Liga 3 (Georgia)
| Founded | 2017
|
|---|---|
| Country | File:Flag of Georgia.svg 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 |
| Current: 2025 | |
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).
The current holders are Shturmi.
Structure and league system
[edit | edit source]There 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 | edit source]● 2017–18 = 20
● 2019–20 = 10
● 2021 = 14
● Since 2022 = 16
Current members
[edit | edit source]
Sixteen teams were competing in the 2025 season. Four of them, namely Borjomi, Kolkheti, Merani and WIT Georgia had previously played in the top division with the latter being the two-time national champions.[5] There was also one reserve team of a higher league member this season.
The clubs are listed below in alphabetical order.
| Clubs | Position last season | Location | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aragvi[a] | 7th in Liga 2 | Dusheti | Mtskheta-Mtianeti |
| Bakhmaro | 13th | Chokhatauri | Guria |
| Betlemi | 8th | Keda | Adjara |
| Borjomi[a] | 12th | Borjomi | Samtskhe-Javakheti |
| Didube[a] | 1st in Liga 4 | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Gardabani | 10th | Gardabani | Kvemo Kartli |
| Gori | 6th | Gori | Shida Kartli |
| Kolkheti | 10th in Liga 2 | Khobi | Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti |
| Locomotive-2 | 9th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Margveti 2006[a] | 2nd in Liga 4 | Zestaponi | Imereti |
| Merani Tbilisi | 7th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Odishi 1919[a] | 3rd in Liga 4 | Zugdidi | Samegrelo-Z.Svaneti |
| Orbi[b] | 5th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| Shturmi | 8th in Liga 2 | Sartichala | Kvemo Kartli |
| Varketili | 11th | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
| WIT Georgia | 9th in Liga 2 | Tbilisi | Tbilisi |
Results
[edit | edit source]Group Winners of Meore Liga
[edit | edit source]| 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 | edit source]| 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
[edit | edit source]The 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 | Kolkheti ● Borjomi ● Bakhmaro |
Note: Tbilisi City failed to obtain a league license for the 2023 season.
Participation per club
[edit | edit source]There have been 46 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 all the nine seasons after its re-branding as Liga 3.
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As of 2025 their current status is:
| Erovnuli Liga | 4 | |
| Erovnuli Liga 2 | 7 | |
| Liga 3 | 16 | |
| Liga 4 | 7 | |
| Regionuli Liga | 5 | |
| Defunct | 7 |
References
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