The Timorense football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in Timor-Leste.
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Portuguese Timor era (1900-1975)
The competition running until 1975. The competition called Campeonato Nacional de Timor divided into three division. At the first tier was Campeonato Nacional da 1ª Divisão, the second tier was Campeonato Nacional da 2ª Divisão divided in two region north and south, third tier was Campeonato Nacional da 3ª Divisão also now as Campeonato Distrital da 1ª Divisão divided into seperal ditrict in pararel.
Timor Timur era (1976-1999)
The competition was part of Perserikatan until 1994 and to be part of Liga Indonesia Second Division zone qualification since 1995 to 1999.
Independent era (2000-present)
At the top is the single division of the Super Liga (which is sometimes referred to as Level 1 of the league 'pyramid'), containing 8 clubs and best 4 clubs from Liga Pre, all of which, as of the 2010–11 season, are based in East Timor. Below the Super Liga is Timorense Liga Pre, which is divided into two groups of 4-5 clubs each: Liga Pre Group 1 and Liga Pre Group 2. The third tier is the Taça Digicel, containing 14 clubs, which is divided into three groups of 4-5 clubs each.
In 2015 FFTL officially launched the national amateur league labelled Liga Futebol Amadora (LFA). Designed to allow local footballers to flourish, the LFA will give a home to amateur football in Timor Leste, with the potential to create a gateway to professional football.
Cup eligibility
Being members of a league at a particular level also affects eligibility for Cup, or single-elimination, competitions.
Promotion and relegation rules for the top few levels
- Primeira Divisão (level 1, 8 teams): The Bottom two teams are relegated.
- Segunda Divisão (level 2, 13 teams): The champions and runner-up are promoted.