Norwegian Third Division
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Third Division is the fourth highest division of the men's football league in Norway
. Like the rest of the Norwegian football league system
, the season runs from spring to autumn, running approximately from April to October. After the 2010 season
, the league was reorganised, reducing the number of teams to 164 and halving the number of parallel sections from 24 to 12.
From 2011
, there will be 12 parallel sections of the Third Division, and the winner of each will be promoted to the Second Division. Ten sections will consist of 14 teams each, from the South of Norway, the last two sections will consist of 12 teams each, from the North of Norway (the counties Nordland
, Troms
and Finnmark
). In the sections with 14 teams, the bottom three teams will be relegated to the Fourth Division, and in the two sections with 12 teams each, the bottom two teams will be relegated.
Like in the rest of the Norwegian Football league, all the teams play each other twice, once at home and once away. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and if two teams are equal on points, the won with the best goal difference is above the other on the table. The teams are placed in the 12 sections according to geographic considerations.
Reserve teams of clubs from the two top divisions can participate in the Third Division. Reserve teams of clubs from the First Division
can not play in the Second Division, and so can not be promoted from the Third Division.
The Third Division was known as the Fourth Division until 1990, when the First Division changed its name to Tippeligaen
, the Second Division became the First Division and the names of all the lower divisions were adjusted accordingly. Until 2010, there were 24 parallel sections of the Third Division, each consisting of between 10 and 16 teams. The winners paired up and played each other in one home match and one away match in a playoff
. Thus, 12 teams were promoted to the Second Division. This system was in place from 2001
. The number of teams that were relegated from each section to the Fourth Division, varied from two to four, depending on the number of teams in each section.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Like the rest of the Norwegian football league system
Norwegian football league system
The current national league system administered by the football association is organised as 1-1-4-12, where Tippeligaen is the highest Norwegian level and Adeccoligaen the second highest, followed by four third level and 12 fourth level ....
, the season runs from spring to autumn, running approximately from April to October. After the 2010 season
2010 Norwegian Third Division
The 2010 season of the 3. divisjon, the fourth highest association football league for men in Norway.Between 22 and 26 games were played in 24 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws...
, the league was reorganised, reducing the number of teams to 164 and halving the number of parallel sections from 24 to 12.
From 2011
2011 Norwegian Third Division
The 2011 season of the 3. divisjon, the fourth highest association football league for men in Norway.Between 22 and 26 games are played in 12 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws...
, there will be 12 parallel sections of the Third Division, and the winner of each will be promoted to the Second Division. Ten sections will consist of 14 teams each, from the South of Norway, the last two sections will consist of 12 teams each, from the North of Norway (the counties Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
, Troms
Troms
or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea...
and Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
). In the sections with 14 teams, the bottom three teams will be relegated to the Fourth Division, and in the two sections with 12 teams each, the bottom two teams will be relegated.
Like in the rest of the Norwegian Football league, all the teams play each other twice, once at home and once away. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and if two teams are equal on points, the won with the best goal difference is above the other on the table. The teams are placed in the 12 sections according to geographic considerations.
Reserve teams of clubs from the two top divisions can participate in the Third Division. Reserve teams of clubs from the First Division
Adeccoligaen
The Norwegian First Division is the second highest division of the Norwegian football league system. Since 2005, the official name of the league has been Adeccoligaen....
can not play in the Second Division, and so can not be promoted from the Third Division.
The Third Division was known as the Fourth Division until 1990, when the First Division changed its name to Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
, the Second Division became the First Division and the names of all the lower divisions were adjusted accordingly. Until 2010, there were 24 parallel sections of the Third Division, each consisting of between 10 and 16 teams. The winners paired up and played each other in one home match and one away match in a playoff
Playoffs to the Norwegian Second Division
The Playoffs to the Norwegian Second Division in association football took place from 2000 up to and including the 2010 season.The playoffs were instituted because of the streamlining of the Second Division ahead of the 2001 season...
. Thus, 12 teams were promoted to the Second Division. This system was in place from 2001
2001 Norwegian Third Division
The 2001 season of the 3. divisjon, the fourth highest association football league for men in Norway.Between 18 and 24 games were played in 24 groups, with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws...
. The number of teams that were relegated from each section to the Fourth Division, varied from two to four, depending on the number of teams in each section.