This season, if the circumstances had not turned so exceptional, the Championship of Portugal would have qualified two teams for the II League, coming from the play-off disputed between eight teams, in turn counted from the four series of 18 clubs, which make a total 72 to compete in the third division. This is the competition format that serves as a gateway to professional football.
But, from 2021/22, the Championship of Portugal will correspond to the fourth national division, being replaced by a new competition, properly called III Liga.
The change was announced, this Wednesday, in a statement, by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), which decided to create a new competition to serve as access to the LigaPro. Because? "1) ensure the largest possible number of balanced projects; 2) increase competitiveness; 3) improve the quality of play; 4) bring fans of local football closer together; and 5) create development spaces for the young Portuguese player in the transition from under-19 for seniors ", were the reasons cited by the entity.
This new III League will start to be played in 2021/22 by 24 teams, determined by the next edition of the Championship of Portugal and by the two demoted clubs of the II League.
Explaining:
Due to the pandemic, it was already known that this season, there will be no relegation in the third national division. Therefore, the Championship of Portugal will have 96 teams next season, which will be divided into eight series with a dozen teams, as opposed to the usual four with 18 clubs.
The first place in each series will compete in a play-off to access the II League, from which the two promoted will leave. The remaining six teams will remain in the III League. Then, the clubs that finish between the 2nd and 5th places of each series will play a phase of access to the III League, to determine the remaining 16 qualified for the first edition of the new FPF event. To these will be added the two relegated from the II Liga in order to make up the 24 teams.
That will be the number of participants in the III League in 2021/22 and 2022/23, being reduced to 20 in 2023/24. The new competition of the federation will be the last step between amateur and professional football.
AFTER ALL, THERE WILL BE PROMOTIONS IN DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS
With the announcement this Wednesday, the FPF stipulated that the Championship of Portugal will become the equivalent of the fourth division from 2021/22. In the next season, there will still be 96 teams, but at this point, the entity's statement contradicts what it had revealed, in the last week, in a meeting with the district football associations.
Because, examining the composition of the Championship of Portugal in 2020/21, the federation detailed that there will be 70 teams that remain, four new teams B and "20 that rise from regional competitions". In other words, the usual two dozen clubs from the district championships will be promoted.
On Saturday, and in view of the Government's decision to authorize only the resumption of Liga NOS competition, the federation appointed Vizela and Arouca to move up to the II League. The criterion was the fact that they were the first two classified with more points won between the four series of the Championship of Portugal, at the date of suspension of the race. The League of Clubs approved the decision.
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