The 2021–22 Liga 3 was the first season of Portuguese football's third-tier league, following the reorganization which saw the Campeonato de Portugal moving one level down in the Portuguese football league system, and the 75th season of recognised third-tier football in Portugal. First season, a total of 24 teams competed in this division.
Format This competition consists of a first stage with all the teams then proceed to a promotion or relegation series depending on their performance.
First Stage
In the first stage, the 24 clubs are divided in two series (Serie A and B) of 12 teams, according to geographic criteria. In each series, teams play against each other in a home-and-away double round-robin system. The four best-placed teams of the two series will advance to the promotion series and bottom 8 teams will proceed to the relegation series.
Promotion Stage
The eight qualified teams are divided in two series of 4 teams, playing against each other in a home-and-away double round-robin system. The winners of each series will be automatically promoted to Liga Portugal 2 and will face each other in a neutral venue to determine the champion. The second best placed teams will face each other in a playoff, whose winner will face the 16th placed of Liga Portugal 2 for the last spot in Liga Portugal 2. On this stage teams will be divided as follows. + Promotion Series Serie 1 Serie 2 1st A 1st B 2nd B 2nd A 3rd B 3rd A 4th A 4th B
Relegation Stage
The bottom 8 teams are divided in four series of 4 teams, playing against each other in a home-and-away double round-robin system. To account for their performance in the first stage, teams will start with bonification points, with 5th placed teams starting with 8 points and 12th placed teams starting with 1. The bottom teams of each series will be relegated to Campeonato de Portugal.
+ Relegation Series Serie 1 Serie 2 Serie 3 Serie 4 5th A 6th A 5th B 6th B 7th A 8th A 7th B 8th B 9th A 10th A 9th B 10th B 11th A 12th A 11th B 12th B
Teams A total of 24 teams contested the league, including 2 teams relegated from the 2020–21 Liga Portugal 2, 6 teams that failed the promotion to 2021–22 Liga Portugal 2 and 16 teams qualified from the 2020–21 Campeonato de Portugal.
Cova da Piedade failed to produce valid licensing documentation to compete in the 2021–22 season of the Liga Portugal 2, so they had been relegated by the Portuguese Football Professional League to Liga 3.
Leça failed to produce valid licensing documentation to compete in the 2021–22 season of the Liga 3, so they had their promotion denied by the Portuguese Football Federation. As a result, Sanjoanense (3rd place in Promotion Serie 3) were invited to play in the third tier for the 2021–22 season.
Stadium and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity 2020–21 finish Cova da Piedade Cova da Piedade Estádio MunicipalJosé Martins Vieira 2,230 11th (LigaPortugal 2) Oliveirense Oliveira de Azeméis Estádio Carlos Osório 1,750 18th (LigaPortugal 2) Anadia Anadia Estádio Municipal Eng.ºSílvio Henriques Cerveira 6,500 2nd L2 Promotion(North Serie) Pevidém Pevidém, Guimarães Parque de Jogos AlbanoMartins Coelho Lima 4,555 3rd L2 Promotion(North Serie) Braga B Braga Complexo DesportivoClube de Futebol de Fão 724 4th L2 Promotion(North Serie) Torreense Torres Vedras Estádio Manuel Marques 2,431 2nd L2 Promotion(South Serie) Vitória de Setúbal Setúbal Estádio do Bonfim 15,497 3rd L2 Promotion(South Serie) União de Leiria Leiria Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa 23,888 4th L2 Promotion(South Serie) Montalegre Montalegre Estádio Dr. Diogo AlvesVaz Pereira 2,000 1st L3 Promotion(Serie 1) Felgueiras Felgueiras Estádio Dr. Machadode Matos 7,540 2nd L3 Promotion(Serie 1) Vitória de Guimarães B Guimarães Pista de AtletismoGémeos Castro 1,200 1st L3 Promotion(Serie 2) Fafe Fafe Estádio Municipal de Fafe 4,000 2nd L3 Promotion(Serie 2) São João de Ver São João de Ver,Santa Maria da Feira Estádio doSC São João de Ver 5,000 1st L3 Promotion(Serie 3) Sanjoanense São João da Madeira Estádio Conde Dias Garcia 8,500 3rd L3 Promotion(Serie 3) Canelas 2010 Canelas,Vila Nova de Gaia Estádio do CanelasGaia Futebol Clube 7,000 1st L3 Promotion(Serie 4) Lusitânia Lourosa Lourosa,Santa Maria da Feira Estádio do Lusitânia FC Lourosa 8,000 2nd L3 Promotion(Serie 4) Oliveira do Hospital Oliveira do Hospital Estádio Municipal de Tábua 3,500 1st L3 Promotion(Serie 5) Caldas Caldas da Rainha Campo da Mata 5,700 2nd L3 Promotion(Serie 5) Alverca Alverca Complexo Desportivodo FC Alverca 7,705 1st L3 Promotion(Serie 6) União de Santarém Santarém Campo Chã das Padeiras 5,000 2nd L3 Promotion(Serie 6) Oriental Dragon Moita Estádio Juncal Desportos 2,500 1st L3 Promotion(Serie 7) Sporting B Alcochete Aurélio Pereira Stadium 1,180 2nd L3 Promotion(Serie 7) Amora Amora, Seixal Estádio da Medideira 1,500 1st L3 Promotion(Serie 8) Real SC Massamá, Sintra Estádio do Real SC 1,200 2nd L3 Promotion(Serie 8)
First stage In the first stage, the 24 clubs were divided in two series (Serie A and B) of 12 teams, according to geographic criteria.
Serie North
Serie South
Second stage In the second stage, the 24 clubs were divided in 2 promotion series (Serie 1 and 2) of 4 teams and 4 relegation series (Serie 1, 2, 3 and 4) of 4 teams.
Promotion series Serie 1
Serie 2
Relegation series Serie 3
Serie 4
Serie 5
Serie 6
Third stage Third place playoff First leg
Second leg
Alverca advances to Promotion play-offs.
Championship final
Number of teams by district RankDistrict Football AssociationsNumber Teams1 Aveiro5Anadia, Lusitânia Lourosa, Oliveirense, Sanjoanense and São João de Ver2 Braga4Braga B, Fafe, Pevidém and Vitória de Guimarães B LisbonAlverca, Real SC, Sporting B and Torreense Setúbal Amora, Cova da Piedade, Oriental Dragon and Vitória de Setúbal5 Leiria2Caldas and União de Leiria PortoCanelas 2010 and Felgueiras7 Coimbra 1Oliveira do Hospital Santarém União de Santarém Vila Real Montalegre
References