Liga IV

History

Football in Romania has its origins in 1909, when the country's first football competition was founded. In the beginning, matches were played in a cup-style system, with participating teams primarily coming from the Muntenia region, especially from Bucharest and Ploiești.

In the 1920–21 season, in addition to the Harwester Cup, the Jean Luca P. Niculescu Cup, and the Maior Zorileanu Cup in Bucharest, district championships were also held in Timișoara/Arad, Cluj, Oradea, Târgu Mureș, and Cernăuți. For unclear reasons, however, no national tournament was held between the district champions.

Starting with the 1921–22 season, the Football Association Commission decided to modify the competition's structure, introducing a new system: the winners of each district championship across the country would qualify for the national phase to determine the Romanian champion.

In 1930, the Football Association Commission officially became the Romanian Football Federation – Association, and football activities were reorganized. Thus, Romanian football was divided into five geographical leagues – North, West, South, East, and Center, each subdivided into districts. The district champions no longer advanced directly to the national phase, but instead participated in an elimination tournament to determine the champion of the regional league. The winning team would then earn the right to participate in the national phase's final tournament, where it would compete for the title of Romanian champion.

In 1932, with the establishment of Divizia A, regional leagues became the second football level, and the five regional champions participated, alongside the last-place teams from the two series of the top tier and the winner of the match between the 6th-place teams of the two series, in a promotion/relegation play-off for Divizia A.

In the 1934–35 season, with the establishment of Divizia B, the competition became the third football level. Later, in the 1936–37 season, with the establishment of Divizia C, the Regional Championship became the fourth level of Romanian football. After the 1937–38 season, Divizia C was disbanded, and the Regional Championship returned to its status as the third tier until the reintroduction of Divizia C in the post-war period.

In 1950, the Romanian People's Republic was reorganized administratively and territorially into regions and districts, with each region having its own football championship. Between 1950–1956 and 1960–1963, the Regional Championship served as the third tier of Romanian football, as Divizia C was disbanded during these two periods.

Current format

The Liga IV comprises 42 divisions, one for each county and the municipality of Bucharest, organized regionally by their respective county or municipal football associations. Each association determines the number of participants and the competition format. The most common structure features a single division with home-and-away matches, though some associations opt for parallel divisions, culminating in a play-off to crown the champion.

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 regarded as fully-fledged clubs but are instead classified as "sporting associations." However, teams aspiring to promotion must obtain a Certificate of Sports Identity (C.I.S.) from the Ministry of Youth and Sport, officially recognizing them as football clubs affiliated with 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

• [[File:Stema judetului Bacau.svg|18px]] Liga IV Bacău
• [[File:Stema judetului Botosani.svg|18px]] Liga IV Botoșani
• [[File:Actual Iasi county CoA.svg|18px]] Liga IV Iași
• [[File:Stema Neamt.svg|18px]] Liga IV Neamț
• [[File:Actual Suceava county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Suceava
• [[File:Actual Vaslui county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Vaslui

;North–West

• [[File:Actual Bihor county CoA.svg|18px]] Liga IV Bihor
• [[File:Stema Bistrita-Nasaud.svg|18px]] Liga IV Bistrița-Năsăud
• [[File:Actual Cluj county CoA.svg|18px]] Liga IV Cluj
• [[File:Coat of Arms of Maramureș County.svg|18px]] Liga IV Maramureș
• [[File:Satu Mare county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Satu Mare
• [[File:RO Județul Sălaj COA.svg|18px]] Liga IV Sălaj

;Center

• [[File:RO Alba County CoA.svg|18px]] Liga IV Alba
• [[File:Brasov county coat of arms.png|18px]] Liga IV Brașov
• [[File:Coa Romania County Kovászna.svg|18px]] Liga IV Covasna
• [[File:Harghita county coat of arms.gif|18px]] Liga IV Harghita
• [[File:Mures county coat of arms.svg|18px]] Liga IV Mureș
• [[File:Sibiu county coat of arms.png|18px]] Liga IV Sibiu

;West

• [[File:Stema judetului Arad.png|18px]] Liga IV Arad
• [[File:Actual Caras-Severin county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Caraș-Severin
• [[File:Stema Gorj.svg|18px]] Liga IV Gorj
• [[File:Actual Hunedoara county CoA.svg|18px]] Liga IV Hunedoara
• [[File:Actual Mehedinti county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Mehedinți
• [[File:ROU Timis County CoA.svg|18px]] Liga IV Timiș

;South–West

• [[File:Actual Argeș county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Argeș
• [[File:Stema Dambovita.svg|18px]] Liga IV Dâmbovița
• [[File:RO Dolj county COA.svg|18px]] Liga IV Dolj
• [[File:Actual Olt county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Olt
• [[File:Stema Teleorman.svg|18px]] Liga IV Teleorman
• [[File:Actual Valcea county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Vâlcea

;South

• [[File:Coat of arms of Bucharest.svg|18px]] Liga IV Bucharest
• [[File:Stema Calarasi.svg|18px]] Liga IV Călărași
• [[File:Stema Giurgiu.svg|18px]] Liga IV Giurgiu
• [[File:Stema Ialomita.svg|18px]] Liga IV Ialomița
• [[File:Actual Ilfov county CoA.svg|18px]] Liga IV Ilfov
• [[File:Stema Prahova.svg|18px]] Liga IV Prahova

;South–East

• [[File:Stema judetului Braila.svg|18px]] Liga IV Brăila
• [[File:Actual Buzau county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Buzău
• [[File:Actual Constanta county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Constanța
• [[File:Stema judetului Galati.svg|18px]] Liga IV Galați
• [[File:Actual Tulcea county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Tulcea
• [[File:Actual Vrancea county CoA.png|18px]] Liga IV Vrancea

Notable teams (2025–26)

;Alba County

• Ocna Mureș ;Arad County
• Național Sebiș
• Podgoria Pâncota ;Bacău County
• Gauss Bacău
• Moinești ;Bihor County
• CA Oradea
• Crișul Aleșd
• Olimpia Salonta
• Oșorhei
• Ștei ;Brașov County
• Colțea Brașov
• Corona Brașov
• Făgăraș
• SR Brașov ;Brăila County
• Făurei
• Viitorul Ianca ;Bucharest Municipality
• Daco-Getica București ;Caraș-Severin County
• Caransebeș ;Călărași County
• Oltenița ;Constanţa County
• Gloria Albești
• Năvodari
• Ovidiu
• Portul Constanța ;Covasna County
• Păpăuți ;Dâmbovița County
• Fieni ;Dâmbovița County
• Cârcea ;Gorj County
• Minerul Motru ;Hunedoara County
• Aurul Brad
• CFR Simeria
• Deva
• Dacia Orăștie
• Minerul Uricani
• Vulcan ;Ialomița County
• Fetești ;Iași County
• Pașcani ;Ilfov County
• Brănești
• Olimpic Snagov ;Maramureș County
• Academica Recea
• Progresul Șomcuta Mare ;Mehedinți County
• Victoria Vânju Mare ;Mureș County
• Avântul Reghin ;Neamț County
• Roman ;Olt County
• Olt Scornicești ;Prahova County
• Brazi
• Boldești-Scăeni ;Satu Mare County
• Oașul Negrești-Oaș
• Victoria Carei ;Sibiu County
• Voința Sibiu ;Timiș County
• Lugoj
• Recaș
• Ripensia Timișoara
• Unirea Sânnicolau Mare ;Vaslui County
• Hușana Huși ;Vâlcea County
• Viitorul Horezu ;Vrancea County
• Focșani
• Panciu

References

References

1. (14 March 2021). "Reorganizările teritoriale ale României de la 1918 încoace". hotnews.ro.
2. (2018). "Regulamentul de organizare a activității fotbalistice". frf.ro.