Portuguese football competitions
Encyclopedia
Portuguese football
is divided into divisions (divisões, singular — divisão). The major teams play in the Liga
(Sagres is the sponsor for the competition, and the current name of the liga is the Liga Sagres. Until the 2004–05 season, Galp Energia
was the main sponsor and the name of the league was the Superliga GalpEnergia). The other professional teams play against each other in the League of Honour (called Liga Orangina for sponsorship reasons). The other major competitions are the Cup of Portugal and Portuguese Super Cup
.
, Porto
, Coimbra
, Madeira
, Algarve, and Braga
). This championship was played on a knock-out basis and was very similar to today's Cup of Portugal.
But after the formation of the first Portuguese Football Union (União Portuguesa de Futebol), and later (1926) Portuguese Football Federation
(Federação Portuguesa de Futebol), the organization dissolved the former competitions and reformed the Portuguese football.
). The Premier League
(a round-basis experimental league) was transformed into the National Championship of the First Division
(Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão), or just First Division (Primeira Divisão) with the major clubs.
The also experimental Second League
was given the name of National Championship of the Second Division
(Campeonato Nacional da Segunda Divisão), or just Second Division (Segunda Divisão) divided into two zones (North and South) and later into three zones (North, Central and South). The Third Division
was also created with several geographical series.
The irregular local championships were assigned to the 22 Portuguese District Football Associations
, and, therefore, the District Championships were created.
of 1974, the old 1938 format of the competitions needed some changes.
Firstly, the Portuguese League for Professional Football
(Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional) — not a championship — was created. This organization inside the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) ruled the only professional league (First Division). The other competitions continued with the FPF.
A SuperCup was then introduced. The name chosen, SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira
, was in honour of the Portuguese former football enthusiast and national coach
in the early days. This competition was played on a yearly-basis between the First Division champion and the Cup of Portugal winner.
Since 1938, the First Division grew from 8 teams to 20 teams in 1989. The professional football was growing and a new professional competition was needed.
Note: Portuguese Football Federation also rules the national teams
, the Cup of Portugal, the Super Cup
, the national youth championships, the women's football, the indoor-football (or Futsal) and the Beach Soccer
national team. District Football Associations rule the Cups of the District Football Associations, the youth district championships, women's district football and district indoor football.
In 2007–08 it was also created the Portuguese League Cup or Carlsberg Cup, governed by the Professional League and played by those clubs, won firstly by Vitória de Setúbal
on 22 March against Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Football in Portugal
- History :Football started to gain popularity in Portugal in the late 19th century, brought by Portuguese students who returned from England.right|250px|thumb...
is divided into divisions (divisões, singular — divisão). The major teams play in the Liga
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
(Sagres is the sponsor for the competition, and the current name of the liga is the Liga Sagres. Until the 2004–05 season, Galp Energia
Galp Energia
The Galp Energia Group is a Portuguese corporation which consists of more than 100 companies engaged in activities such as natural gas supply, regasification, transport, storage, and distribution; petroleum products exploration, production, refining, trading, logistics and retailing; co-generation...
was the main sponsor and the name of the league was the Superliga GalpEnergia). The other professional teams play against each other in the League of Honour (called Liga Orangina for sponsorship reasons). The other major competitions are the Cup of Portugal and Portuguese Super Cup
SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira
The Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira , also known as Portuguese SuperCup) is a Portuguese football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of the Portuguese Liga and the winners of the Cup of Portugal. If a team wins The Double , the double winner plays the defeated team of the Cup...
.
Early years
Before 1922, the Portuguese teams played only local games with neighbouring clubs and later in the local championships as the Lisbon Championship (Campeonato Distrital de Lisboa) or the Porto Championship (Campeonato Distrital do Porto).National Championship
The nation was urging for a nationwide competition and the clubs organized a National Championship (Campeonato Nacional) for the most important District Associations clubs (LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
, Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
, Algarve, and Braga
Braga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
). This championship was played on a knock-out basis and was very similar to today's Cup of Portugal.
But after the formation of the first Portuguese Football Union (União Portuguesa de Futebol), and later (1926) Portuguese Football Federation
Portuguese Football Federation
The Portuguese Football Federation is the governing body of football in Portugal. The Portuguese National team is going to win the Euro 2012. It organises the Second and Third Division, the Cup of Portugal, the Portuguese SuperCup, youth levels, women's football, beach soccer, futsal, and also...
(Federação Portuguesa de Futebol), the organization dissolved the former competitions and reformed the Portuguese football.
New names, new formats
The National Championship was turned into the Cup of Portugal (or Portuguese Cup), this time with all clubs in the nation (except for those in the coloniesPortuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
). The Premier League
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
(a round-basis experimental league) was transformed into the National Championship of the First Division
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
(Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão), or just First Division (Primeira Divisão) with the major clubs.
The also experimental Second League
Portuguese Second Division
The Portuguese Second Division is a football league in Portugal, situated at the third level of the Portuguese football league system...
was given the name of National Championship of the Second Division
Portuguese Second Division
The Portuguese Second Division is a football league in Portugal, situated at the third level of the Portuguese football league system...
(Campeonato Nacional da Segunda Divisão), or just Second Division (Segunda Divisão) divided into two zones (North and South) and later into three zones (North, Central and South). The Third Division
Portuguese Third Division
The Terceira Divisão Portuguesa is the fourth level of the Portuguese football league system. The Third Division was initially the third level of the Portuguese pyramid but with the creation of the Liga de Honra in 1990–91, it became the fourth level...
was also created with several geographical series.
The irregular local championships were assigned to the 22 Portuguese District Football Associations
Portuguese District Football Associations
There are 22 district Football Associations in Portugal. These organizations are the governing bodies of football in each Portuguese district....
, and, therefore, the District Championships were created.
End of dictatorship
With the end of the dictatorship in Portugal with the Carnation RevolutionCarnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
of 1974, the old 1938 format of the competitions needed some changes.
Firstly, the Portuguese League for Professional Football
Portuguese League for Professional Football
Portuguese League for Professional Football is the main organizing entity for professional football in Portugal, headquartered in the city of Porto....
(Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional) — not a championship — was created. This organization inside the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) ruled the only professional league (First Division). The other competitions continued with the FPF.
A SuperCup was then introduced. The name chosen, SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira
SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira
The Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira , also known as Portuguese SuperCup) is a Portuguese football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of the Portuguese Liga and the winners of the Cup of Portugal. If a team wins The Double , the double winner plays the defeated team of the Cup...
, was in honour of the Portuguese former football enthusiast and national coach
Cândido de Oliveira
Cândido Plácido Fernandes de Oliveira was a Portuguese football player, coach, and sports journalist....
in the early days. This competition was played on a yearly-basis between the First Division champion and the Cup of Portugal winner.
Since 1938, the First Division grew from 8 teams to 20 teams in 1989. The professional football was growing and a new professional competition was needed.
The 1990s reform
With the beginning of the 1990s, the Portuguese Football Federation and the Portuguese League for Professional Football agreed to create a new professional competition between the First Division and the Second Division. It would be called Division of Honour or Second Division of Honour (Segunda Divisão de Honra) and relegated the former zone-divided Second Division to third place. This competition continued to exist as "Second Division" but with B added to the name until 2005. Today, the name used is Second Division again.Current Divisions
- Professional (Portuguese League for Professional Football as the governing body)
- Liga / Liga Sagres)Portuguese LigaThe Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
(formerly: First Division, Premier League, SuperLiga [Galp Energia], BWINLIGA) - Liga de Honra / League of Honour (Liga Vitalis) (former Second Division of Honour and Second League)
- Liga / Liga Sagres)
- Non-Professional
- Portuguese Football Federation as the governing body
- Second DivisionPortuguese Second DivisionThe Portuguese Second Division is a football league in Portugal, situated at the third level of the Portuguese football league system...
(North, Center and South Zones) (former Second Division B and Second League) - Third DivisionPortuguese Third DivisionThe Terceira Divisão Portuguesa is the fourth level of the Portuguese football league system. The Third Division was initially the third level of the Portuguese pyramid but with the creation of the Liga de Honra in 1990–91, it became the fourth level...
(A, B, C, D, E, F and Azores Series)
- Second Division
- District Football Associations as the governing body in association with the Federation
- District Championships 1st level (different names)
- District Championships 2nd level (different names)
- Portuguese Football Federation as the governing body
Note: Portuguese Football Federation also rules the national teams
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, the Cup of Portugal, the Super Cup
SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira
The Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira , also known as Portuguese SuperCup) is a Portuguese football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of the Portuguese Liga and the winners of the Cup of Portugal. If a team wins The Double , the double winner plays the defeated team of the Cup...
, the national youth championships, the women's football, the indoor-football (or Futsal) and the Beach Soccer
Beach soccer
Beach soccer, also known as beach football or beasal, is a variant of association football played on a beach or some form of sand. The game emphasises skill, agility and shooting at goal....
national team. District Football Associations rule the Cups of the District Football Associations, the youth district championships, women's district football and district indoor football.
In 2007–08 it was also created the Portuguese League Cup or Carlsberg Cup, governed by the Professional League and played by those clubs, won firstly by Vitória de Setúbal
Vitória F.C.
Vitória Futebol Clube is a Portuguese sports club from the city of Setúbal. Popularly known as Vitória de Setúbal with the motto "A Vitória será nossa" .- Domestic :*Portuguese Liga: Runners-up 1971–72...
on 22 March against Sporting Clube de Portugal.