Portuguese football league system
The Portuguese football league system consists of several leagues bound together hierarchically by promotion and relegation. Reserve teams are allowed to compete in the main league system, as is the case with most of Europe. However, they are not allowed to compete in the same tier as their senior team, thus no reserve team has ever competed in Portugal's top flight, the Primeira Liga.
Men's league system
The Portuguese men's football league system consists of three national divisions and up to four district leagues.National leagues
All three national divisions provide access to the Portuguese Cup. The first two leagues are operated by the Portuguese Professional Football League, and they also guarantee participation in the Portuguese League Cup. Lastly, the third division is divided in eight leagues and is the only division operated by the Portuguese Football Federation. The federation announced the creation of the Terceira Liga starting in 2021–22.Until 2020–21:
Beginning of 2021–22:
District leagues
District leagues are operated by 22 District Associations: 18 from each district, plus 1 from Madeira Islands, and 3 from Azores Islands. The winner of each district league is promoted to the third national tier, the Campeonato de Portugal. Moreover, all district leagues provide access to their correspondent district cup, and the winner of the district cup, along with the second-placed team in the district league, is allowed to participate in the next season's Portuguese Cup. The number of clubs at the bottom tier of each association depends on the number of clubs interested in participating.| District Association | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 | Level 7 |
| Porto FA | Elite Pro-National 32 clubs | Division of Honour 32 clubs | First Division 32 clubs | Second Division 36 clubs |
| Lisbon FA | Pro-National 16 clubs | Division of Honour 32 clubs | First Division 32 clubs | - |
| Aveiro FA | Elite 18 clubs | First Division 18 clubs | Second Division 36 clubs | - |
| Braga FA | Pro-National 18 clubs | Division of Honour 32 clubs | First Division 66 clubs | - |
| Algarve FA | First Division 12 clubs | Second Division 14 clubs | - | - |
| Beja FA | First Division 13 clubs | Second Division 26 clubs | - | - |
| Coimbra FA | Division of Honour 16 clubs | First Division 18 clubs | - | - |
| Évora FA | Elite Division 14 clubs | Division of Honour 15 clubs | - | - |
| Guarda FA | First Division 14 clubs | Second Division 7 clubs | - | - |
| Leiria FA | Campeonato Lizsport 16 clubs | First Division 25 clubs | - | - |
| Madeira FA | Division of Honour 12 clubs | First Division 7 clubs | - | - |
| Santarém FA | First Division 16 clubs | Second Division 22 clubs | - | - |
| Setúbal FA | First Division 16 clubs | Second Division 16 clubs | - | - |
| Viana do Castelo FA | First Division 16 clubs | Second Division 16 clubs | - | - |
| Viseu FA | Division of Honour 16 clubs | First Division 27 clubs | - | - |
| Angra do Heroísmo FA | Azores Championship 10 clubs | Graciosa Championship 3 clubs São Jorge Championship 5 clubs Terceira Championship 5 clubs | - | - |
| Horta FA | Azores Championship 10 clubs | Horta Championship 5 clubs | - | - |
| Ponta Delgada FA | Azores Championship 10 clubs | São Miguel Championship 10 clubs | - | - |
| Bragança FA | Division of Honour 11 clubs | - | - | - |
| Castelo Branco FA | Division of Honour 10 clubs | - | - | - |
| Portalegre FA | First Division 9 clubs | - | - | - |
| Vila Real FA | Division of Honour 17 clubs | - | - | - |
Women's league system
The Portuguese women's football league system consists of two national divisions and no district leagues.Both divisions provide access to the Women's Portuguese Cup and are operated by the Portuguese Football Federation. The second division is divided in five leagues by geographical proximity.