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 eight leagues and is the only division operated by the Portuguese Football Federation. The federation announced the creation of the Terceira Liga (Third League) starting in 2021–22.[1]

Until 2020–21:

Level	League(s)/Division(s)
1	Primeira Liga 18 clubs
	↓↑ 2 clubs + 1 club play-off
2	Liga Portugal 2 18 clubs
	↓↑ 2 clubs
3	Campeonato de Portugal Serie A 12 clubs	Campeonato de Portugal Serie B 12 clubs	Campeonato de Portugal Serie C 12 clubs	Campeonato de Portugal Serie D 12 clubs	Campeonato de Portugal Serie E 12 clubs	Campeonato de Portugal Serie F 12 clubs	Campeonato de Portugal Serie G 12 clubs	Campeonato de Portugal Serie H 12 clubs
	↓ 32 clubs ↑ 20 clubs

Beginning of 2021–22:

Level	League(s)/Division(s)
1	Primeira Liga 18 clubs
	↓↑ 2 clubs + 1 club play-off
2	Liga Portugal 2 18 clubs
	↓↑ 2 clubs
3	Terceira Liga 24 clubs (20 clubs starting on 2023–24)
	↓↑ 2 clubs (↓ 6 clubs ↑ 2 clubs for 2022–23)
4	Campeonato de Portugal Serie A 15 clubs (14 clubs starting on 2022–23)	Campeonato de Portugal Serie B 15 clubs (14 clubs starting on 2022–23)	Campeonato de Portugal Serie C 15 clubs (14 clubs starting on 2022–23)	Campeonato de Portugal Serie D 15 clubs (14 clubs starting on 2022–23)
	↓ 24 clubs ↑ 20 clubs (↓↑ 20 clubs starting on 2023–24)

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 bottom tier of each association is open to any new club or reserve team based on that district.

District Association	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7
Porto FA	Elite Pro-National 32 clubs (Series 1 and 2)	Division of Honour 32 clubs (Series 1 and 2)	First Division 32 clubs (Series 1 and 2)	Second Division 36 clubs (Series 1 and 2)
Lisbon FA	Pro-National 16 clubs	Division of Honour 32 clubs (Series 1 and 2)	First Division 32 clubs (Series 1 and 2)
Aveiro FA	Elite 18 clubs	First Division 18 clubs	Second Division 36 clubs (Series 1 and 2)
Braga FA	Pro-National 18 clubs	Division of Honour 32 clubs (Series 1 and 2)	First Division 66 clubs (Series 1, 2, 3 and 4)
Algarve FA	First Division 12 clubs	Second Division 14 clubs
Beja FA	First Division 13 clubs	Second Division 26 clubs (Series 1 and 2)
Coimbra FA	Division of Honour 16 clubs	First Division 18 clubs
Évora FA	Elite Division 14 clubs	Division of Honour 15 clubs
Guarda FA	First Division 14 clubs	Second Division 7 clubs
Leiria FA	Campeonato Lizsport 16 clubs	First Division 25 clubs (Series 1 and 2)
Madeira FA	Division of Honour 12 clubs	First Division 7 clubs
Santarém FA	First Division 16 clubs	Second Division 22 clubs (Series 1 and 2)
Setúbal FA	First Division 16 clubs	Second Division 16 clubs
Viana do Castelo FA	First Division 16 clubs	Second Division 16 clubs
Viseu FA	Division of Honour 16 clubs	First Division 27 clubs (Series 1 and 2)
Angra do Heroísmo FA	Azores Championship 10 clubs	Graciosa Championship 3 clubs São Jorge Championship 5 clubs Terceira Championship 5 clubs
Horta FA		Horta Championship 5 clubs
Ponta Delgada FA		São Miguel Championship 10 clubs
Bragança FA	Division of Honour 11 clubs
Castelo Branco FA	Division of Honour 10 clubs
Portalegre FA	First Division 9 clubs
Vila Real FA	Division of Honour 17 clubs

Women's league system

The 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	Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino 20 clubs
	↓↑ 2 clubs
2	Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino II Divisão 16 clubs
	↓↑ 2 clubs
2	Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino III Divisão 57 clubs

References

"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. Retrieved 22 May 2020.

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[1] "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. Retrieved 22 May 2020.