Liga IV explained

Country:Romania
Founded:2006
Promotion:Liga III
Relegation:Liga V
Levels:4
Domest Cup:Cupa României
Supercupa României
Current:2023–24 Liga IV
Website:https://www.frf-ajf.ro/

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

1950–1968

Starting with 1950, the Romanian People's Republic was administratively and territorially reorganized into regions and districts,[1] each region having its own football championship. Between 1950-1956 and 1960-1963 it was the third tier in the Romanian football league system, as Divizia C was disbanded in those two periods.

Current format

Liga IV has 42 divisions. The divisions are regionalised and are organised by every county association. Each team plays in their own county. The county associations decide how many teams play in the league and how many matches each side plays. In Romania the most frequently used system is one division with matches played home and away. A number of associations prefer 2 or even 4 parallel divisions with the teams finishing first meeting in a play-off to decide the champion. The number of teams differ from one county association to another. The Mureș County association has the fewest teams, 8, which play in a Scottish system, playing 4 times against one another. The Dolj County association has 20 teams.

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 considered full fledged clubs but instead are "sporting associations". However teams that want to promote have to get a certificate declaring them to be a football club from 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.

North–East
North–West
Center
West
South–West
South
South–East

Notable teams (2023–24)

Alba County
Arad County
Bacău County
Bihor County
Brașov County
Brăila County
Bucharest Municipality
Călărași County
Cluj County
Constanţa County
Covasna County
Dâmbovița County
Gorj County
Hunedoara County
Ialomița County
Iași County
Ilfov County
Maramureș County
Mehedinți County
Mureș County
Neamț County
Olt County
Prahova County
Satu Mare County
Sibiu County
Timiș County
Tulcea County
Vaslui County
Vrancea County

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Reorganizările teritoriale ale României de la 1918 încoace. Territorial reorganizations of Romania from 1918 onwards. hotnews.ro. 19 February 2023. 19 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230219090608/https://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-24663554-reorganizarile-teritoriale-ale-romaniei-1918-incoace-acum-vorbeste-una-noua.htm. live.