Liga Nusantara

Last updated
Liga Nusantara
Organising body PSSI (2014–2024)
PT Liga Indonesia Baru (2024–onwards)
Founded1994;31 years ago (1994)
(As Divisi Dua Liga Indonesia in 4th tier)
2008;17 years ago (2008) (As Divisi Satu Liga Indonesia in 3rd tier)
2014;11 years ago (2014)
(as Liga Nusantara in 4th tier)
2016;9 years ago (2016)
(as ISC Liga Nusantara in 3rd tier)
(Unofficial Competition)
2017;8 years ago (2017)
(as Liga 3 in 3rd tier)
2024;1 year ago (2024)
(as Liga Nusantara in 3rd tier)
CountryIndonesia
Confederation AFC
Number of clubs24
Level on pyramid3
Promotion to Liga 2
Relegation to Liga 4
Domestic cup(s) Piala Indonesia
Current champions Sumut United
1st Liga Nusantara title
2nd third-tier title
(2024–25)
Most championships Sumut United
Persik Kediri
(2 titles)
TV partners
Website Official website
Current: 2025–26 Liga Nusantara

Liga Nusantara (English: Archipelago League), officially known as PNM Liga Nusantara for sponsorship reasons, is the third-tier of the football competition system in Indonesia, organized by Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI). [1] The competition started in 2014 after PSSI merged the previous competitions, Liga Indonesia Second Division and Liga Indonesia Third Division. The competition is usually divided into several groups because of factors in terms of geography and number of participants. However, in the 2024–25 season liga 3 competition which was previously held and run by the PSSI Provincial Association is now managed by PT. Liga Indonesia Baru.

Contents

History

The competition was established after Liga Indonesia Second Division and Liga Indonesia Third Division merged in 2014. Starting in 2015, the Liga Indonesia First Division was also merged with Liga Nusantara making it the third-tier level in Indonesian football system. [1] Persatu Tuban won the competition's first season. [2]

In 2017, Liga Nusantara was renamed to Liga 3, along with Indonesian Super League and Indonesian Premier Division which were renamed to Liga 1 and Liga 2, respectively. [3]

In 2024, Liga 3 was renamed back to the Liga Nusantara, along with the establishment of Liga 4 as fourth-tier level.

Format

Old format

The system that will be used in Liga 3 is a full competition with a home-away format. Each participating club is required to compete at least 18 times during the competition season. This is different from previous amateur competitions where the number of matches per club can be uneven. There are those who can compete more than 10, but there are also those who only competed 2 times.

Provincial phase

Each province will hold a provincial phase, they are followed by amateur clubs without a limit of participants with different competition formats, the difference in the format is due to the different number of participants in each province. Furthermore, the teams that qualify from the provincial phase will compete in national phase.

National phase

A total of 80 teams will enter this phase.

  • First round: 80 teams are divided into sixteen groups of 5. Each group is played on a home tournament basis. Winner and runner-up of each group advance to the second round.
  • Second round: 32 teams which are the winners and runners-up from each group of the first round. They divided into eight groups of 4 and each winner and runner-up advances to the third round.
  • Third round: 16 teams are divided into two groups. Each group is played on a home tournament basis. Same as previous round, the winner and runner-up of each group advance to the fourth round.
  • Fourth round: 8 teams are divided into two groups. The three best teams of each group are promoted to the Liga 2. The winner of each group also advances to the final.
  • Final: The 2 group winners from the fourth round play in the final match. The final played as a single match.

New format

The league format was announced on 7 November 2024. There will be no provincial or national phase. Instead, there will be four rounds: [4]

Teams

Maps

Indonesia location map.svg
Blue pog.svg
Blue pog.svg
Blue pog.svg
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Locations of non-Java-based 2025–26 Liga Nusantara teams.

Current participating teams

Note: According to 2025–26 season.

TeamJoined to LILocationFirst season in D3Seasons in D3Current spell in Liga NusantaraMost recent spell
second-tier
Year joinedSeason in LN
Dejan 2022–233 Depok 2022–2332025–2024–2025
Gresik United 20065 Gresik 201852025–2022–2025
Nusantara United 2021 [Note NUS] 2 Nusantara 2021–2222025–2022–2025
NZR Sumbersari 2018 [Note NZR] 8 Malang 201882018––
Persekabpas 1995–969 Pasuruan 2009–10152017––
Perserang 20112 Serang 2024–2532024–2017–2024
Persewar 20053 Waropen 2011–1282025–2019–2025
Persiba Bantul 20048 Bantul 201882018–2015–2017
Persibo 20007 Bojonegoro 201772025–2024–2025
Persikabo 1973 2016 [Note PBO] 1 Bogor 2025–2612025–2024–2025
Persikota 1994–958 Tangerang 201782025–2024–2025
Persipa 1994–956 Pati 2010102025–2022–2025
PSDS 1994–957 Deli Serdang 2011–1292024–2022–2024
PSGC 1994–957 Ciamis 2010–1192020–2019
RANS Nusantara 2013 [Note RNS] 2 Nusantara 201422025–2024–2025
Waanal Brothers 2022–234 Mimika 2022–2342022––
Recently relegated from Liga 2
Recently promoted from Liga 4
Former names
  1. ^
    Nusantara United (NUS): previously as Mataram Utama.
  2. ^
    NZR Sumbersari (NZR): previously as Sumbersari FC.
  3. ^
    Persikabo 1973 (PBO): previously as PS TNI.
  4. ^
    RANS Nusantara (RNS): previously as Cilegon United.

Former teams

Note: Since 2024–25.

TeamJoined to LILocationFirst season in
D3		Seasons in
D3		Last spell in
Liga Nusantara		Current league
Year joinedSeason in LN
757 Kepri Jaya 20187 Batam 201872018–2025Liga 4
Kalteng Putra 20011 Palangka Raya 2008–0942024–2025Liga 4
Persiba Balikpapan 1994–951 Balikpapan 2024–2512024–2025Liga 2
Persikab 1994–956 Bandung Regency 201672024–2025Liga 4
Persipani 20178 Paniai 201782017–2025Liga 4
PCB Persipasi 2017 [Note PCB] 8 Bekasi 201782017–2025Liga 4
PSCS 1994–952 Cilacap 2009–1032024–2025Liga 4
PSM Madiun 1994–957 Madiun 201872018–2025Liga 4
Sulut United 2017 [Note SUL] 2 Manado 201822024–2025Liga 4
Sumut United 2019 [Note SUM] 4 Karo 201942024–2025Liga 2
Tornado 20187 Pekanbaru 201872018–2025Liga 2
Recently promoted to Liga 2
Recently relegated to Liga 4
Former names
  1. ^
    PCB Persipasi (PCB): previously as Patriot Patriot Candrabhaga FC.
  2. ^
    Sulut United (SUL): previously as Bogor FC.
  3. ^
    Sumut United (SUM): previously as Karo United.

Championship history

Old format

One-off final

SeasonLeague nameChampionsScoreRunners-up
2014 Liga Nusantara Persatu Tuban 2–1 Laga
2015Season abandoned due to FIFA suspension of Indonesia
2017 Liga 3 Blitar United 2–1 Persik Kendal
2019 Persijap Jepara 3–1 PSKC Cimahi
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia
2021–22 Karo United 3–3 (4–2 p) Putra Delta Sidoarjo
2022–23 Season abandoned after Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster
2023–24 Adhyaksa Farmel 3–2 ( a.e.t. ) Persibo Bojonegoro

Two-legged final

SeasonLeague nameHome teamScoreAway team
2018 Liga 3 Persik Kediri 3–1 PSCS Cilacap
PSCS Cilacap 1–0 Persik Kediri
Persik Kediri won 3–2 on aggregate

New format

SeasonLeague nameChampionsScoreRunners-up
2024–25 Liga Nusantara Sumut United 4–1 Tornado

    Promotion history

    Old format

    SeasonPromoted teamsNumber of promoted teams
    2014 Persatu, Laga, Perssu, PS Badung, Perserang, Persibas 6
    2017 Blitar United, Persik Kendal, Aceh United 3
    2018 Persik Kediri, PSCS, Persatu, PSGC, Persewar, Bogor 6
    2019 Persijap, PSKC, Tiga Naga, Persekat, Putra Sinar Giri, Semeru 6
    2021–22 Karo United, Putra Delta Sidoarjo, PSDS, Mataram Utama, Deltras, Persikab, Persipa, Gresik United 8
    2023–24 Adhyaksa Farmel, Persibo, Dejan, Persikota, Persiku, Persikas Subang 6

    New Format

    SeasonChampionsRunners-upThird place
    2024–25 Sumut United Tornado Persiba Balikpapan
    2025–26

    Relegation history

    SeasonRelegated teamsNumber of relegated teams
    2024–25 Kalteng Putra (withdrew), Sulut United (withdrew), Persipani (disqualified), 757 Kepri Jaya, Persikab, PCB Persipasi, PSCS, PSM Madiun 8
    2025–26

    Awards

    Best players

    SeasonPlayerClub
    2014 Flag of Indonesia.svg Edi Winarno [5] Persatu Tuban
    2017 Flag of Indonesia.svg Assanur Rijal Aceh United
    2018 Flag of Indonesia.svg Galih Akbar Persik Kediri
    2019 Flag of Indonesia.svg Rizki Hidayat Persijap Jepara
    2021–22 Flag of Indonesia.svg Rian Ramadan Karo United
    2023–24 Flag of Indonesia.svg Sehabudin Ahmad Adhyaksa Farmel
    2024–25 Flag of Indonesia.svg Yanuar Baehaki Tornado

    Top scorers

    SeasonTop scorerClubGoals
    2014 Flag of Indonesia.svg Imam Bagus Kurnia Laga 4
    2017 Flag of Indonesia.svg Arianto Aceh United 7
    2018 Flag of Indonesia.svg Septian Bagaskara Persik Kediri 21
    2019 Flag of Indonesia.svg Rikza Syawali PSKC Cimahi 9
    2021–22 Flag of Indonesia.svg Adam Malik Putra Delta Sidoarjo 11
    2023–24 Flag of Indonesia.svg Andi Sopian Dejan 9
    2024–25 Flag of Indonesia.svg Ali Mashori Persekabpas Pasuruan 14

    Fair play awards

    SeasonClub
    2018 Persik Kediri
    2019 PSKC Cimahi
    2021–22 Mataram Utama
    2023–24 Dejan
    2024–25 Not awarded

    Title sponsors

    PeriodSponsor(s)BrandRef.
    2014No sponsorLiga Nusantara–
    2017–2024Liga 3–
    2024–present PNM Liga Nusantara

    References

    1. 1 2 "Mulai Tahun Ini PSSI akan Gelar Liga Nusantara". tribunnews.com (in Indonesian). 25 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
    2. ↑ "Persatu Juarai Piala Nusantara 2014" (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 14 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
    3. ↑ "PSSI Ubah ISL Jadi Liga 1" (in Indonesian). Bola.net. 20 January 2017. Archived from the original on 22 January 2017.
    4. ↑ auglandy, Niko (2024-11-09). "Liga 3 Resmi Ganti Nama Jadi Liga Nusantara: Ini Daftar Peserta, Regulasi, dan Jadwal Pertandingannya". Radar Solo (in Indonesian).
    5. ↑ "Luar Biasa! Jatim Kuasai Piala Nusantara 2014" (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
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