# Liga III

The Liga 3, most often spelled as Liga III, is the third level of the Romanian football league system. It was founded in 1936 and was called Divizia C until 2006. An exception was the seasons 1992–93 to 1996–97, in which the league was called Divizia B. Its name was changed from Divizia C to Liga III before the start of the 2006–07 season.

## History

Divizia C was founded in 1936 with the task of forming both an organizational and managerial buffer between national and regional football. In this sense, it was abolished several times, when a totally local management was opted for. Even on other occasions, its format was highly unstable.
Until 1963 the competition was only held irregularly. After the first two seasons in 1936–37 and 1937–38, the Divizia C was discontinued and only resumed for one season in 1946–47. After another year's break, a new attempt was made in 1948–49, which was canceled after the first half of the season. The fourth edition of the Divizia C took place in 1956, which was followed by the two seasons 1957–58 and 1958–59. After a further four-year break, the next season only came in 1963–64, since which the Divizia C has now been held annually.

## Current format

Since the 2021–2022 season Liga III was reorganized from 5 to 10 groups, each with 10 teams, based on the geographic position. In each group, teams play each other twice, before the play-off, with the 4 best teams, and the play-out, with the remaining 6 teams, starts.
The top 2 teams form each group goes in the promotion semi-final, first in group 1 plays second in group 2 and vice versa all the way to group 9 and group 10, and then the final, winners of the games between the group 1 and group 2 teams all the way to groups 9 and 10, ending with 5 winners getting promoted to Liga II.
The bottom two teams from each group are relegated at the end of the season to the Liga IV. From the 4th placed teams in the play-out, the team with the least points is relegated.

## List of champions and promoted teams

Source:

### Divizia C (–1992)

| Season | Seria I | Seria II | Seria III | Seria IV | Seria V | Seria VI | Seria VII | Seria VIII | Seria IX | Seria X | Seria XI | Seria XII |
| 1982–83 | Chimia Fălticeni | Partizanul Bacău | Olimpia Râmnicu Sărat | Unirea Slobozia | Metalul Plopeni | Chimia Turnu Măgurele | Constructorul TCI Craiova | CFR Caransebeș | Minerul Lupeni | CFR Cluj-Napoca | Avântul Reghin | Nitramonia Făgăraș |
| 1983–84 | CFR Pașcani | FEPA 74 Bârlad | Metalul Mangalia | AS Mizil | Mecanica Fină București | Flacăra-Automecanica Moreni | Drobeta-Turnu Severin | Mureșul Deva | Strungul Arad | Sticla Arieșul Turda | Unirea Alba Iulia | Tractorul Brașov |
| 1984–85 | Minerul Vatra Dornei | Aripile Bacău | Delta Tulcea | Dunărea Călărași | ICSIM București | Muscelul Câmpulung | Electroputere Craiova | Metalul Bocșa | Înfrățirea Oradea | CIL Sighet | Mecanica Orăștie | ICIM Brașov |
| 1985–86 | Minerul Gura Humorului | Unirea Dinamo Focșani | FEPA 74 Bârlad | Unirea Slobozia | Autobuzul București | ROVA Roșiori | Gloria Pandurii Târgu Jiu | Minerul Paroșeni | Steaua CFR Cluj-Napoca | Unio Satu Mare | Inter Sibiu | Poiana Câmpina |
| 1986–87 | Siretul Pașcani | Inter Vaslui | Petrolul Ianca | Sportul 30 Decembrie | Metalul București | Sportul Muncitoresc Caracal | Gloria Reșița | Progresul Timișoara | Sticla Arieșul Turda | Minerul Baia Sprie | Electromureș Târgu Mureș | Metalul Plopeni |
| 1987–88 | ASA Explorări Câmpulung-Moldovenesc | Aripile Victoria Bacău | Metalul Mangalia | Dunărea Călărași | Metalul Mija | Dacia Pitești | Minerul Motru | CFR Timișoara | Minerul Cavnic | Unirea Alba-Iulia | Avântul Reghin | Poiana Câmpina |
| 1988–89 | Foresta Fălticeni | Viitorul Vaslui | Olimpia Râmnicu Sărat | Unirea Slobozia | Autobuzul București | Mecanică Fină București | Constructorul TCI Craiova | Vagonul Arad | Mureșul Explorări Deva | IMASA Sfântu Gheorghe | Steaua CFR Cluj-Napoca | Someșul Satu Mare |
| 1989–90 | Fortus Iași | Borzești | Gloria CFR Galați | Callatis Mangalia | Progresul București | Electroputere Craiova | Șoimii IPA Sibiu | Montana Sinaia | Vulturii Lugoj | Aurul Brad | Metalurgistul Cugir | CIL Sighet |
| 1990–91 | Relonul Săvinești | FEPA 74 Bârlad | Petrolul Ianca | Portul Constanța | Metalul București | Metrom Brașov | Olt Scornicești | Jiul IEELIF Craiova | Electromureș Târgu Mureș | Minerul Cavnic | CFR Cluj-Napoca | UM Timișoara |
| 1991–92 | CFR Pașcani | Cotidianul Bacău | Delta Tulcea | Metalul Plopeni | Electrica Fieni | Dunărea Călărași | Dacia Pitești | Mureșul Toplița | Minerul Mătăsari | Arsenal Reșița | Șoimii Lipova | Cuprom Baia Mare |
| Due to the reorganization of the competitive system in the summer of 1992, dictated by the Romanian Football Federation, no team promoted from the third tier. ||||||||||||

### Divizia B (1992–1997)

| Season | Seria I | Seria II | Seria III | Seria IV |
| 1992–93 | Constructorul Iași | Metalul Plopeni | Gaz Metan Mediaș | Phoenix Baia Mare |
| 1993–94 | Cetatea Târgu Neamț | Poiana Câmpina | Dacia Pitești | Unirea Dej |
| 1994–95 | Foresta Fălticeni | Oțelul Târgoviște | Minerul Motru | Minaur Zlatna |
| Other promoted teams: Electro Mecon Onești (I), Dunărea Călărași (II), ARO Câmpulung (III), Olimpia Satu Mare (IV). |||||
| 1995–96 | Petrolul Moinești | Danubiana București | Precizia Săcele | CFR Cluj-Napoca |
| 1996–97 | Nitramonia Făgăraș | Midia Năvodari | Vega Deva | UM Timișoara |

### Divizia C (1997–2006)

| Season | Seria I | Seria II | Seria III | Seria IV |
| 1997–98 | Laminorul Roman | Cimentul Fieni | Rulmentul Alexandria | Bihor Oradea |
| Other promoted teams: Chimica Târnăveni (I), Drobeta-Turnu Severin (III) |||||
| 1998–99 | Diplomatic Focșani | Callatis Mangalia | Electro Bere Craiova | UM Timișoara |
| Other promoted teams: Juventus București (II), Flacăra Râmnicu Vâlcea (III) |||||
| Season | Seria I | Seria II | Seria III | Seria IV | Seria V | Seria VI |
| 1999–00 | Apemin Borsec | Hondor Agigea | Fulgerul Bragadiru | Cetate Deva | Pandurii Târgu-Jiu | Baia Mare |
| Season | Seria I | Seria II | Seria III | Seria IV | Seria V | Seria VI | Seria VII | Seria VIII |
| 2000–01 | Petrolul Moinești | Dacia Unirea Brăila | Inter Gaz București | Electromagnetica București | Inter Pitești | Minaur Zlatna | Industria Sârmei Câmpia Turzii | Universitatea Cluj |
| 2001–02 | Politehnica Unirea Iași | Gloria Buzău | Medgidia | Rulmentul Alexandria | Minerul Motru | Corvinul Hunedoara | Metrom Brașov | CFR Cluj-Napoca |
| 2002–03 | Petrolul Moinești | Unirea Urziceni | Juventus București | Dacia Mioveni | Rarora Râmnicu Vâlcea | Jiul Petroșani | Oltul Sfântu Gheorghe | Armătura Zalău |
| Other promoted teams: Laminorul Roman (I), FC Vaslui (I), Poiana Câmpina (II), Callatis Mangalia (III), Electrica Constanța (III), Chindia Târgoviște (IV), Building Vânju Mare (V), Certej (VI), ACU Arad (VI), Precizia Săcele (VII), Tricotaje Ineu (VIII), Oașul Negrești (VIII). |||||||||
| Season | Seria I | Seria II | Seria III | Seria IV | Seria V | Seria VI | Seria VII | Seria VIII | Seria IX |
| 2003–04 | Botoșani | Dunărea Galați | Otopeni | Ghimbav | Oltul Slatina | Politehnica Timișoara | Unirea Sânnicolau Mare | Unirea Dej | FC Sibiu |
| 2004–05 | Cetatea Suceava | Portul Constanța | Dunărea Giurgiu | Poiana Câmpina | Râmnicu Vâlcea | CFR Timișoara | Minerul Lupeni | Forex Brașov | Gloria Bistrița II |
| 2005–06 | Politehnica Iași II | Delta Tulcea | Snagov | Chimia Brazi | Building Vânju Mare | Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea | Auxerre Lugoj | Baia Mare | Ghimbav |
| Other promoted teams: Ghimbav were not eligible for promotion, runners-up Tractorul Brașov promoted. |||||||||

### Liga III (2006–2022)

| Season | Seria I | Seria II | Seria III | Seria IV | Seria V | Seria VI |
| 2006–07 | Focșani | Dinamo București II | Concordia Chiajna | Drobeta-Turnu Severin | Arieșul Turda | Liberty Salonta |
| Other promoted teams: Inter Gaz București (II), Mureșul Deva (V). |||||||
| 2007–08 | Cetatea Suceava | Snagov | FC Ploiești | Internațional Curtea de Argeș | Unirea Sânnicolau Mare | Luceafărul Lotus Băile Felix |
| Other promoted teams: Buftea (III), ACU Arad (V). |||||||
| 2008–09 | Râmnicu Sărat | FCSB II | Victoria Brănești | Gaz Metan CFR Craiova | Fortuna Covaci | Baia Mare |
| Other promoted teams: Tricolorul Breaza (III), Silvania Șimleu Silvaniei (VI). |||||||
| 2009–10 | Dacia Unirea Brăila | Viitorul Constanța | Juventus București | Alro Slatina | Pandurii Târgu Jiu II | Voința Sibiu |
| Other promoted teams: Pandurii Târgu Jiu II were not eligible for promotion, runners-up ACU Arad promoted. |||||||
| 2010–11 | FCM Bacău | Callatis Mangalia | Chindia Târgoviște | Slatina | Luceafărul Oradea | FCMU Baia Mare |
| 2011–12 | Rapid CFR Suceava | Unirea Slobozia | Buftea | Damila Măciuca | Recaș | Corona Brașov |
| 2012–13 | SC Bacău | Gloria Buzău | Berceni | Minerul Motru | Olimpia Satu Mare | Unirea Tărlungeni |
| 2013–14 | Dorohoi | Voluntari | Balotești | Caransebeș | Șoimii Pâncota | Fortuna Poiana Câmpina |
| Season | Seria I | Seria II | Seria III | Seria IV | Seria V |
| 2014–15 | Bucovina Pojorâta | Dunărea Călărași | Chindia Târgoviște | UTA Arad | Baia Mare |
| 2015–16 | Sepsi OSK | Juventus București | Afumați | ASU Politehnica Timișoara | Luceafărul Oradea |
| 2016–17 | Știința Miroslava | Metaloglobus București | SCM Pitești | Ripensia Timișoara | Hermannstadt |
| 2017–18 | Aerostar Bacău | Farul Constanța | Petrolul Ploiești | Șirineasa | Universitatea Cluj |
| 2018–19 | SCM Gloria Buzău | Rapid București | Turris-Oltul Turnu Măgurele | Reșița | Miercurea Ciuc |
| 2019–20 | Aerostar Bacău | Unirea Slobozia | Slatina | FC U Craiova 1948 | Comuna Recea |
| Season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania. ||||||
| Season | Seria I | Seria II | Seria III | Seria IV | Seria V | Seria VI | Seria VII | Seria VIII | Seria IX | Seria X |
| 2020–21 | Bucovina Rădăuți | Oțelul Galați | Afumați | Steaua București | Corona Brașov | Vedița Colonești | Viitorul Șelimbăr | Șoimii Lipova | Cugir | Minaur Baia Mare |
| Promoted teams via play-offs: Dacia Unirea Brăila, Steaua București, Corona Brașov, Viitorul Șelimbăr, Unirea Dej ||||||||||
| 2021–22 | Dante Botoșani | Oțelul Galați | Afumați | Progresul Spartac | Odorheiu Secuiesc | Slatina | Reșița | Dumbrăvița | Hunedoara | Minaur Baia Mare |
| Promoted teams via play-offs: Oțelul Galați, Progresul Spartac, Slatina, Dumbrăvița, Minaur Baia Mare ||||||||||
| 2022–23 | Foresta Suceava | Metalul Buzău | Afumați | Tunari | Blejoi | Alexandria | Deva | Reșița | Corvinul Hunedoara | Bihor Oradea |
| Promoted teams via play-offs: Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț, Tunari, Alexandria, Reșița, Corvinul Hunedoara ||||||||||
| 2023–24 | Bucovina Rădăuți | Metalul Buzău | Afumați | CS Dinamo București | Câmpulung Muscel | Râmnicu Vâlcea | Ghiroda | Bihor Oradea | Gloria Bistrița-Năsăud | Zalău |
| Promoted teams via play-offs: Metalul Buzău, Afumați, Câmpulung Muscel, Bihor Oradea, Unirea Ungheni, Focșani ||||||||||