Liga 3 (Georgia)

Liga 3

Founded	1990; 34 years ago (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	Aragvi (2023)
Website	liga.gff.ge
Current: 2023 Liga 3

Liga 3, organized by the Georgian Football Federation since 1990, is the third division of professional football in Georgia.

Until 2017, when the current name was introduced, it was known as Meore Liga (the Second league).

Structure and league system[edit]

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[edit]

● 2017–18 = 20

● 2019–20 = 10

● 2021 = 14

● 2022–24 = 16

Current members[edit]

Gori

Betlemi

Gonio

Merani M

Matchakhela

Meshakhte

Guria

Borjomi

Gardabani

Bakhmaro

Zestafoni

Tbilisi

Tbilisi teams:
Varketili
Orbi
Iberia-2 1999
Locomotive-2
Merani T

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Locations of Liga 3 football clubs in 2024

Sixteen teams will compete in Liga 3 for the 2024 season. Five of them, namely Borjomi, Guria, Merani Martvili, Merani Tbilisi and Zestafoni, have previously played in the top division. There are also two reserve teams of higher league members this season.

The clubs are listed below in alphabetical order.

^a Until February 2024 known as Saburtalo-2

^b Until January 2024 known as Irao

Results[edit]

Group Winners of Meore Liga[edit]

Note: Due to the season being transitional in 2016, none of the teams was promoted

Top three teams of Liga 3[edit]

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 and 2023, the runner-ups of the seasons were also promoted directly.

Relegated teams[edit]

The number of relegated teams per each recent season varies due to the fact that the competition format is subject to frequent changes.

Note: Tbilisi City failed to obtain a league license for the 2023 season.

Participation per club[edit]

Including the 2024 season there have been 45 teams in total competing in this league since 2017. Gori are topping the list with an overall nine-year continuous tenure in the third tier, including all the eight seasons after its re-branding as Liga 3.

As of 2024 their current status is:

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official website
• Soccerway.com