Liga II (women's football)

Liga II is the second level women's football league in Romania. A second tier women's football competition was first created in 1990 under the name Divizia B. After the fall of communism, organised women's football started to take off, and the founded clubs were distributed into 2 leagues - Divizia A with 12 teams and Divizia B with 30 teams grouped into 3 series, following a tournament called Cupa Libertății.[1] Some time after, the number women's clubs declined, and the division was disbanded.

Liga II
Founded1990 as Divizia B
2013 as Liga I
2017 as Liga II
Country Romania
ConfederationUEFA
Divisions2
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toLiga I
Relegation toLiga III
Domestic cup(s)Romanian Women's Cup
Current championsVasas Femina FC and Olimpia Gherla
(2023-24)
Websitefrfotbal.ro
Current: 2024–25 Liga II

The second-level league was reintroduced starting with the 2013–14 season, when it formally received the name Liga I, following the introduction of Superliga as the top-tier league. However, as of the 2017–18 season, it was rebranded as Liga II, since the Superliga brand was quietly dropped altogether.[2]

Format

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Since its reintroduction in 2013, Liga II has had two parallel regional divisions (series). Second teams of clubs in the top league cannot promote.

The 2020-21 season has had three parallel regional divisions (groups) with the group's winner teams (CSS Târgoviște, Ladies Târgu Mureș, Dream Team Bucharest) qualifying for promotional play-off as well as the best second team (ACS United Bihor).[3] The matches in the play-off for promotion to the Women's League 1 will be played in a single round, resulting in three games for each team, the first two ranked will be promoted to Liga 1 Feminin.[4]

Winners

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The following is a list of all Romanian women's second-tier football league winners since its reintroduction in 2013. The first place is declared the champion of the series, promotes to Liga I, and is presented with a trophy. The top three teams currently also receive gold, silver and bronze medals from the Romanian Football Federation. Promoted teams are denoted in italics.

Ed. Season Series Champions Runner-up Third place No. Teams System
1 2013–14 Liga I Seria Nord Heniu Prundu Bârgăului Vasas Femina Odorhei Armonia Dolhești 7 14 2 series with 7 teams each- playing a double round robin.
Seria Sud Universitatea Alexandria Viitorul Buzău Oțelul Galați 7
2 2014–15 Liga I Seria I Olimpia 2 Cluj Vasas Femina Odorhei Independența Baia Mare 8 16 2 series with 8 teams each- playing a double round robin.
Seria II Năvobi Iași CSȘ Târgoviște Selena Constanța 8
3 2015–16 Liga I Seria I CSȘ Târgoviște Viitorul Reghin Armonia Dolhești 10 21 2 series with 10/11 teams each- playing a double round robin.
Seria II CFR Timișoara Olimpia 2 Cluj Real 2 Craiova 11
4 2016–17 Liga I Seria I Universitatea Alexandria Viitorul Reghin Selena Constanța 8 16 2 series with 8 teams each- playing a double round robin.
Seria II Olimpia 2 Cluj Fortuna Becicherecu Mic Vasas 2 Femina Odorhei 8
5 2017–18 Liga II Seria I Universitatea Galați Selena Constanța Onix Râmnicu Sărat 8 16 2 series with 8 teams each- playing a double round robin.
Seria II Independența Baia Mare Vasas 2 Femina Odorhei Olimpia 2 Cluj 8
6 2018–19 Liga II Seria I Selena Constanța Vulpițele Galbene Roman Vasas 2 Femina Odorhei 8 16 2 series with 8 teams each- playing a double round robin, plus an additional double-legged promotion play-off between second-placed promotable teams.
Seria II Piroș Security Arad U Olimpia Cluj 2 Luceafărul Filiași 8
7 2019–20 Liga II Seria I Carmen București Vulpițele Galbene Roman Vasas 2 Femina Odorhei 7 14 2 series with 7 teams each- playing a double round robin planned, but only single round-robin completed due to the 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic.
Seria II Banat Girls Reșița U Olimpia Cluj 2 Olimpic Star Cluj 7
8 2020–21 Liga II Seria I CSS Târgoviște Vulpițele Galbene Roman Vasas 2 Femina Odorhei 5 17 2 series with 5 teams each- playing a triple round robin and one series with 7 teams playing a double round robin. The top promotable team in each of the first two series, along with the first two places in the third series played an additional single round robin promotion play-off, with the top two teams promoting.
Seria II Ladies Târgu Mureș Csikszereda Miercurea Ciuc U Olimpia Cluj 2 5
Seria III Dream Team București United Bihor CSM Târgu Mureș 7
9 2021–22 Seria I Csiksereda ACS Vulpițele Galbene Roman Navobi Iasi 8 17 2 series with 8 (Seria I) and 9 (Seria II) teams respectively - playing home-away. The champion of each series advances to the Romanian Liga I.
Seria II U Olimpia Cluj 2 CS Carmen București 1937 ACS Dream Team 9
10 2022–23 Seria I Farul Constanța ACS Liceenii Topolog ACS Vulpițele Galbene Roman 9 19 2 series with 9 (Seria I) and 10 (Seria II) teams respectively - playing home-away. The champion of each series advances to the Romanian Liga I.
Seria II Gloria Bistrița-Năsăud U Olimpia Cluj 2 Olimpia Gherla 10
11 2023–24 Seria I Vasas Femina FC ACS Vulpițele Galbene Roman Oțelul Galați 10 19 2 series with 10 (Seria I) and 9 (Seria II) teams respectively - playing home-away. The champion of each series advances to the Romanian Liga I.
Seria II Olimpia Gherla Politehnica Timișoara 2 FC Hermannstadt 9
12 2024–25 Seria I 6 16 2 series with 6 (Seria I) and 10 (Seria II) teams respectively - playing home-away. The champion of each series advances to the Romanian Liga I.
Seria II 10

References

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  1. ^ Celălalt fotbal (PDF)
  2. ^ "Competitii Interne - FRF".
  3. ^ "Competitii Interne - FRF".
  4. ^ "Play-off-ul pentru promovarea în Liga 1 Feminin debutează sâmbătă! Dream Team – Ladies Târgu Mureș, derby-ul primei etape | Federația Română de Fotbal".