Liga IV Dolj is one of the regional football divisions of Liga IV, the fourth tier of the Romanian football league system, for clubs based in Dolj County, and is organized by AJF Dolj – 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 Dolj, 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 In its early days, football in Craiova was nurtured by three major human “reservoirs” – the military units and military high schools, as well as the “Mihai Viteazul” orphanage, which provided soldiers, officers, high school students, and young orphans who escaped the discipline of the barracks or the orphanage to play on improvised fields, in the streets of neighborhoods or on small lawns, until the first sports facilities appeared, such as the Generala field, arranged by the Commercial Employees’ Association, the CFR field near Calea București, and the ONEF stadium belonging to the City Hall. In this context, the first organized teams began to emerge. Between 1915 and 1919, groups such as Excelsior (later renamed Gladiator), Macabi, Oltenia, Asler, Gloria Craiovei, Tinerimea, along with several school teams, were active.
Having a regional character, the first District Championship of Craiova took place in the 1924–25 season, with participants including Oltul Slatina, Craiu Iovan Craiova, Rovine Grivița Craiova, Excelsior Craiova, Oltenia Craiova, Tinerimea Craiova, and Generala Craiova. The competition was won by Oltul Slatina, which represented the region in the national championship but was eliminated by Jahn Cernăuți 4–0. Subsequently, the competition was also known as the Oltenia District Championship, maintaining its regional character and being dominated by several teams from Craiova – especially Craiu Iovan, Generala, and Rovine Grivița – alongside Oltul Slatina, teams that became protagonists of the interwar football scene in the area.
After the administrative-territorial reform of 1950, with the establishment of Dolj Region, covering a territory similar to present-day Dolj County plus parts of what is now Olt County, the Dolj Regional Championship was created under the organization of the Regional Football Commission, intended for teams from this area. Following the country’s reorganization in September 1952, which unified the Dolj and Gorj regions, the Craiova Region was formed, and starting with the 1953 season, the competition became known as the Craiova Regional Championship.
In 1960, the region and the championship were renamed again, becoming Oltenia Region and Oltenia Regional Championship, respectively. This structure functioned until 1968, when a new administrative and territorial reorganization take place, and 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 Dolj County Championship was placed under the authority of the newly created Consiliul Județean pentru Educație Fizică și Sport () in Dolj County.
Since then, the structure and organization of Liga IV Dolj, 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 Dolj Regional Championship Ed.SeasonWinners Dolj Regional Championship11950 Armata Craiova21951 Locomotiva Craiova31952 Locomotiva Craiova Craiova Regional Championship41953 Constructorul Craiova51954 Știința Craiova61955 71956 Flacăra Târgu Jiu81957–58 Dinamo Jiul Craiova91958–59 CSA Craiova 101959–60 Electroputere Craiova Oltenia Regional Championship111960–61 Dinamo Craiova121961–62 Drobeta Turnu Severin131962–63 AS Târgu Jiu141963–64 Metalul 7 Noiembrie Craiova151964–65 Progresul Strehaia161965–66 Autorapid Craiova171966–67 Minerul Motru181967–68 Steagul Roșu Plenița (Series I) Autorapid Craiova (Series II)
Dolj County Championship
Ed.SeasonWinners County Championship11968–69 Constructorul Craiova21969–70 Autorapid Craiova31970–71 Progresul Băilești41971–72 Victoria Craiova51972–73CFR Craiova61973–74 Progresul Băilești71974–75 Constructorul Craiova81975–76 Steagul Roșu Plenița91976–77 Victoria Craiova101977–78 Dunărea Calafat111978–79 Dunărea Calafat121979–80 Victoria Craiova131980–81 Unirea Tricolor Dăbuleni141981–82 Progresul Băilești151982–83 Progresul Băilești161983–84 Victoria Craiova171984–85 Jiul IEELIF Craiova181985–86 Jiul IEELIF Craiova191986–87 ASA Craiova201987–88 Constructorul Șoimii Craiova211988–89 Jiul IEELIF Craiova221989–90 Jiul IEELIF Craiova231990–91 Autobuzul IJTL Craiova241991–92 Dunărea Calafat Divizia C – County phase251992–93 Constructorul U Craiova261993–94 Progresul Segarcea271994–95Autobuzul Craiova281995–96Petrolul Craiova291996–97 Constructorul Craiova Divizia D301997–98 Bere Craiova311998–99 Dinamo Segarcea321999–00 Dunărea Calafat332000–01Pan Group Armata Craiova342001–02Chimia Craiova352002–03Știința CFR Craiova362003–04ȘF "Gică Popescu" Craiova372004–05 Dunărea Calafat382005–06 Gaz Metan Podari
Ed.SeasonWinners Liga IV 392006–07 CFR Craiova402007–08 Prometeu Craiova412008–09Avântul Bârca422009–10Sopot432010–11Sopot442011–12Apa Craiova452012–13 Podari462013–14 Filiași472014–15Universitatea Craiova II482015–16Tractorul Cetate492016–17Tractorul Cetate502017–18 FCU 1948 Craiova512018–19Tractorul Cetate522019–20Unirea Tricolor Dăbuleni532020–21Dunărea Calafat542021–22Dunărea Calafat552022–23FCU 1948 Craiova II562023–24Metropolitan Ișalnița572024–25Cârcea582025–26Avântul Pielești
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