Tercera División

Tercera División (English: Third Division) is the fourth level of the Spanish football league system. The top three are the Primera División, often referred to as "La Liga" in English, the Segunda División, and Segunda División B.

Tercera División
Founded1929
CountrySpain
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams361
Level on pyramid3 (1929–1977)
4 (1977–2021)
5 (2021–future)
Promotion toSegunda División (1929–1977)
Segunda División B (1977–present)
Relegation toDivisiones Regionales
Domestic cup(s)Copa del Rey
Copa Federación
International cup(s)UEFA Europa League
(via winning Copa del Rey)
2019–20 season
Groups of Tercera División

Current format

The current format has been in place since 2006. The Tercera División features 360 teams divided into 18 regional groups, corresponding to the autonomous communities of Spain (due to its huge size, Andalusia is divided into two different groups, East and West; Ceuta is allocated to West Andalusia, while Melilla is allocated to the East). Each Group is administered by a regional football federation. At the end of the season the first four teams in each group qualify for promotion play-offs to decide which teams are promoted to Segunda División B. At least the three teams finishing bottom of each group may be relegated to the Divisiones Regionales de Fútbol. However the number of teams relegated can vary. The eighteen group champions also qualify for the following season's Copa del Rey. However reserve teams are ineligible. Along with teams from Segunda División B, the remaining teams from the division compete in the Copa Federación.

Until the 2018–19 season, the eighteen group winners had the opportunity of direct promotion to the Segunda División B. The 18 group winners are drawn into a two-legged series where the nine winners promote to the Segunda División B. The nine losing clubs entered the playoff round for the last nine promotion spots.

The 18 runners-up were drawn against one of the seventeen fourth-place clubs outside their group and the 18 third-placed clubs were drawn against one another in a two-legged series. The twenty-seven winners advanced with the nine losing clubs from the champions' series to determine the 18 teams that enter the last two-legged series for the last nine promotion spots. In all the playoff series, the lower-ranked club played at home first. Whenever there was a tie in position (like the group winners in the champions' series or the third-placed teams in the first round), a draw determined the club to play at home first.

In the 2019–20 season, the promotion playoff rules were altered by an RFEF resolution after that season was suspended and later curtailed during the coronavirus disease pandemic in Spain. Thus, the top four teams in each group at suspension time were deemed to qualify for the playoffs, which will be contested on a regional basis at neutral venues. The 18 group winners are drawn against the fourth-place clubs while the 18 runners-up are also drawn against the fourth-place clubs within their groups, all in two-legged series. The 36 first round winners will play single knockout games in each of their regions, from which 18 are promoted to the Segunda División B. The 18 losing clubs will be able to play additional playoff rounds if possible for the remaining two spots in the third-tier division, which initially expanded to 100 teams divided into five groups of 20 and subdivided into 10 subgroups of 10 teams each, only for 2020–21.[1] However, two more clubs were promoted after the RFEF cancelled the Tercera División repechages without replaying them,[2] thus there are now four groups of 20 and one group of 22, subdivided into eight subgroups of 10 and two subgroups of 11.

Group Region Winners (2019–20) Relegation
1  Galicia Compostela Preferente de Galicia
2  Asturias Lealtad Preferente de Asturias
3  Cantabria Laredo Preferente de Cantabria
4  Basque Country Portugalete Basque lower levels
5  Catalonia and  Andorra L'Hospitalet Primera Catalana
6  Valencian Community Alcoyano Preferente Comunidad Valenciana
7  Community of Madrid Navalcarnero Preferente de Madrid
8  Castile and León Zamora Preferente de Castilla y León
9 Eastern Andalusia and  Melilla Linares Deportivo Primera Eastern Andaluza
10 Western Andalusia and  Ceuta Betis Deportivo Primera Western Andaluza
11  Balearic Islands Poblense Preferente
12  Canary Islands Marino Interinsular Preferente
13  Murcia Lorca Deportiva Preferente de Murcia
14  Extremadura Villanovense Preferente de Extremadura
15  Navarre Mutilvera Preferente de Navarra
16 La Rioja SD Logroñés Preferente de La Rioja
17  Aragon Tarazona Preferente de Aragón
18  Castile-La Mancha Socuéllamos Preferente de Castilla-La Mancha

History

During the inaugural La Liga season of 1928–29 a third level of teams known as Segunda División B was also organised. This division featured 10 teams and at the end of the season Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa were crowned champions. However the 1929–30 season saw the first of many reorganisations of the Spanish football league system and the Tercera Division was born. During its first season the division featured 33 teams divided into eight groups. The eight group winners qualified for a play-off and CD Castellón eventually beat Barakaldo CF 3-2 to be declared champions. The most significant reorganisation came at the start of the 1977–78 season with the revival of Segunda División B which replaced the Tercera División as the third level.

The Tercera División will drop down to the fifth level and Segunda Division B to the fourth after the RFEF's creation of a new third division of two groups with 20 teams each which begins play in 2021–22.[1]

Evolution of the Tercera División
Tier\Years1928–501950–551955–681968–701970–771977–791979–801980–831983–861986–871987–891989–921992–042004–062006–202020–212021–
34 to 10 groups6 groups14 groups8 groups4 groupsSegunda División BPro third division
4Regional divisions6 groups8 groups13 groups14 groups16 groups17 groups17 groups
+2 subgroups
17 groups17 groups
+2 subgroups
18
groups		18 groups
+36 subgroups		Segunda División B
5Regional divisions18 groups

Historical classification

League or status at the end of the 2019–20 season:

2020–21 La Liga
2020–21 Segunda División
2020–21 Segunda División B
2020–21 Tercera División
2020–21 Divisiones Regionales
To be determined
No longer affiliated with RFEF
Clubs that no longer exist
Notes
  1. Added CD Ciudadela's participations.
  2. Added CF Platges de Calvià (1990-2016)'s participations.
  3. Added CD Montuïri's participations.
  4. Added US Ovetense's participations.
  5. Added Guadix CF (II)'s participations.
  6. Added AD Torrejón's participations.
  7. Added Atlético Ceuta's participations.
  8. Added Arsenal CF de Ferrol's participations.
  9. Added SD Melilla's participations.
  10. Added UE Badaloní's participations.
  11. Added Lorca Promesas CF's participations.
  12. Added Costa Cálida CF's and Murcia Deportivo CF's participations.
  13. Added Torrellano CF's participations.
  14. Added Casino del Real CF's participations.
  15. Added CD Palencia's participations.
  16. Added Albatera CF's participations.
  17. Added CF Ciudad de Alfaro's participations.

Latest group champions and promoted teams

In bold, group champions are promoted to Segunda División B. Administrative promotions not included in this table.

SeasonI
X		II
XI		III
XII		IV
XIII		V
XIV		VI
XV		VII
XVI		VIII
XVII		IX
XVIII
2006–07Deportivo BCaudalNojaZallaReusDéniaRSD AlcaláMirandésGranada Atlético
AlgecirasEivissaLas Palmas BMurcia BJerezValle de EgüésHaroZaragoza BConquense
Other promoted teams: Girona (V), Sabadell (V), Gavà (V), Villarreal B (VI), Ontinyent (VI), Betis B (X), Lucena (X), San Isidro (XII), Villa de Santa Brígida (XII), Fuerteventura (XII), Mazarrón (XIII), Peña Sport (XIV), Guadalajara (XVIII)
2007–08Ciudad de SantiagoOviedoGimn. TorrelavegaPortugaleteBarcelona BAlziraCiempozuelosMirandésRoquetas
CD San FernandoAtlético BalearesAtlético GranadillaCiudad de LorquíDon BenitoIzarraAlfaroEjeaToledo
Other promoted teams: Sporting Gijón B (II), Racing Santander B (III), Sant Andreu (V), Valencia Mestalla (VI), Navalcarnero (VII), Antequera (IX), Linense (X), Peña Deportiva (XI), Las Palmas Atlético (XII), Sangonera (XIII), Murcia B (XIII)
2008–09CompostelaOviedoGimn. TorrelavegaLagun OnakEspanyol BVillajoyosaRSD AlcaláCF PalenciaUnión Estepona
San Roque de LepeMallorca BTenerife BCaravacaCerro ReyesIzarraVareaAtlético MonzónToledo
Other promoted teams: Mirandés (VIII), Sporting Mahonés (XI), Cacereño (XIV)
2009–10Deportivo BCaudalNojaReal Sociedad BL'HospitaletGandíaRayo Vallecano BBurgosAt. Mancha Real
AlcaláAtlético BalearesCorralejoJumilla CFBadajozTudelanoOyonesaTeruelLa Roda
Other promoted teams: Coruxo (I), Santboià (V), Alzira (VI), Getafe B (VII), Yeclano (XIII), Extremadura (XIV), Peña Sport (XV), La Muela (XVII)
2010–11CercedaMarino LuancoNojaAmorebietaLlagosteraValencia MestallaAlcobendas SportBurgosComarca de Níjar
LinenseManacorLanzaroteCosta CálidaVillanovenseTudelanoNáxaraAndorraToledo
Other promoted teams: Sestao River (IV), Reus (V), Olímpic (VI), SS Reyes (VII), Gimnástica Segoviana (VIII), Arandina (VIII), Sporting Villanueva (XIV), La Roda (XVIII)
2011–12OurenseCaudalNojaLaudioPratCatarrojaFuenlabradaValladolid BLoja
At. SanluqueñoConstànciaMarinoYeclanoArroyoPeña SportSD LogroñésEjeaVillarrobledo
Other promoted teams: Barakaldo (IV), San Fernando (X), Binissalem (XI), Izarra (XV), Tudelano (XV)
2012–13Racing FerrolTuillaTropezónLaudioOlotElche IlicitanoPuerta BonitaBurgosEl Palo
AlgecirasPeña DeportivaLas Palmas AtléticoLa Hoya LorcaExtremaduraSan JuanHaroSariñenaToledo
Other promoted teams: Celta Vigo B (I), Compostela (I), Granada B (IX), Conquense (XVIII)
2013–14SomozasLealtadGimn. TorrelavegaLeioaCornellàEldenseTrival ValderasValladolid BMarbella
Real Betis BMallorca BAtlético GranadillaUCAM MurciaVillanovenseIzarraVareaZaragoza BPuertollano[N 1]
Other promoted teams: Langreo (II), Rayo Vallecano B (VII), Atlético Astorga (VIII), San Roque de Lepe (X), Socuéllamos (XVIII)
2014–15PontevedraCondalLaredoPortugaleteAscóCastellónRayo MajadahondaArandinaLinares
AlgecirasFormenteraMensajeroJumillaMéridaPeña SportVareaEbroTalavera de la Reina
Other promoted teams: Gernika (IV), Arenas (IV), Pobla de Mafumet (V), Atlético Levante (VI), Llosetense (XI), Izarra (XV)
2015–16BoiroCaudalLaredoZamudioPratAtlético SaguntinoSS ReyesZamoraAt. Mancha Real
Córdoba BMallorca BVilla de Santa BrígidaLorca DeportivaExtremaduraOsasuna BCalahorraDeportivo AragónConquense
Other promoted teams: Gavà (V), Navalcarnero (VII), Palencia (VIII), El Ejido (IX), At. Sanluqueño (X), San Fernando (X), Mutilvera (XV)
2016–17Deportivo BSporting BGimn. TorrelavegaAlavés BOlotOlímpicAtlético Madrid BGimn. SegovianaAtlético Malagueño
Real Betis BFormenteraLas Palmas AtléticoLorca DeportivaCacereñoPeña SportCalahorraDeportivo AragónTalavera de la Reina
Other promoted teams: Rápido de Bouzas (I), Vitoria (IV), Ontinyent (VI), Unión Adarve (VII), Écija (X), Badajoz (XIV)
2017–18CompostelaOviedo BGimn. TorrelavegaCultural DurangoEspanyol BAtlético LevanteInternacionalUnionistasAtlético Malagueño
Cádiz BMallorca BTenerife BYeclanoDon BenitoMutilveraCalahorraTeruelConquense
Other promoted teams: Langreo (II), Castellón (VI), Salmantino (VIII), Almería B (IX), Atlético Sanluqueño (X), Ejea (XVII)
2018–19Racing FerrolLealtadEscobedoPortugaleteLlagosteraOrihuelaGetafe BZamoraJaén
Cádiz BPeña DeportivaTamaraceiteYeclanoMéridaOsasuna BHaroTarazonaSocuéllamos
Other promoted teams: Marino Luanco (II), Alavés B (IV), Prat (V), La Nucía (VI), Las Rozas (VII), Algeciras (X), Villarrubia (XVIII), Villarrobledo (XVIII)
2019–20CompostelaLealtadLaredoPortugaleteL'HospitaletAlcoyanoNavalcarneroZamoraLinares
Betis DeportivoPoblenseMarinoLorca DeportivaVillanovenseMutilveraSD LogroñésTarazonaSocuéllamos
Other promoted teams: Covadonga (II), Atzeneta (VI), El Ejido (IX), Tamaraceite (XII)
  1. Puertollano resigned to promotion due to financial difficulties.

Records
Updated at the end of the 2019–20 season.
Most seasons
Most points
Most games played
Most wins
Most draws
Most losses
Most goals scored
Most goals received
Most group titles
Most promotion play-offs played
Highest attendance
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References
  1. "Comunicado de la RFEF en relación con las competiciones no profesionales del fútbol español" (in Spanish). RFEF. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  2. "Suben a 2ªB los cuatro equipos que no pudieron disputar la fase adicional de ascenso de 3ª División". RFEF (in Spanish). 10 August 2020.
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