Competition: | Campeonato de Portugal |
Season: | 2020–21 |
Winners: | Trofense |
Promoted: | Trofense Estrela da Amadora |
Prevseason: | 2019–20 |
Nextseason: | 2021–22 (L3) 2021–22 (CP) |
The 2020–21 Campeonato de Portugal was the eighth season of Portuguese football's renovated third-tier league, since the merging of the Segunda Divisão and Terceira Divisão in 2013, and the sixth season under the current Campeonato de Portugal title. A total of 96 teams competed in this division.
Due to the cancellation of all non-professional competitions in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal on the previous season, no teams were relegated, which lead to an additional team from each of the 20 district championships. The Portuguese Football Federation decided the creation of the Liga 3, a new tier in the Portuguese league system, beginning with the 2021–22 season, as well as a new format for Campeonato de Portugal, including the addition of four reserve teams invited from Primeira Liga clubs raising the total number of teams from 72 to 96. This new format will reduce the total number of teams to 56 on the next season.[1]
The new competition format consists of three stages. In the first stage, the 96 clubs were divided in eight series of 12 teams, according to geographic criteria, with a maximum of two reserve teams in each series. In each series, teams played against each other in a home-and-away double round-robin system.
In the second stage, the best-placed teams of each of eight Series advanced to the promotion series, teams placed from second to fifth qualified for Liga 3 qualification Series, bottom 4 teams were relegated to the District Championships and remaining teams stayed in Campeonato de Portugal. On the promotion series, the 8 teams were divided in two series of 4 teams, the winners of each series being promoted to LigaPro, remaining teams qualified for Liga 3. On the Liga 3 qualification Series, the 32 teams were divided in eight series of 4 teams, the two best-placed teams of each series qualified for Liga 3. In both promotion Series and Liga 3 qualification Series, teams played against each other in a home-and-away double round-robin system.
In the third stage, the best-placed teams of the two promotion series faced each other on a neutral venue to decide the champion.
Relegated from 2019–20 Primeira Liga:
From Serie A:
From Serie B:
From Serie C:
From Serie D:
Promoted from 2019 to 2020 District Championships: [2]
Invited reserve teams:
Notes
See main article: 2020–21 Campeonato de Portugal (First Stage). The first stage schedule was drawn on 4 September 2020 and were played from 20 September 2020 to 3 April 2021.[6]
Both promotion series and Terceira Liga qualification series were played from 18 April 2021 to 22 May 2021.