Liga 3 (Georgia)
Liga 3, organized by Georgian Football Federation since 1990, is the third division of professional football in Georgia.
| Founded | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Country | Georgia |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Erovnuli Liga 2 |
| Relegation to | Liga 4 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Georgian Cup |
| Current champions | Dinamo Tbilisi-2 (2022) |
| Website | liga.gff.ge |
| Current: 2023 Liga 3 | |
Until 2017, when the current name was introduced, it was known as Meore Liga (the Second league).
Structure and league system
There were 20 teams competing in the league in 2017. In 2019, when Liga 4 was formed, their number was reduced to ten,[1] although after two seasons GFF decided to extend the league to 14 at the expense of two bottom teams from the previous season and two second-placed clubs from Liga 4 While and Red Groups.[2] For 2022 the number of clubs was increased to 16.[3]
Seasons run based on Spring-Autumn system with each team playing an equal amount of home and away games against their league rivals.
The league operates based on a system of promotion and relegation. Starting from the 2022 season, champions and runners-up win automatic promotion to Erovnuli Liga 2, while the teams that finish in the third and fourth positions book a place in promotion play-off home and away games against respectively the 8th and 7th placed clubs of Liga 2. Three bottom teams are relegated to Liga 4.[4]
In case two or more clubs obtain the same number of points, their head-to-head records are next to be taken into consideration.
Number of teams each season
● 2017-18 = 20
● 2019-20 = 10
● 2021 = 14
● 2022 = 16
Current members
Sixteen teams will compete in Liga 3 for the 2023 season. Four of them had previously played in the top division, namely Borjomi, Dinamo Zugdidi, Guria Lanchkhuti and Shevardeni 1906. There are also three reserve teams of higher league members this season.
Clubs are listed below in alphabetical order:
| Clubs | Position last season | Location | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aragvi | 3rd | Dusheti | Mtskheta-Mtianeti |
| Bakhmaro | 10th | Chokhatauri | Guria |
| Borjomi | 8th | Borjomi | Samtskhe-Javakheti |
| Dinamo Zugdidi | Expelled from Liga 2 | Zugdidi | Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti |
| Gori | 6th | Gori | Shida Kartli |
| Guria | 11th | Lanchkhuti | Guria |
| Irao | 9th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Locomotive-2 | 1st in Liga 4 | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Matchakhela | 3rd in Liga 4 | Khelvachauri | Adjara |
| Merani-2 Tbilisi | 13th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Rustavi | 7th in Liga 2 | Rustavi | Kvemo Kartli |
| Saburtalo-2 | 7th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Shevardeni 1906 | Expelled from in Liga 2 | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Shturmi | 2nd in Liga 4 | Sartichala | Kvemo Kartli |
| Tbilisi City | 11th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Varketili | 5th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
Results
Group Winners of Meore Liga
| Season | West | East | Center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | Chikhura Sachkhere II | Sasco Tbilisi | — |
| 2012–13 | Matchakhela Khelvachauri | Kartli 2011 | — |
| 2013–14 | Lazika Zugdidi | Borjomi | — |
| 2014–15 | Imereti Khoni | Tskhumi Sukhumi | Liakhvi Tskhinvali |
| 2015–16 | Sulori Vani | Gardabani | Mark Stars |
| 2016 | Betlemi ● Margveti ● Samegrelo | Algeti ● N.Dinamo ● Shevardeni ● Telavi | Gori |
Note: Due to the season being transitional in 2016, none of the teams was promoted
Top three teams of Liga 3
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Shevardeni | Norchi Dinamo Tbilisi | Telavi |
| 2018 | Zugdidi | Bakhmaro Chokhatauri | Guria Lanchkhuti |
| 2019 | Merani Martvili | Samgurali Tskhaltubo | Aragvi Dusheti |
| 2020 | Gareji Sagarejo | Kolkheti-1913 Poti | Gori |
| 2021 | Spaeri Tbilisi | Kolkheti-1913 Poti | Tbilisi City |
| 2022 | Dinamo Tbilisi-2 | Kolkheti-1913 Poti | Aragvi Dusheti |
Notes: Apart from the champions who were automatically promoted to the second division, the teams indicated in bold gained promotion after winning the play-offs against their Liga-2 rivals. Due to the changed format in 2022, the runner-ups of the season were also promoted directly.
Relegated teams
The number of relegated teams per each recent season varies due to the fact that the competition format is subject to frequent changes.
| Season | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Odishi-1919 Zugdidi ● Chkherimela Kharagauli ● Liakhvi Tskhinvali ● Sapovnela Terjola |
| 2018 | Samegrelo Chkhorotsku ● Magaroeli Chiatura ● Varketili Tbilisi ● Algeti Marneuli ● Mark Stars Tbilisi ● Imereti Khoni ● Gardabani ● Sulori Vani ● Samgurali Tskaltubo-2 ● Machakhela Khelvachauri |
| 2019 | Borjomi ● Betlemi Keda |
| 2020 | NONE |
| 2021 | Magaroeli Chiatura ● Didube Tbilisi |
| 2022 | Meshakhte Tkibuli ● Zestafoni ● Chikhura Sachkhere |
Participation per club
Including the 2022 season there have been 41 teams in total competing in this league since 2017. Gori are topping the list with an overall seven-year continuous tenure in the third tier, including all the six seasons after its re-branding as Liga 3.
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|
As of 2022 their current status is:
| Erovnuli Liga | 2 | |
| Erovnuli Liga 2 | 6 | |
| Liga 3 | 16 | |
| Liga 4 | 11 | |
| Regionuli Liga | 2 | |
| Defunct | 4 |
References
- ^ "2019 regular season". soccerway.com.
- ^ "სფფ-ს აღმასკომი - ცვლილებები Crystalbet ეროვნულ ლიგაში". crystalsport.ge (in Georgian), 25 January 2021.
- ^ "2022 წლიდან ლიგა 2-ში და ლიგა 3-ში გუნდების რაოდენობა იზრდება". primesport.ge (in Georgian), 12 February 2021.
- ^ "სფფ-ში აღმასრულებელი კომიტეტის სხდომა გაიმართა". gff.ge (in Georgian), 22 February 2022.
External links
- Official website
- Soccerway.com