III liga

History

The current fourth tier of the Polish national league system was established on 19 February 2000, under the name IV liga. Previously, the fourth tier of competition was held under many different names depending on the region, including macro-regional league, macro-regional class, inter-voivodeship league, district league, among others.

In August 2000, the first official season of new fourth tier commenced with teams spread across 21 territorial groups. In five voivodeships (Lower Silesia, Lesser Poland, Masovia, Silesia and Greater Poland), the competition was divided into two groups, the winners of which met in a two-legged play-off for the championship and promotion to the third tier. In the remaining 11 voivodeships, only one group was held, the winner of which automatically earning promoted to a higher division. In subsequent editions, the number of groups was gradually reduced and the number of teams in each of them was limited. In 2001, both Lower Silesian groups were merged, in 2002 - the Masovian ones, and in 2006, the Lesser Poland groups. In 2007, the fourth tier consisted of 18 regional groups. In 14 voivodeships, the games were played with a single-group system, and in two voivodeships, with a two-group system.

Starting from the 2008–09 season, the league was renamed to III liga, and reduced to 8 groups. The winners of each group (in the case of voivodeships with two groups, the winners of the play-offs between the winners of both groups) formed four play-off pairs, winners of which were promoted to the II liga.

The latest restructure came in effect ahead of the 2016–17 season, with the numbers of teams reduced to 72 across four groups.

Current format

For the 2024–25 season, seventy-two clubs participate. The clubs are split into four parallel groups of 18 with their group affiliation being based on the regional location. The competition is played in a round-robin format, with each team facing others in their respective group twice, at home and away. The champions of each group achieve automatic promotion to the II liga, while the second-placed teams first face each other in a play-off, the winners of which qualify for a promotion/relegation play-off against 13th and 14th-placed II liga teams. The bottom four teams in each group are relegated to the IV liga, though the number of relegated teams may increase depending on territorial affiliation of the teams demoted from the II liga.

Clubs

The following 72 clubs are competing in the III liga for the 2025–26 season.

Champions of the Polish fourth level

Groups

Seasons 2000–01 — 2007–08

18–21 parallel divisions as IV liga (one or two in each of 16 Voivodeship)

• 2000–01 season – 21 groups
• 2001–02 season – 20 groups
• 2002–03 season – 19 groups
• 2003–04 season – 19 groups
• 2004–05 season – 19 groups
• 2005–06 season – 19 groups
• 2006–07 season – 18 groups
• 2007–08 season – 18 groups

Seasons 2008–09 — 2015–16

8 parallel divisions as III liga.

• Group A (Łódź – Masovian)
• Group B (Podlaskie – Warmian-Masurian)
• Group C (Kuyavian-Pomeranian – Greater Poland)
• Group D (Pomeranian – West Pomeranian)
• Group E (Lower Silesian – Lubusz)
• Group F (Opole – Silesian)
• Group G (Świętokrzyskie – Lesser Poland)
• Group H (Lublin – Podkarpackie)

Seasons 2016–17 and onwards

4 parallel divisions as III liga.

• Group I (Łódź – Masovian – Podlaskie – Warmian-Masurian)
• Group II (Kuyavian-Pomeranian – Greater Poland – Pomeranian – West Pomeranian)
• Group III (Lower Silesian – Lubusz – Opole – Silesian)
• Group IV (Świętokrzyskie – Lesser Poland – Lublin – Podkarpackie)

References

References

1. (20 June 2024). "Betclic Sponsorem Tytularnym 1. Ligi do końca sezonu 2027/2028".
2. (7 June 2024). "Nowe zasady spadków klubów 2. Ligi, awansów I spadków klubów 3. Ligi I awansów klubów 4. Ligi od sezonu 2024/2025 (cała uchwała pzpn z 7 czerwca 2024 roku)".
3. [http://www.90minut.pl/ligireg.php?poziom=4&id_sezon=73 Groups]
4. [http://www.90minut.pl/ligireg.php?poziom=4&id_sezon=89 Groups]