Football in Romania

Football is the most popular sport in Romania.cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=The Europa World Year Book|publisher=Routledge|year=2007|volume=2|title=Romania.] The Romanian Football Federation (Romanian: "Federaţia Română de Fotbal" or "FRF"), a member of UEFA, is the sport's national governing body.

League system

Professional league football began in Romania as Divizia A in 1909. The name of the top-flight league was changed to Liga I before the 2006-07 season. Currently, domestic play is organized in a four tier league system comprised of Liga I, Liga II, Liga III, and various county leagues.

Liga I

The country's top-flight division is Liga I. The league contains 18 teams, with the champion gaining automatic entry into the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League and the runner-up placing into the second qualifying round. Steaua Bucureşti is the most successful club in the history of Liga I, having won 23 league championships and being runner-up 12 times. Dinamo Bucureşti is the only other club with sustained success in Liga I, having won 18 titles. The four clubs at the bottom of the league table are relegated to Liga II.

Lower divisions

Liga II is divided into two divisions (East and West), each containing 18 teams. The top two teams in each division are promoted to Liga I, while the bottom four teams from each division are relegated to Liga III.

Liga III contains 108 teams split into six divisions of 18 teams each. The top club from each division is promoted to Liga II. Additionally, two separate three-team playoffs are held involving the second place clubs from each division, with the playoff winners also being promoted. The bottom three teams from each division are relegated to the county leagues in addition to three of the 15th-placed teams.

Cup competitions

In addition to league, play there are two major cup competitions: the Cupa României, open to all Romanian professional football clubs, and the Supercupa României, which matches the champions of Liga I and the winners of the Cupa României.

Qualification for European competitions

Romania national football team

The Romania national football team played its first match in 1922 and is one of only four national teams to have taken part in the first three World Cups, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium. Overall, they have played in seven World Cups, most recently in 1998. They have also competed in four European Championships, most recently in 2008. The team's most successful period was in the 1990s when, led by Gheorghe Hagi, they reached the quarterfinals of the 1994 World Cup.

ee also

* Romanian Professional Football League
* Sport in Romania
* Match fixing in Romanian football
* Romanian Football Federation
* Romania national football team
* Romania national football team players
* Romania national under-21 football team
* Romania women's national football team
* Romanian football league system
* List of football stadiums in Romania

References