2025–26 Liga 3 (Portugal)
3rd season of the Liga 3 (Portugal)
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The 2025–26 Liga 3 is the fifth season of Portuguese football's third-tier league, and the 79th season of recognised third-tier football in Portugal.
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 8 August 2025 – 18 May 2026 |
| Relegated | 1.º Dezembro Amora Braga B Sanjoanense |
← 2024–25 2026–27 → | |
Format
This competition consists of a first stage with all the teams then proceed to a promotion or relegation series depending on their performance.[1]
Teams
A total of 20 teams will contest the league, including 1 team relegated from the 2024–25 Liga Portugal 2, 14 teams from the 2024–25 Liga 3 and 5 teams promoted from the 2024–25 Campeonato de Portugal.
Team changes
|
Relegated from 2024–25 Liga Portugal 2 Promoted from 2024–25 Campeonato de Portugal |
Promoted to 2025–26 Liga Portugal 2 Relegated to 2025–26 Campeonato de Portugal
|
Stadium and locations
First stage
In the first stage, the 20 clubs will be divided in two series (Série A and B) of 10 teams, according to geographic criteria.
Série A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | VIT | AMA | TRO | VAR | PAR | BRA | FAF | MAR | SJV | SAN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitória S.C. B | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 16 | +4 | 29 | Qualification for Promotion Stage | 2–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | Amarante | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 17 | +2 | 29 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | |||
| 3 | Trofense | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 23 | 15 | +8 | 28 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | |||
| 4 | Varzim | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 26 | 17 | +9 | 28 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | |||
| 5 | Paredes | 18 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 22 | 12 | +10 | 27 | Qualification for Relegation Stage | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 6 | Braga B | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 17 | −1 | 25 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | |||
| 7 | Fafe | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 24 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | |||
| 8 | Marco 09 | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 22 | −7 | 19 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |||
| 9 | São João de Ver | 18 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 26 | −15 | 14 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 2–1 | |||
| 10 | Sanjoanense | 18 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 32 | −12 | 13 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 |
Rules for classification: 1) points, 2) head-to-head points, 3) head-to-head goal difference, 4) goal difference, 5) matches won, 6) goals scored
Série B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | BEL | MAF | ACA | USA | ATL | LUE | AMO | CAL | 1DE | SPC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belenenses | 18 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 27 | 16 | +11 | 38 | Qualification for Promotion Stage | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 2 | Mafra | 18 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 28 | 19 | +9 | 34 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | |||
| 3 | Académica de Coimbra | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 29 | 18 | +11 | 28 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | |||
| 4 | União de Santarém | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 15 | 14 | +1 | 25 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | |||
| 5 | Atlético CP | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 17 | −1 | 22 | Qualification for Relegation Stage | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | ||
| 6 | Lusitano Évora | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 22 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | |||
| 7 | Amora | 18 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 22 | −3 | 21 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | |||
| 8 | Caldas | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 23 | −6 | 21 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | |||
| 9 | 1.º Dezembro | 18 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 21 | −8 | 17 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | |||
| 10 | Covilhã | 18 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 24 | −14 | 14 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
Rules for classification: 1) points, 2) head-to-head points, 3) head-to-head goal difference, 4) goal difference, 5) matches won, 6) goals scored
Second stage
Promotion stage
The eight qualified teams from the first stage play against each other in a home-and-away double round-robin system, with the winners and runners-up being promoted to Liga Portugal 2 and the third-placed team qualifying for a playoff against the 16th-placed team of Liga Portugal 2.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification | AMA | ACA | BEL | MAF | VIT | VAR | USA | TRO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amarante (X) | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 10 | +8 | 25 | Promotion to Liga Portugal 2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |||
| 2 | Académica de Coimbra (X) | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 10 | +7 | 24 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | ||||
| 3 | Belenenses | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 14 | +6 | 20 | Qualification for Promotion play-off | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | |||
| 4 | Mafra | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 18 | −5 | 16 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | ||||
| 5 | Vitória S.C. B | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 16 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | ||||
| 6 | Varzim | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 15 | −5 | 13 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | ||||
| 7 | União de Santarém | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 17 | −6 | 9 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | ||||
| 8 | Trofense | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 12 | −6 | 9 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
Rules for classification: 1) points, 2) head-to-head points, 3) head-to-head goal difference, 4) goal difference, 5) matches won, 6) goals scored
(X) Assured of at least promotion play-off
Relegation stage
The bottom 12 teams were divided in two series of 6 teams, playing against each other in a home-and-away double round-robin system and the bottom two teams of each series being relegated to Campeonato de Portugal. To account for their performance in the first stage, teams started with bonification points, as follows:
- The best-5th-placed team (Paredes) started with 9 points.
- The worst 5th-placed team (Atlético CP) and best 6th-placed team (Braga B) started with 8 points.
- The worst 6th-placed team (Lusitano Évora) started with 7 points.
- The 7th-placed teams (Amora and Fafe) started with 6 points.
- The best 8th-placed team (Caldas) started with 5 points.
- The worst 8th-placed team (Marco 09) started with 4 points.
- The best 9th-placed team (1.º Dezembro) started with 3 points.
- The worst 9th-placed team (São João de Ver) started with 2 points.
- The 10th-placed teams (Covilhã and Sanjoanense) started with 1 point.
Serie 1
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation | SJV | FAF | PAR | MAR | BRA | SAN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | São João de Ver | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 21 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | |||
| 2 | Fafe | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 10 | +1 | 21 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | |||
| 3 | Paredes | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 21 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | |||
| 4 | Marco 09 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 18 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | |||
| 5 | Braga B (R) | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 13 | −4 | 17 | Relegation to Campeonato de Portugal | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | ||
| 6 | Sanjoanense (R) | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 16 | −3 | 11 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
Rules for classification: 1) points, 2) head-to-head points, 3) head-to-head goal difference, 4) goal difference, 5) matches won, 6) goals scored
(R) Relegated
Serie 2
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation | ATL | LUE | CAL | SPC | 1DE | AMO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlético CP | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 8 | +8 | 26 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | |||
| 2 | Lusitano Évora | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 10 | +1 | 24 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |||
| 3 | Caldas | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 19 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |||
| 4 | Covilhã | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 11 | +2 | 18 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | |||
| 5 | 1.º Dezembro (R) | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 16 | Relegation to Campeonato de Portugal | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | ||
| 6 | Amora (R) | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 17 | −10 | 13 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–4 |
Rules for classification: 1) points, 2) head-to-head points, 3) head-to-head goal difference, 4) goal difference, 5) matches won, 6) goals scored
(R) Relegated