 | |
| Founded | 2010–present 1962–2010 (as Beta Ethniki) |
|---|---|
| Country | Greece |
| Number of teams | 20 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Super League 2 |
| Relegation to | Gamma Ethniki |
| Domestic cup(s) | Greek Cup |
| Current champions | Trikala (5th title) (2019–20) |
| Most championships | Panachaiki (6 titles) |
| Top goalscorer | Ilias Chatzieleftheriou (152 goals) |
| TV partners | ERT3 |
| Website | sl2fl.gr |
| Current: 2020–21 Football League | |
The Football League Greece (Greek: Ελληνική Φούτμπολ Λιγκ) is the third highest professional football league in Greece, being a feeder-league to the second tier Super League 2.
History[edit]
As the Second National Division (1962–2019)[edit]
As the second tier of the Greek football league system, the Beta Ethniki was formally established in the fall of 1962, replacing the informal Greek FCA Winners' Championship, which at the time had tried various experimental formats towards establishing a second national football Division. All participating clubs had to disengage from their local football clubs associations' championships as a prerequisite for eligibility.
In its early years, the competition format was frequently altered each season. The competition was originally held in four groups of 14 clubs each until 1968–69, when the competition was reformatted to contain two groups. The following six years (1969–70 up to 1974–75), the competition was held with three Groups, whereas from 1975 to 1976 up to 1982–83 the league was again contested in two Groups, North and South. In the autumn of 1983, a single, pan-Hellenic League Table was established, a format that has been applied continuously until the 2012–13 season. When football in Greece became professional, the Hellenic Football Federation handed over the responsibility for the competition's organization to the Greek Professional Football Clubs Association (Greek: ΕΠΑΕ). In 2006, the Professional Football Association of the Second and Third National Divisions (Greek: ΕΕΠ Β΄ & Γ΄ Εθνικής) was set up, which replaced the Greek Professional Football Clubs Association as the governing authority of the Second and Third National Divisions.
In August 2010, the division's governing body decided to change its own, as well as the competition's distinctive title to Football League.[1] The competition was contested as the Second National Division until 2019, when the Greek football league system was restructured and the Super League 2 was established as the new feeder league to the Super League.
As the Third National Division (2019–)[edit]
As of 2019, the Football League Greece replaced the Gamma Ethniki as the third tier of the Greek football league system.
Structure of the league[edit]
At present, there are 20 clubs that compete in the Football League, playing each other in a home and away series. At the end of the season, the bottom four teams are relegated to the Gamma Ethniki. The top two teams gain automatic promotion. Unlike the Super League, clubs in the Football League do not get relegated if the club fails to obtain a license. All teams in the Football League take part in the Greek Cup.
Current clubs[edit]
Olympiacos Volos
Kallithea
The following 20 clubs are competing in the Football League during the 2020–21 season.
| Club | Finishing position last season | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Kozani | 1st in Gamma Ethniki (Group 4) | Kozani | Kozani Municipal Stadium | 4,000 |
| Almopos Aridea | 1st in Gamma Ethniki (Group 2) | Aridaea | Aridea Municipal Stadium | |
| Apollon Pontus | 12th in the Super League 2 | Thessaloniki | Kalamaria Stadium | 6,500 |
| Aspropyrgos | 12th | Aspropyrgos | Aspropyrgos Municipal Stadium | 2,000 |
| Asteras Vlachioti | 1st in Gamma Ethniki (Group 7) | Vlachioti | Vlachioti Municipal Stadium | 600 |
| Egaleo | 9th | Egaleo | Stavros Mavrothalassitis Stadium | 8,217 |
| Episkopi | 1st in Gamma Ethniki (Group 8) | Episkopi | Gallos Stadium | 1,500 |
| Ialysos | 11th | Ialysos | Economideio Municipal Stadium | 2,000 |
| Kalamata | 13th | Kalamata | Kalamata Municipal Stadium | 5,613 |
| Kallithea | 1st in Gamma Ethniki (Group 5) | Kallithea | Grigoris Lambrakis Stadium | 4,200 |
| Kavala | 6th | Kavala | Anthi Karagianni Stadium | 10,550 |
| Niki Volos | 5th | Volos | Panthessaliko Stadium | 22,700 |
| Olympiacos Volos | 8th | Volos | Neapoli Volos Municipal Stadium | 2,500 |
| Panserraikos | 1st in Gamma Ethniki (Group 1) | Serres | Serres Municipal Stadium | 9,500 |
| Pierikos | 1st in Gamma Ethniki (Group 3) | Katerini | Katerini Municipal Stadium | 4,995 |
| Rodos | 1st in Gamma Ethniki (Group 6) | Rhodes | Diagoras Stadium | 3,693 |
| Santorini 2020 | 2nd in Gamma Ethniki (Group 5) | Santorini | Kamari Stadium | 1,500 |
| Thesprotos | 10th | Igoumenitsa | Igoumenitsa Municipal Stadium | 3,500 |
| Triglia | 14th | Triglia | Triglia Municipal Stadium | 5,000 |
| Veria | 7th | Veria | Veria Stadium | 7,000 |
Results[edit]
Second Division champions[edit]
From 1962 to 1983[edit]
| Season | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1962–63 | Edessaikos (1), Doxa Drama (1), Olympiacos Chalkida (1), Pagkorinthiakos (1) |
| 1963–64 | Panachaiki (1), Proodeftiki (1), Philippi Kavala (1) |
| 1964–65 | Panserraikos (1), Edessaikos (2), Egaleo (1), Vyzas Megara (1) |
| 1965–66 | Veria (1), OFI (1), Vyzas Megara (2) |
| 1966–67 | Panelefsiniakos (1), Kavala (1), Olympiacos Volos (1) |
| 1967–68 | Chalkida (1), Trikala (1) |
| 1968–69 | Panachaiki (2), Kavala (2) |
| 1969–70 | Apollon Smyrnis (1), Veria (2), Fostiras (1) |
| 1970–71 | Panachaiki (3), Trikala (2), Olympiacos Volos (2) |
| 1971–72 | Panserraikos (2), Kalamata (1), Atromitos (1) |
| 1972–73 | Apollon Smyrnis (2), Apollon Kalamaria (1), AEL (1) |
| 1973–74 | PAS Giannina (1), Kastoria (1), Kalamata (2) |
| 1974–75 | Apollon Smyrnis (3), Panetolikos (1), Pierikos (1) |
| 1975–76 | Kavala (3), OFI (2) |
| 1976–77 | Egaleo (2), Veria (3) |
| 1977–78 | Rodos (1), AEL (2) |
| 1978–79 | Doxa Drama (2), Korinthos (1) |
| 1979–80 | Panserraikos (3), Atromitos (2) |
| 1980–81 | Rodos (2), Iraklis (1) |
| 1981–82 | Panachaiki (4), Makedonikos (1) |
| 1982–83 | Egaleo (3), Apollon Kalamaria (2) |
From 1983 to 2019[edit]
|
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Third Division champions[edit]
From 2019 to Present[edit]
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See also[edit]
- Greek football league system
- Greek Cup
References[edit]
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ "Πρωταθλητής ο ΑΟ Τρίκαλα – Οριστικό τέλος στο πρωτάθλημα της Football League". www.trikalanews.gr (in Greek). 2 June 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
External links[edit]
- Football League at Soccerway
- Football League at footballleaguenews.gr
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