Tercera División (English: Third Division ) was the fourth tier of the Spanish football league system . Until 1977, it was the third tier of the Spanish football league system. Founded in 1929, it was below the Primera División (also known as La Liga ), the Segunda División , and the semi-professional Segunda División B .
21-524: For the 2021–22 season, Tercera División was replaced by Tercera División RFEF , which became the fifth tier due to the creation of a new, semi-professional third division by the Spanish federation (RFEF) called the Primera División RFEF . Tercera División featured 360 teams divided into 18 regional groups, corresponding to the autonomous communities of Spain (due to its size, Andalusia
42-526: A north-west/south-east split. In its first season, 4 teams will be relegated from the Segunda División (La Liga 2) and the remaining will come from the Segunda División B . Like the other Spanish divisions, it takes place annually, beginning at the end of August or early September, and ending in May or June of the following year. The twenty teams in each group play each other twice, home and away, for
63-474: A total of thirty-eight matches. At the end of the season, the seven teams that accumulate the most points in each group, excluding reserve teams, qualify for the next edition of the Copa del Rey . At the end of the season a total of four teams are promoted to the second tier with the winners in each group achieve automatic promotion to Segunda División . The second to fifth place teams will play promotion play-offs to
84-578: Is allocated to the East), where 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 Federación . 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
105-417: Is divided into two groups, East and West; Ceuta is allocated to West Andalusia, while Melilla is allocated to the East). Each group was administered by a regional football federation. At the end of the season the first four teams in each group qualified for promotion play-offs to decide which teams were promoted to Segunda División B . At least the three teams finishing bottom of each group were relegated to
126-724: Is the third tier of the Spanish football league system beginning with the 2021–22 season. It is administered by the Royal Spanish Football Federation . It is below the top two professional leagues, the Primera División (also known as La Liga ) and Segunda División (also known as La Liga Hypermotion ), above the Segunda Federación and Tercera Federación . It is the highest level of semi-professional football in Spain . In 2020,
147-490: The Divisiones Regionales de Fútbol . However the number of relegated teams often varied. The eighteen group champions also qualified for the following season's Copa del Rey , of which reserve teams were ineligible. Along with teams from Segunda División B , the remaining teams from the division competed in the Copa Federación . Until the 2018–19 season, the 18 group winners had the opportunity of direct promotion to
168-601: The Royal Spanish Football Federation announced the creation of three new divisions, two semi-professional and one amateur: the Primera División RFEF as the new third tier of the Spanish system; the Segunda División RFEF as the new fourth tier, broadly using the same format as the Segunda División B created in 1977; and the Tercera División RFEF as the fifth tier, along the same lines as
189-504: The Segunda División B . The group winners are drawn into a two-legged series, after which the nine winners are promoted to the Segunda División B. The nine losing clubs enter the play-off round for the last nine promotion spots. The 18 runners-up were drawn against one of the 17 fourth-placed clubs outside their group and the 18 third-placed clubs were drawn against one another in a two-legged series. The 27 winners advanced with
210-475: The Tercera División from 1977 whereby groups are limited to teams from each of the nation's autonomous communities and is administered by a local body. On 30 June 2022, after just one season of existence, Primera División RFEF was renamed to Primera Federación . The Primera Federación is made up of 40 clubs divided into two groups of 20 teams distributed by geographical proximity, initially with
231-561: The 18 runners-up were drawn against the third-place clubs within their groups, all in two-legged series. The 36 first-round winners played single knock-out games in each of their regions, from which 18 were promoted to the Segunda División B. The 18 losing clubs will be able to play additional play-off 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. However, two more clubs were promoted after
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#1732771920172252-467: 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
273-553: The 1977–78 season with the revival of Segunda División B which replaced the Tercera División as the third level. On 6 May 2020, the RFEF announced the creation of a new, two-group, 40-team third division called Primera División RFEF , which made the former third and fourth divisions, Segunda División B and Tercera División, respectively, drop down a level and change into Segunda División RFEF and Tercera División RFEF ;
294-478: The 2019–20 season, the promotion play-off rules were altered by an RFEF resolution after that season was suspended and later curtailed due to the coronavirus disease pandemic in Spain . Thus, the top four teams in each group at the time of suspension were deemed to qualify for the play-offs, which will be contested on a regional basis at neutral venues. The 18 group winners were drawn against the fourth-place clubs while
315-443: The RFEF cancelled the Tercera División repechages without replaying them, thus there are now four groups of 20 and one group of 22, subdivided into eight subgroups of 10 and two subgroups of 11. 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
336-407: The changes were made effective for the 2021–22 campaign. In July 2022, the division was renamed Tercera Federación . The Tercera Federación features 18 regional groups (like the former fourth tier Tercera División), corresponding to the autonomous communities of Spain (due to its size, Andalusia is divided into two groups, East and West; Ceuta is allocated to West Andalusia, while Melilla
357-534: The changes were made effective for the 2021–22 campaign. In bold , group champions are promoted to Segunda División B. Administrative promotions not included in this table. Tercera Divisi%C3%B3n RFEF Tercera Federación , previously known as Tercera RFEF , is the fifth tier of the Spanish football league system . It is below the La Liga , Segunda División , and its fellow semi-professional divisions Primera Federación and Segunda Federación . It
378-564: The following season's Copa del Rey . However reserve teams are ineligible. Along with teams from Segunda Federación , the remaining teams from the division compete in the Copa Federación . The member clubs of the Tercera Federación for the 2024–25 season are listed below. All group champions are promoted to Segunda Federación. Administrative promotions not included in this table. Primera Divisi%C3%B3n RFEF The Primera Federación , formerly known as Primera RFEF ,
399-410: The nine losing clubs from the champions' series to determine the 18 teams that entered the final two-legged series for the last nine promotion spots. In all the play-off 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
420-470: The second division, where two of eight teams win the play-offs and are promoted to Segunda División. The bottom five in each division are relegated to the fourth tier. The two group winners play the final of the tournament. The winner obtains direct qualification to the Copa del Rey second round, as well as receiving the Primera Federación champion trophy. Reserve teams can participate in
441-441: Was founded in 1929 as the third tier, and dropped down to the fourth and fifth tiers in 1977 and 2021, respectively. On 6 May 2020, the RFEF announced the creation of a new, two-group, 40-team third division called Primera División RFEF , which made the former third and fourth divisions, Segunda División B and Tercera División , respectively, to drop down a level and change into Segunda División RFEF and Tercera División RFEF ;
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