next season only came in 1963–64, since which the Divizia C has now been held annually.

Current format

Since the 2021–2022 season Liga III was reorganized from 5 to 10 groups, each with 10 teams, based on the geographic position. In each group, teams play each other twice, before the play-off, with the 4 best teams, and the play-out, with the remaining 6 teams, starts.

The top 2 teams form each group goes in the promotion semi-final, first in group 1 plays second in group 2 and vice versa all the way to group 9 and group 10, and then the final, winners of the games between the group 1 and group 2 teams all the way to groups 9 and 10, ending with 5 winners getting promoted to Liga II.

The bottom two teams from each group are relegated at the end of the season to the Liga IV. From the 4th placed teams in the play-out, the team with the least points is relegated.

List of champions and promoted teams

Source:[2][3]

Divizia C (–1992)

Season Seria I Seria II Seria III Seria IV Seria V Seria VI Seria VII Seria VIII Seria IX Seria X Seria XI Seria XII
1983–84 CFR Pașcani FEPA 74 Bârlad Metalul Mangalia AS Mizil Mecanica Fină București Flacăra-Automecanica Moreni Drobeta-Turnu Severin Mureșul Deva Strungul Arad Sticla Arieșul Turda Unirea Alba Iulia Tractorul Brașov
1984–85 Minerul Vatra Dornei Aripile Bacău Delta Tulcea Dunărea Călărași ICSIM București Muscelul Câmpulung Electroputere Craiova Metalul Bocșa Înfrățirea Oradea CIL Sighet Mecanica Orăștie ICIM Brașov
1985–86 Minerul Gura Humorului Unirea Dinamo Focșani FEPA 74 Bârlad Unirea Slobozia Autobuzul București ROVA Roșiori Gloria Pandurii Târgu Jiu Minerul Paroșeni Steaua CFR Cluj-Napoca Unio Satu Mare Inter Sibiu Poiana Câmpina
1986–87 Siretul Pașcani Inter Vaslui Petrolul Ianca Sportul 30 Decembrie Metalul București Sportul Muncitoresc Caracal Gloria Reșița Progresul Timișoara Sticla Arieșul Turda Minerul Baia Sprie Electromureș Târgu Mureș Metalul Plopeni
1987–88 ASA Explorări Câmpulung-Moldovenesc Aripile Victoria Bacău Metalul Mangalia Dunărea Călărași Metalul Mija Dacia Pitești Minerul Motru CFR Timișoara Minerul Cavnic Unirea Alba-Iulia Avântul Reghin Poiana Câmpina
1988–89 Foresta Fălticeni Viitorul Vaslui Olimpia Râmnicu Sărat Unirea Slobozia Autobuzul București Mecanică Fină București Constructorul TCI Craiova Vagonul Arad Mureșul Explorări Deva IMASA Sfântu Gheorghe Steaua CFR Cluj-Napoca Someșul Satu Mare
1989–90 Fortus Iași Borzești Gloria CFR Galați Callatis Mangalia Progresul București Electroputere Craiova Șoimii IPA Sibiu Montana Sinaia Vulturii Lugoj Aurul Brad Metalurgistul Cugir CIL Sighet
1990–91 Relonul Săvinești FEPA 74 Bârlad Petrolul Ianca Portul Constanța Metalul București Metrom Brașov Olt Scornicești Jiul IELIF Craiova Electromureș Târgu Mureș Minerul Cavnic CFR Cluj-Napoca UM Timișoara
1991–92 CFR Pașcani Cotidianul Bacău Delta Tulcea Metalul Plopeni Electrica Fieni Dunărea Călărași Dacia Pitești Mureșul Toplița Minerul Mătăsari Arsenal Reșița Șoimii Lipova Cuprom Baia Mare
Due to the reorganization of the competitive system in the summer of 1992, dictated by the Romanian Football Federation, no team promoted from the third tier.

Divizia B (1992–1997)

Season Seria I Seria II Seria III Seria IV
1992–93 Constructorul Iași Metalul Plopeni Gaz Metan Mediaș Phoenix Baia Mare
1993–94 Cetatea Târgu Neamț Poiana Câmpina Dacia Pitești Unirea Dej
1994–95 Foresta Fălticeni Oțelul Târgoviște Minerul Motru Minaur Zlatna
Other promoted teams: Electro Mecon Onești (I), Dunărea Călărași (II), ARO Câmpulung (III), Olimpia Satu Mare (IV).
1995–96 Petrolul Moinești Danubiana București Precizia Săcele CFR Cluj-Napoca
1996–97 Nitramonia Făgăraș Midia Năvodari Vega Deva UM Timișoara

Divizia C (1997–2006)

Season Seria I Seria II Seria III Seria IV
1997–98 Laminorul Roman Cimentul Fieni Rulmentul Alexandria Bihor Oradea
Other promoted teams: Chimica Târnăveni (I), Drobeta-Turnu Severin (III)
1998–99 Diplomatic Focșani Callatis Mangalia Electro Bere Craiova UM Timișoara
Other promoted teams: Juventus București (II), Flacăra Râmnicu Vâlcea (III)
Season Seria I Seria II Seria III Seria IV Seria V Seria VI
1999–00 Apemin Borsec Hondor Agigea Fulgerul Bragadiru Cetate Deva Pandurii Târgu-Jiu Baia Mare
Season Seria I Seria II Seria III Seria IV Seria V Seria VI Seria VII Seria VIII
2000–01 Petrolul Moinești Dacia Unirea Brăila Inter Gaz București Electromagnetica București Inter Pitești Minaur Zlatna Industria Sârmei Câmpia Turzii Universitatea Cluj
2001–02 Politehnica Unirea Iași Gloria Buzău Medgidia Rulmentul Alexandria Minerul Motru Corvinul Hunedoara Metrom Brașov CFR Cluj-Napoca
2002–03 Petrolul Moinești Unirea Urziceni Juventus București Dacia Mioveni Rarora Râmnicu Vâlcea Jiul Petroșani Oltul Sfântu Gheorghe Armătura Zalău
Other promoted teams: Laminorul Roman (I), FC Vaslui (I), Poiana Câmpina (II), Callatis Mangalia (III), Electrica Constanța (III), Chindia Târgoviște (IV), Building Vânju Mare (V),
Certej (VI), ACU Arad (VI), Precizia Săcele (VII), Tricotaje Ineu (VIII), Oașul Negrești (VIII).
Season Seria I Seria II Seria III Seria IV Seria V Seria VI Seria VII Seria VIII Seria IX
2003–04 Botoșani Dunărea Galați Otopeni Ghimbav Oltul Slatina Politehnica Timișoara Unirea Sânnicolau Mare Unirea Dej FC Sibiu
2004–05 Cetatea Suceava Portul Constanța Dunărea Giurgiu Poiana Câmpina Râmnicu Vâlcea CFR Timișoara Minerul Lupeni Forex Brașov Gloria Bistrița II
2005–06 Politehnica Iași II Delta Tulcea Snagov Chimia Brazi Building Vânju Mare Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea Auxerre Lugoj Baia Mare Ghimbav
Other promoted teams: Ghimbav were not eligible for promotion, runners-up Tractorul Brașov promoted.

Liga III (2006–2022)

Season Seria I Seria II Seria III Seria IV Seria V Seria VI
2006–07 Focșani Dinamo București II Concordia Chiajna Drobeta-Turnu Severin Arieșul Turda Liberty Salonta
Other promoted teams: Inter Gaz București (II), Mureșul Deva (V).
2007–08 Cetatea Suceava Snagov FC Ploiești Internațional Curtea de Argeș Unirea Sânnicolau Mare Luceafărul Lotus Băile Felix
Other promoted teams: Buftea (III), ACU Arad (V).
2008–09 Râmnicu Sărat FCSB II Victoria Brănești Gaz Metan CFR Craiova Fortuna Covaci Baia Mare
Other promoted teams: Tricolorul Breaza (III), Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei (VI).
2009–10 Dacia Unirea Brăila Viitorul Constanța Juventus București Alro Slatina Pandurii Târgu Jiu II Voința Sibiu
Other promoted teams: Pandurii Târgu Jiu II were not eligible for promotion, runners-up ACU Arad promoted.
2010–11 FCM Bacău Callatis Mangalia Chindia Târgoviște Slatina Luceafărul Oradea FCMU Baia Mare
2011–12 Rapid CFR Suceava Unirea Slobozia Buftea Damila Măciuca Recaș Corona Brașov
2012–13 SC Bacău Gloria Buzău Berceni Minerul Motru Olimpia Satu Mare Unirea Tărlungeni
2013–14 Dorohoi Voluntari Balotești Caransebeș Șoimii Pâncota Fortuna Poiana Câmpina
Season Seria I Seria II Seria III Seria IV Seria V
2014–15 Bucovina Pojorâta Dunărea Călărași Chindia Târgoviște UTA Arad Baia Mare
2015–16 Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe Juventus București Afumați ASU Politehnica Timișoara Luceafărul Oradea
2016–17 Știința Miroslava Metaloglobus București SCM Pitești Ripensia Timișoara Hermannstadt
2017–18 Aerostar Bacău Farul Constanța Petrolul Ploiești Șirineasa Universitatea Cluj
2018–19 SCM Gloria Buzău Rapid București Turris-Oltul Turnu Măgurele Reșița Miercurea Ciuc
2019–20 Aerostar Bacău Unirea Slobozia Slatina FC U Craiova 1948 Comuna Recea
Season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania.
Season Seria I Seria II Seria III Seria IV Seria V Seria VI Seria VII Seria VIII Seria IX Seria X
2020–21 Bucovina Rădăuți Oțelul Galați Afumați Steaua București Corona Brașov Vedița Colonești Viitorul Șelimbăr Șoimii Lipova Cugir Minaur Baia Mare
Promoted teams via play-offs: Dacia Unirea Brăila, Steaua București, Corona Brașov, Viitorul Șelimbăr, Unirea Dej
2021–22 Dante Botoșani Oțelul Galați Afumați Progresul Spartac Odorheiu Secuiesc Slatina Reșița Dumbrăvița Hunedoara Minaur Baia Mare
Promoted teams via play-offs: Oțelul Galați, Progresul Spartac, Slatina, Dumbrăvița, Minaur Baia Mare
2022–23 Foresta Suceava Metalul Buzău Afumați Tunari Blejoi Alexandria Deva Reșița Corvinul Hunedoara Bihor Oradea
Promoted teams via play-offs: Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț, Tunari, Alexandria, Reșița, Corvinul Hunedoara

See also

References

  1. ^ Cotidianul, Divizia A a fost mitraliată (The "A Division" was gunned down), accessed on 3 February 2007 Archived 12 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Romania – List of Second Division Final Tables". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  3. ^ "Divizia B – Istorie – statistics". romaniansoccer.ro. Retrieved 27 October 2015.


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