A request that this article title be changed to Swedish football division 3 is under discussion . Please do not move this article until the discussion is closed. |
This article needs to be updated.(January 2020) |
| Founded | 2006 |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Number of clubs | 144 (in twelve groups) |
| Level on pyramid | 5 |
| Promotion to | Division 2 |
| Relegation to | Division 4 |
| Current: 2025 Swedish Football Division 3 | |
| Swedish men's football league structure |
|---|
| Allsvenskan (Tier 1) |
| Superettan (Tier 2) |
| Ettan (Tier 3) |
| Division 2 (Tier 4) |
| Division 3 (Tier 5) |
| Division 4 (Tier 6) |
| Division 5 (Tier 7) |
| Division 6 (Tier 8) |
| Division 7 (Tier 9) |
| Division 8 (Tier 10) |
Division 3 is the fifth level in the league system of Swedish football and comprises 144 Swedish football teams. Division 3 had status as the official third level from 1928 to 1986, but was replaced by Division 2 in 1987. It then had status as the official fourth level until 2005, but was replaced once again as Division 1 was recreated in 2006.
There are 144 clubs in Division 3, divided in 12 groups of 12 teams each representing a geographical area. During the course of a season (starting in April and ending in October) each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 22 games. The top team in each Division 3 group is promoted to Division 2 and the two lowest placed teams from each Division 2 league are relegated in their place. The second placed teams in each Division 3 group plays promotion/relegation play-offs against the third lowest teams in Division 2.
Normally, at the end of each season the three lowest placed teams of each group are relegated to the regional Division 4 and thirty-six teams from the regional Division 4 leagues are promoted in their place while the fourth lowest placed teams in the Division 3 leagues plays promotion/relegation play-offs against teams in Division 4. There were a series of relegation/promotion play-offs at the end of the 2010 season. [1]
The Swedish Football Association (Swedish : Svenska Fotbollförbundet;SvFF) is responsible for the administration of Division 3.