Liga 3 (Georgia) Explained

Confed:UEFA
Teams:16
Promotion:Erovnuli Liga 2
Relegation:Liga 4
Levels:3
Domest Cup:Georgian Cup
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

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

● 2022–24 = 16

Current members

Sixteen teams will compete in Liga 3 for the 2024 season. Five of them, namely Borjomi, Guria, Merani Martvili, Merani Tbilisi and Zestaponi, 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.

ClubsPosition last seasonLocationRegion
2nd in Liga 4Adjara
12thGuria
11thSamtskhe-Javakheti
3rd in Liga 4Kvemo Kartli
1st in Liga 4Adjara
Gori8thShida Kartli
Guria9thGuria
7thTbilisi
10thTbilisi
14thAdjara
9th in Liga 2Martvili
10th in Liga 2Tbilisi
5thImereti
6thTbilisi
4thTbilisi
13thImereti
Until February 2024 known as Saburtalo-2

Until January 2024 known as Irao

Results

Group Winners of Meore Liga

SeasonWestEastCenter
2011–12Chikhura Sachkhere IISasco Tbilisi
2012–13Matchakhela KhelvachauriKartli 2011
2013–14Lazika ZugdidiBorjomi
2014–15Imereti KhoniTskhumi SukhumiLiakhvi Tskhinvali
2015–16Sulori VaniGardabaniMark Stars
2016BetlemiMargvetiSamegreloAlgetiN.DinamoShevardeniTelaviGori
Note: Due to the season being transitional in 2016, none of the teams was promoted

Top three teams of Liga 3

SeasonWinnerRunner-upThird place
2017ShevardeniNorchi Dinamo TbilisiTelavi
2018ZugdidiBakhmaro ChokhatauriGuria Lanchkhuti
2019Merani MartviliSamgurali TskhaltuboAragvi Dusheti
2020Gareji SagarejoKolkheti-1913 PotiGori
2021Spaeri TbilisiKolkheti-1913 PotiTbilisi City
2022Dinamo Tbilisi-2Kolkheti-1913 PotiAragvi Dusheti
2023Aragvi DushetiShturmiRustavi
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

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
Odishi-1919 ZugdidiChkherimela Kharagauli ● Liakhvi Tskhinvali ● Sapovnela Terjola
2018
2019BorjomiBetlemi Keda
NONE
Magaroeli Chiatura ● Didube Tbilisi
Tbilisi City*
TBDMerani-2Chikhura
Note: Tbilisi City failed to obtain a league license for the 2023 season.

Participation per club

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.

Team
Gori8
Bakhmaro7
Iberia-2 19997
Meshakhte7
Borjomi6
Guria6
Kolkheti Khobi6
Aragvi5
Varketili5
Betlemi4
Kolkheti 19133
Magaroeli3
Merani-2 Tb3
Tbilisi City3
Gardabani3
Team
Matchakhela3
Orbi3
Zestaponi3
Algeti2
Chikhura2
Imereti2
Locomotivi-22
Merani M2
Merani Tb2
Mark Stars2
Samegrelo2
Spaeri2
Sulori2
Chkherimela1
Didube1
Team
Dinamo-21
Gareji1
Gonio1
Liakhvi1
Margveti 20061
Odishi 19191
Rustavi1
Samgurali1
Samgurali-21
Sapovnela1
Shturmi1
Skuri1
Shevardeni 19061
Telavi1
Zugdidi1
As of 2024 their current status is:
Erovnuli Liga3
Erovnuli Liga 27
16
Liga 49
Regionuli Liga5
Defunct5

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2019 regular season . soccerway.com.
  2. News: სფფ-ს აღმასკომი - ცვლილებები Crystalbet ეროვნულ ლიგაში. crystalsport.ge (in Georgian), 25 January 2021.
  3. Web site: 2022 წლიდან ლიგა 2-ში და ლიგა 3-ში გუნდების რაოდენობა იზრდება. primesport.ge (in Georgian), 12 February 2021.
  4. Web site: სფფ-ში აღმასრულებელი კომიტეტის სხდომა გაიმართა . gff.ge (in Georgian), 22 February 2022.