Liga IV Galați is one of the regional football divisions of Liga IV, the fourth tier of the Romanian football league system, for clubs based in Galați County, and is organized by AJF Galați – Asociația Județeană de Fotbal ().
It is contested by a variable number of teams, depending on the number of teams relegated from Liga III, the number of teams promoted from Liga V Galați, and the teams that withdraw or enter the competition. The winner may or may not be promoted to Liga III, depending on the result of a promotion play-off contested against the winner of a neighboring county series.
History Football arrived in Galați around 1908, brought by foreign commercial companies and the efforts of Officer Vladovici, a career officer who had studied in France. The first matches involved military teams, such as the one from the 3rd Heavy Artillery Regiment founded by Vladovici, which played against the English sailors stationed in the port. A year later, the Cavalry Regiment from Galați established a second team from the city, and this facilitated the organization of more football matches in Galați. In 1919, students from Vasile Alecsandri High School formed a team, Liceul Vasile Alecsandri (LVA), followed in 1920 by Olimpia and Niki, formed by immigrants from Turkey, Greece, and Armenia. As football grew in popularity, inter-city matches with Brăila, Tulcea, and Reni became more common, alongside local games between Internaționala, Niki, Olimpia, Șoimii Dacia, Atlas, and LVA.
In 1922, Șoimii Dacia and LVA merged to form Dacia Vasile Alecsandri Galați (DVA), which soon became one of the region’s strongest teams. More clubs emerged, including Maccabi, Aviația, Școala Comercială, Sportul, and Baza Navală. The first regional championship took place in 1926, featuring ten teams from Galați (including the neighborhood teams Șoimii and Gloria), two from Reni (Maccabi and Dunărea), and one from Tulcea. DVA was crowned the inaugural champion. However, economic hardships in the late 1920s led to the dissolution of many clubs, leaving only DVA, Gloria, and Șoimii active.
In 1927, Gloria and Șoimii merged as Gloria Șoimii, and in 1932, they joined CFR Galați to establish Gloria CFR Galați, backed by railroad workers. Gloria CFR quickly established itself as a key competitor in the Lower Danube District Championship, facing experienced teams such as DVA, Ermis, Marina Danubiană, and Unirea Tulcea. In the 1934–35 season, Gloria CFR won the district title, securing its place in Galați’s football history after earning promotion to Divizia C.
In 1968, following the new administrative and territorial reorganization of the country, each county established its own football championship, integrating teams from the former regional championships as well as those that had previously competed in town and rayon level competitions. The freshly formed Galați County Championship was placed under the authority of the newly created Consiliul Județean pentru Educație Fizică și Sport () in Galați County.
Since then, the structure and organization of Liga IV Galați, like those of other county championships, have undergone numerous changes. Between 1968 and 1992, the main county competition was known as the Campionatul Județean (County Championship). Between 1992 and 1997, it was renamed Divizia C – Faza Județeană (Divizia C – County Phase), followed by Divizia D starting in 1997, and since 2006, it has been known as Liga IV.
Promotion The champions of each county association play against one another in a play-off to earn promotion to Liga III. Geographical criteria are taken into consideration when the play-offs are drawn. In total, there are 41 county champions plus the Bucharest municipal champion.
List of Champions Galați Regional Championship Ed.SeasonWinners11951Metalul Brăila 21952Metalul Brăila 31953Dinamo Galați 41954Locomotiva Galați51955 61956Energia Metalul Galați71957–58Industria Sârmei Brăila81958–59Marina Brăila91959–60CSM Brăila101960–61Știința Galați 111961–62Flamura Roșie Tecuci 121962–63Metalosport Galați131963–64Constructorul Brăila 141964–65Ancora Galați 151965–66Ancora Galați 161966–67SUT Galați171967–68Chimia Mărășești
Galați County Championship
Ed.SeasonWinners County Championship11968–69Unirea ITO Galați21969–70 Dacia Galați31970–71 Gloria Tecuci41971–72 Metalosport Galați51972–73 Tehnometal Galați61973–74 Mecanizatorul Târgu Bujor71974–75 Victoria Tecuci81975–76 Metalosport Galați91976–77 Oțelul Galați101977–78 Metalosport Galați111978–79 Recolta Tudor Vladimirescu121979–80 Avântul Matca131980–81 Gloria Galați141981–82 DVA Portul Galați151982–83 Victoria TC Galați161983–84 Avântul Matca171984–85 Gloria Ivești181985–86 Gloria Galați191986–87 Avântul Liești201987–88 Mecanosport Galați211988–89 Gloria Ivești221989–90 Metalurgistul Tecuci231990–91 Șantierul Naval Galați241991–92 Hidraulica Galați Divizia C – County phase251992–93 Dunărea Romport Galați261993–94 Victoria IUG Galați271994–95 Șantierul Naval Galați281995–96 Metalul Toflea291996–97 Victoria IUG Galați Divizia D301997–98 Avântul Liești311998–99 Șantierul Naval Galați321999–00 Viitorul Costache Negri332000–01 Ancora Galați342001–02 Victoria TC Galați352002–03 Viitorul Costache Negri362003–04 Junkers Galați372004–05 Politehnica Galați382005–06 Sporting Tecuci
Ed.SeasonWinners Liga IV 392006–07 Bujorii Târgu Bujor402007–08Sporting Tecuci412008–09 Dunărea Galați II422009–10Avântul Vânători432010–11Metalul Toflea442011–12Sporting Liești452012–13Sporting Liești462013–14 Metalosport Galați472014–15 Avântul Valea Mărului482015–16 Avântul Valea Mărului492016–17Oțelul Galați502017–18 CSU Galați512018–19 CSU Galați522019–20Avântul Valea Mărului532021–22Unirea Braniștea542022–23Voința Cudalbi552023–24Voința Cudalbi562024–25Voința Cudalbi572025–26Gloria Ivești
See also Main Leagues Liga I Liga II Liga III Liga IV
County Leagues (Liga IV series)
North–East Liga IV Bacău Liga IV Botoșani Liga IV Iași Liga IV Neamț Liga IV Suceava Liga IV Vaslui
North–West Liga IV Bihor Liga IV Bistrița-Năsăud Liga IV Cluj Liga IV Maramureș Liga IV Satu Mare Liga IV Sălaj
Center Liga IV Alba Liga IV Brașov Liga IV Covasna Liga IV Harghita Liga IV Mureș Liga IV Sibiu
West Liga IV Arad Liga IV Caraș-Severin Liga IV Gorj Liga IV Hunedoara Liga IV Mehedinți Liga IV Timiș
South–West Liga IV Argeș Liga IV Dâmbovița Liga IV Dolj Liga IV Olt Liga IV Teleorman Liga IV Vâlcea
South Liga IV Bucharest Liga IV Călărași Liga IV Giurgiu Liga IV Ialomița Liga IV Ilfov Liga IV Prahova
South–East Liga IV Brăila Liga IV Buzău Liga IV Constanța Liga IV Galați Liga IV Tulcea Liga IV Vrancea
References
External links Official website