Liga 3 (Georgian: ლიგა 3), organized by the Georgian Football Federation, is the third division of professional football in Georgia. Introduced for the 2017 season with the launch of the Erovnuli Liga, it is a rebrand of the former Meore Liga (the Second League).
| Founded | 2017
|
|---|---|
| Country |  Georgia |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Number of clubs | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Erovnuli Liga 2 |
| Relegation to | Liga 4 |
| Domestic cup | Georgian Cup |
| Current champions | Shturmi (1st title) (2025) |
| Website | liga.gff.ge |
The current holders are Shturmi.
Structure and league system
editThere were 20 teams competing in the league in 2017. In 2019, when Liga 4 was formed, their number was reduced to ten,[1] although after two seasons GFF decided to extend the league to 14 at the expense of two bottom teams from the previous season and two second-placed clubs from Liga 4 While and Red Groups.[2] In 2022, the number of clubs was increased to 16.[3]
Seasons run based on Spring-Autumn system with each team playing an equal amount of home and away games against their league rivals.
The league operates based on a system of promotion and relegation. Starting from the 2022 season, champions and runners-up win automatic promotion to Erovnuli Liga 2, while the teams that finish in the third and fourth positions book a place in promotion play-off home and away games against respectively the 8th and 7th placed clubs of Liga 2. Three bottom teams are relegated to Liga 4.[4]
In case two or more clubs obtain the same number of points, their head-to-head records are next to be taken into consideration.
Number of teams each season
edit● 2017–18 = 20
● 2019–20 = 10
● 2021 = 14
● Since 2022 = 16
Current members
edit
Sixteen teams will be competing in the 2026 season. Half of them are based in Tbilisi. Five clubs, namely Guria, Kolkheti, Locomotive, Merani and WIT Georgia have previously played in the top division with the latter being the two-time national champions.[5] There are also two reserve teams of higher league members this season. Locomotive, Iberia 2010 and Iveria are making their debut in the league.
The clubs are listed below in alphabetical order.
| Clubs | Position last season | Location | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betlemi | 10th | Keda | Adjara |
| Didube | 8th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Dinamo Tbilisi-2 | 10th in Liga 2 | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Gardabani | 11th | Gardabani | Kvemo Kartli |
| Gonio | 9th in Liga 2 | Batumi | Adjara |
| Guria | 3rd in Liga 4 | Lanchkhuti | Guria |
| Iberia 1999 B | 8th in Liga 2 | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Iberia 2010 | 1st in Liga 4 | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Iveria | 2nd in Liga 4 | Khashuri | Shida Kartli |
| Kolkheti | 14th | Khobi | Samegrelo |
| Locomotive | 7th in Liga 2 | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Margveti 2006 | 12th | Zestaponi | Imereti |
| Merani Tbilisi | 9th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Orbi | 7th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Tbilisi 2025 | 5th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| WIT Georgia | 6th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
Results
editGroup Winners of Meore Liga
edit| Season | West | East | Center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | Chikhura II | Sasco | — |
| 2012–13 | Matchakhela | Kartli 2011 | — |
| 2013–14 | Lazika | Borjomi | — |
| 2014–15 | Imereti | Tskhumi | Liakhvi Tskhinvali |
| 2015–16 | Sulori | Gardabani | Mark Stars |
| 2016 | Betlemi ● Margveti ● Samegrelo | Algeti ● N.Dinamo ● Shevardeni ● Telavi | Gori |
Note: Due to the season being transitional in 2016, none of the teams was promoted
Top three teams of Liga 3
edit| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Shevardeni 1906 | Norchi Dinamo | Telavi |
| 2018 | Zugdidi | Bakhmaro | Guria |
| 2019 | Merani Martvili | Samgurali | Aragvi |
| 2020 | Gareji | Kolkheti 1913 | Gori |
| 2021 | Spaeri | Kolkheti 1913 | Tbilisi City |
| 2022 | Dinamo Tbilisi-2 | Kolkheti 1913 | Aragvi |
| 2023 | Aragvi | Shturmi | Rustavi |
| 2024 | Gonio | Meshakhte | Merani Martvili |
| 2025 | Shturmi | Gori | Odishi 1919 |
Notes: Apart from the champions who were automatically promoted to the second division, the teams indicated in bold gained promotion after winning the play-offs against their Liga 2 rivals. Due to the changed format, since 2022 the runners-up of the seasons have been also promoted directly.
Relegated teams
editThe number of relegated teams per each recent season varies due to the fact that the competition format is subject to frequent changes.
| Season | Clubs |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Odishi 1919 ● Chkherimela ● Liakhvi ● Sapovnela |
| 2018 | Samegrelo ● Magaroeli ● Varketili ● Algeti ● Mark Stars ● Imereti ● Gardabani ● Sulori ● Samgurali-2 ● Matchakhela |
| 2019 | Borjomi ● Betlemi |
| 2020 | NONE |
| 2021 | Magaroeli ● Didube |
| 2022 | Tbilisi City* |
| 2023 | Merani-2 ● Chikhura |
| 2024 | Zestaponi ● Matchakhela ● Guria |
| 2025 | Locomotive-2 ● Borjomi ● Bakhmaro |
Note: Tbilisi City failed to obtain a league license for the 2023 season.
Participation per club
editThere have been 49 teams in total competing in this league since 2017. Gori are topping the list with an overall ten-year continuous tenure in the third tier, including nine successive seasons after its re-branding as Liga 3.
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|
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As of 2026 their current status is:
| Erovnuli Liga | 4 | |
| Erovnuli Liga 2 | 8 | |
| Liga 3 | 16 | |
| Liga 4 | 6 | |
| Regionuli Liga | 9 | |
| Defunct | 6 |
References
edit- ↑ "2019 regular season". soccerway.com.
- ↑ "სფფ-ს აღმასკომი - ცვლილებები Crystalbet ეროვნულ ლიგაში". crystalsport.ge (in Georgian), 25 January 2021.
- ↑ "2022 წლიდან ლიგა 2-ში და ლიგა 3-ში გუნდების რაოდენობა იზრდება". primesport.ge (in Georgian), 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ↑ "სფფ-ში აღმასრულებელი კომიტეტის სხდომა გაიმართა". gff.ge (in Georgian), 22 February 2022.
- ↑ "Georgian Football League Champions by Year". myfootballfacts.com. Retrieved 19 January 2025.