Azerbaijani football league system

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Azerbaijani football league system
Country Azerbaijan
Sport Association football
Promotion and relegation Yes (men)
No (women and amateur)
National system
Federation Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan
Confederation UEFA
Top division
Second division First League (men)
Cup competition Azerbaijan Cup (men)
Association football in Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani football league system is a series of partially unconnected leagues for Azerbaijani football clubs. Unlike in many other nations, Azerbaijan runs separate concurrent leagues for professional football and amateur football, with no regular promotion or relegation between the professional and amateur leagues.

Contents

As of May 2025, Qarabağ are the current record holders with 12 titles.

Current system

Professional football

The current system has been in place since the creation of the Azerbaijan Premier League at the start of the 2001–02 season. For each division, its official name, sponsored name and number of clubs is given:

LevelLeague(s) / Division(s)
Professional Leagues

1

Premyer Liqa
12 clubs
↓ 1 relegation spot + 1 relegation play-off spot

2

I Liqa
10 clubs
↑ 1 Promotion spot + ↑ 1 Promotion Play-off spot
↓ 3 relegation spot

Semi-Professional League

3

II Liqa
12 clubs
↑ 3 promotion spot + 1 promotion play-off spot
↓ 1 relegation spot + 1 relegation play-off spot

Non-Professional Leagues
4 Region Liqası
TBD clubs participate from 4 zones
16 club promotion to the final stage
↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion play-off spot

Capital and Northern Zone
↑ 4 promotion to the final stage

Southern Zone
↑ 4 promotion to the final stage

Center Zone
↑ 4 promotion to the final stage

North West and West Zone
↑ 4 promotion to the final stage


LevelLeague(s)
1

Azerbaijani Women's Football Championship
Irregular, currently defunct

Amateur football

Completely independent from the professional pyramid, there also exists an amateur league system. Azerbaijan's Amateur League is divided into four regions, which includes Baku, North, West and Central Region.

LevelLeague/Division
1 Azərbaycan Həvəskarlar Liqası
36 clubs

Cup eligibility

Domestic cups

All Azerbaijan Premier League and Azerbaijan First Division clubs directly enter the Azerbaijan Cup.

European cups

From season 2008-09, the top side in the Azerbaijan Premier League qualify for the second qualifying stage of Champions League, while the second and third placed teams qualifying for the first qualifying stage of UEFA Europa League. The winners of the Azerbaijan Cup also qualify for the Europa League's second qualifying stage.

While Azeri clubs initially entered the UEFA Women's Champions League from 2003, the removal of the senior league has meant that no Azeri team has competed since 2007.

See also

References

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