Portuguese football league system
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
The Portuguese men's football league system consists of three national divisions and up to four district leagues (depending on the district).
National leagues
All three 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 division is divided in four leagues and is the only division operated by the Portuguese Football Federation.
Level | League(s)/Division(s) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Primeira Liga | |||
↓↑ 2 clubs | ||||
2 |
LigaPro | |||
↓↑ 2 clubs | ||||
3 |
Campeonato de Portugal Serie A |
Campeonato de Portugal Serie B |
Campeonato de Portugal Serie C |
Campeonato de Portugal Serie D |
↓↑ 20 clubs |
District leagues
District leagues are operated by 22 District Associations: 18 from each district, plus 1 from Madeira Islands, and 3 from Azores Islands (west, center and east islands groups). The winner of each district league is promoted to the third 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 number of clubs at the bottom tier of each association depends on the number of clubs interested in participating.
District Association | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 | Level 7 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Porto FA |
Elite Pro-National |
Division of Honour |
First Division |
Second Division 34 clubs (Series 1 and 2) |
Lisbon FA |
Pro-National |
Division of Honour |
First Division | |
Aveiro FA |
Elite |
First Division |
Second Division 38 clubs (Series 1 and 2) | |
Braga FA |
Pro-National |
Division of Honour |
First Division 44 clubs (Series A,B and C) | |
Algarve FA |
First Division |
Second Division 18 clubs | ||
Beja FA |
First Division |
Second Division 17 clubs (Series 1 and 2) | ||
Coimbra FA |
Division of Honour |
First Division 20 clubs (Series 1 and 2) | ||
Évora FA |
Elite Division |
Division of Honour | ||
Guarda FA |
First Division |
Second Division 8 clubs | ||
Leiria FA |
Campeonato Lizsport |
First Division | ||
Madeira FA |
Division of Honour |
First Division 7 clubs | ||
Santarém FA |
First Division |
Second Division 19 clubs (Series 1 and 2) | ||
Setúbal FA |
First Division |
Second Division | ||
Viana do Castelo FA |
First Division |
Second Division | ||
Viseu FA |
Division of Honour |
First Division | ||
Angra do Heroísmo FA |
Azores Championship |
Graciosa Championship | ||
Horta FA |
Horta Championship | |||
Ponta Delgada FA |
São Miguel Championship | |||
Bragança FA |
Division of Honour | |||
Castelo Branco FA |
Division of Honour | |||
Portalegre FA |
First Division | |||
Vila Real FA |
Division of Honour |
See also