# Liga IV

Liga IV is the fourth level of the Romanian football league system and is run in all 41 counties and in the Municipality of Bucharest. It was known as the Regional Championship, County Championship, Divizia C – County Phase and Divizia D. Its name was changed into Liga IV before the start of the 2006–07 season.

## History

Football in Romania has its origins in 1909, when the country's first football competition was founded. In the beginning, matches were played in a cup-style system, with participating teams primarily coming from the Muntenia region, especially from Bucharest and Ploiești.
In the 1920–21 season, in addition to the Harwester Cup, the Jean Luca P. Niculescu Cup, and the Maior Zorileanu Cup in Bucharest, district championships were also held in Timișoara/Arad, Cluj, Oradea, Târgu Mureș, and Cernăuți. For unclear reasons, however, no national tournament was held between the district champions.
Starting with the 1921–22 season, the Football Association Commission decided to modify the competition's structure, introducing a new system: the winners of each district championship across the country would qualify for the national phase to determine the Romanian champion.
In 1930, the Football Association Commission officially became the Romanian Football Federation – Association, and football activities were reorganized. Thus, Romanian football was divided into five geographical leagues – North, West, South, East, and Center, each subdivided into districts. The district champions no longer advanced directly to the national phase, but instead participated in an elimination tournament to determine the champion of the regional league. The winning team would then earn the right to participate in the national phase's final tournament, where it would compete for the title of Romanian champion.
In 1932, with the establishment of Divizia A, regional leagues became the second football level, and the five regional champions participated, alongside the last-place teams from the two series of the top tier and the winner of the match between the 6th-place teams of the two series, in a promotion/relegation play-off for Divizia A.
In the 1934–35 season, with the establishment of Divizia B, the competition became the third football level. Later, in the 1936–37 season, with the establishment of Divizia C, the Regional Championship became the fourth level of Romanian football. After the 1937–38 season, Divizia C was disbanded, and the Regional Championship returned to its status as the third tier until the reintroduction of Divizia C in the post-war period.
In 1950, the Romanian People's Republic was reorganized administratively and territorially into regions and districts, with each region having its own football championship. Between 1950–1956 and 1960–1963, the Regional Championship served as the third tier of Romanian football, as Divizia C was disbanded during these two periods.

## Current format

The Liga IV comprises 42 divisions, one for each county and the municipality of Bucharest, organized regionally by their respective county or municipal football associations. Each association determines the number of participants and the competition format. The most common structure features a single division with home-and-away matches, though some associations opt for parallel divisions, culminating in a play-off to crown the champion.

## Promotion

The champions of each county association play one another in a play-off to determine 21 teams that will promote 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.
At this level, teams are not regarded as fully-fledged clubs but are instead classified as "sporting associations." However, teams aspiring to promotion must obtain a Certificate of Sports Identity (C.I.S.) from the Ministry of Youth and Sport, officially recognizing them as football clubs affiliated with the national federation.

## Series

Liga IV is divided in 42 series, one for each county. All county leagues are organized individually by every County Football Association (AJF), but under the supervision of the Romanian Football Federation.