2025–26 Liga 3 (Portugal)

Liga 3
Season2025–26
Dates8 August 2024 – 18 May 2026
2026–27 →

The 2025–26 Liga 3 is the fifth season of Portuguese football's third-tier league, following the reorganization which saw the Campeonato de Portugal moving one level down in the Portuguese football league system.

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

Stadium and locations

Team Location Stadium Capacity 2024–25 finish
Belenenses Lisbon Estádio do Restelo 19,856 3rd Promotion
Braga B Braga Estádio Amélia Morais 2,500 1st Relegation S1
Académica Coimbra Estádio Cidade de Coimbra 29,622 2nd Relegation S2
Amora Amora Estádio da Medideira 1,500 2nd CP Promotion Serie 2
Varzim Póvoa de Varzim Estádio do Varzim Sport Club 7,280 4th Promotion
Atlético CP Lisbon Estádio da Tapadinha 4,000 7th Promotion
Sp. Covilhã Covilhã Estádio Municipal
José dos Santos Pinto
3,500 4th Relegation S2
Fafe Fafe Estádio Municipal de Fafe 4,000 5th Promotion
Trofense Trofa Estádio do Clube Desportivo Trofense 5,017 3rd Relegation S1
Caldas Caldas da Rainha Campo da Mata 9,600 3rd Relegation S2
Sanjoanense São João da Madeira Estádio Conde Dias Garcia 8,500 2nd Relegation S1
USC Paredes Paredes Estádio Municipal das Laranjeiras 3,000 2nd CP Promotion Serie 1
1.º Dezembro Sintra Complexo Desportivo do Real SC 1,200 6th Promotion
Amarante Amarante Estádio Municipal de Amarante 5,000 8th Promotion
Mafra Mafra Estádio Municipal de Mafra 1,249 18th LP2
São João de Ver Santa Maria da Feira Estádio Sporting Clube São João de Ver 5,000 4th Relegation S1
Marco 09 Marco de Canaveses Estádio Municipal do Marco de Canaveses 6,000 3rd CP Promotion Serie 1
Lusitano Évora Évora Campo Estrela 4,000 1st CP Promotion Serie 2
União de Santarém Santarém Campo Chã das Padeiras 2,167 1st Relegation S2
Vitória SC B Guimarães Academia Vitória Sport Clube 2,500 1st CP Promotion Serie 1

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 or relegation
1 Vitória B 12 5 4 3 13 9 +4 19 Advance to Promotion Series
2 Trofense 12 4 6 2 15 9 +6 18
3 Varzim 12 4 6 2 19 13 +6 18
4 Fafe 12 4 5 3 13 13 0 17
5 Braga B 12 4 4 4 10 13 −3 16 Advance to Relegation Series
6 Amarante 12 4 3 5 10 12 −2 15
7 Paredes 12 2 7 3 11 10 +1 13
8 Marco 09 12 2 7 3 8 10 −2 13
9 Sanjoanense 12 2 7 3 15 16 −1 13
10 São João de Ver 12 1 7 4 7 16 −9 10
Updated to match(es) played on 7 December 2025. Source: Liga 3
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
1 Belenenses 12 8 1 3 15 11 +4 25 Advance to Promotion Series
2 Mafra 12 5 5 2 17 14 +3 20
3 Caldas 12 5 3 4 13 12 +1 18
4 Académica de Coimbra 12 4 5 3 18 13 +5 17
5 Amora 12 4 4 4 14 14 0 16 Advance to Relegation Series
6 Atlético CP 12 4 2 6 11 10 +1 14
7 Lusitano Évora 12 4 2 6 13 12 +1 14
8 União Santarém 12 3 4 5 9 12 −3 13
9 1.º Dezembro 12 2 6 4 9 16 −7 12
10 Covilhã 12 2 6 4 8 13 −5 12
Updated to match(es) played on 7 December 2025. Source: Liga 3
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

References

  1. ^ "Da subida à manutenção na Liga 3: todas as contas para a última jornada (Lembrando o formato para 2023/24)". Mais Futebol (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-06-20.