The 2023–24 Liga 3 was the third season of Portuguese football's third-tier league, and the 77th season of recognised third-tier football in Portugal. First season with a total of 20 teams compete in this division, after the reduction in the previous edition.
Format
This competition consists of a first stage with all the teams then proceed to a promotion or relegation series depending on their performance.
Teams A total of 20 teams contested the league, including 3 teams relegated from the 2022–23 Liga Portugal 2, 13 teams that have been in 2022–23 Liga 3 and 4 teams promoted from the 2022–23 Campeonato de Portugal.
B-SAD sports society's licence was relocated to Cova da Piedade, as a result of a fusion. On 13 July 2023, the Portuguese Football Federation informed that Cova da Piedade failed to obtain a licence to play in Liga 3, being replaced by the best placed team in 2022–23 Campeonato de Portugal that wasn't promoted: Pêro Pinheiro.
Team changes
Relegated from 2022–23 Liga Portugal 2 Cova da Piedade (B-SAD licence) Sp. Covilhã Trofense Promoted from 2022–23 Campeonato de Portugal 1.º Dezembro Atlético CP Lusitânia Lourosa Pêro Pinheiro Vianense
Promoted to 2023–24 Liga Portugal 2 Belenenses Länk Vilaverdense União de Leiria Relegated to 2023–24 Campeonato de Portugal Fontinhas Moncarapachense Montalegre Paredes Real SC São João de Ver Vitória de Setúbal Vitória de Guimarães B
Stadium and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity 2022–23 finish Trofense Trofa Estádio do CD Trofense 5,017 17th LP2 Sp. Covilhã Covilhã Estádio MunicipalJosé dos Santos Pinto 3,500 18th LP2 Braga B Braga Complexo Desportivo de Fão 724 2nd Promotion S1 Alverca Vila Franca de Xira Complexo Desportivodo FC Alverca 7,705 3rd Promotion S1 Sanjoanense São João da Madeira Estádio Conde Dias Garcia 8,500 3rd Promotion S2 Felgueiras Felgueiras Estádio Dr. Machadode Matos 7,540 4th Promotion S1 Amora Seixal Estádio da Medideira 1,500 4th Promotion S2 Varzim Póvoa de Varzim Estádio do Varzim SC 7,280 1st Relegation S1 Canelas Vila Nova de Gaia Estádio do CanelasGaia Futebol Clube 7,000 1st Relegation S2 Sporting B Alcochete Estádio Aurélio Pereira 1,180 1st Relegation S3 Académica Coimbra Estádio Cidade de Coimbra 29,622 1st Relegation S4 Fafe Fafe Estádio Municipal de Fafe 4,000 2nd Relegation S1 Anadia Anadia Estádio Municipal Eng.ºSílvio Henriques Cerveira 6,500 2nd Relegation S2 Oliveira doHospital Oliveira doHospital Estádio Municipal de Tábua 3,500 2nd Relegation S3 Caldas Caldas da Rainha Campo da Mata 5,700 2nd Relegation S4 Atlético CP Lisbon Estádio da Tapadinha 4,000 CP Champions1st CP Promotion S2 Vianense Viana do Castelo Estádio Dr. José de Matos 3,000 1st CP Promotion S1 Lusitânia Lourosa Santa Maria da Feira Estádio do Lusitânia FC Lourosa 8,000 2nd CP Promotion S1 1.º Dezembro Sintra Campo Conde de Sucena 1,000 2nd CP Promotion S2 Pêro Pinheiro Sintra Parque de Jogos Pardal Monteiro 3,000 3rd CP Promotion S2
First stage In the first stage, the 20 clubs will be divided in two series (Série A and B) of 10 teams, according to geographic criteria.
Série A </onlyinclude>
Série B </onlyinclude>
Second stage
Promotion stage The eight qualified teams of each series will playing against each other in a home-and-away double round-robin system. The winners and runner-ups of the series will be automatically promoted to Liga Portugal 2. The third placed team will face the 16th placed of Liga Portugal 2 for the last spot in Liga Portugal 2.
Relegation stage The bottom 12 teams are divided in two series of 6 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 6 points and 10th placed teams starting with 1. The bottom two teams of each series will be relegated to Campeonato de Portugal.
Serie 1
Serie 2
Number of teams by district RankDistrict Football AssociationsNumber Teams1 Lisbon51.º Dezembro, Atlético CP, Alverca, Pêro Pinheiro and Sporting B2 Porto4Canelas, Felgueiras, Trofense and Varzim3 Aveiro3Anadia, Lusitânia Lourosa and Sanjoanense4 Braga2Braga B and Fafe CoimbraAcadémica and Oliveira do Hospital6 Castelo Branco1Sp. Covilhã LeiriaCaldas SetúbalAmora Viana do CasteloVianense
References