There are 22 district Football Associations in Portugal. These organizations are the governing bodies (alongside the Portuguese Football Federation) of football in each Portuguese district.

Overview

Until the reform of Portuguese football in 1948, all clubs in a given district had to participate in the District Championship, even those in

Primeira Liga The Primeira Liga (; English: Premier League, also written as Liga Portugal 1), also known as Liga Portugal Bwin for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the Portuguese football league system. Organised and supervised by the Liga Portugal, ...

and Segunda Divisão; after 1948, a Terceira Divisão was established for transition between the District Championship and national leagues and the top level clubs no longer had to play in their District Championship (the arrangement did not include clubs from the Azores and

Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...

, which did not reach the top division until the 1970s). With the reform of Portuguese Football League system in 2013, the

Campeonato Nacional de Seniores The Campeonato de Portugal (Portuguese for 'Championship of Portugal') is the fourth level of the Portuguese football league system. Together with the third-tier Liga 3, it is organized by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). The Campeonato ...

became the Portuguese third-level

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

league, making the principal District Championship the fourth-level leagues. While the three districts in which the Azores were divided pre-autonomy were abolished, the district football associations haven't merged, and still exist as separate entities. Nevertheless, beginning in 2013, their clubs compete in a unified Azores league before joining the

List of district associations

The 22 DFAs are: # '' Associação de Futebol do Algarve'' (for the

district of Faro Faro District ( pt, Distrito de Faro ) is the southernmost district of Portugal, coincident with the Algarve region. The administrative centre, or district capital, is the city of Faro. Municipalities The district is composed of 16 municipalit ...

) # '' Associação de Futebol de Angra do Heroísmo'' (former Azorean district of

Angra do Heroísmo Angra do Heroísmo (), or simply Angra, is a city and municipality on Terceira Island, Portugal, and one of the three capital cities of the Azores. Founded in 1478, Angra was historically the most important city in the Azores, as seat of the Roma ...

) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Aveiro The Associação de Futebol de Aveiro ''(Aveiro Football Association)'' is one of the 22 District Football Associations that are affiliated to the Portuguese Football Federation. The AF Aveiro administers lower tier football in the district of ...

'' (

district of Aveiro Aveiro District ( pt, Distrito de Aveiro, or ) is located in the central coastal region of Portugal. The capital of the district is the city of Aveiro, which also serves as the seat of Aveiro Municipality. Aveiro District is bordered by the Po ...

) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Beja The Associação de Futebol de Beja ''(Beja Football Association)'' is one of the 22 District Football Associations that are affiliated to the Portuguese Football Federation. The AF Beja administers lower tier football in the district of Beja. ...

'' ( district of Beja) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Braga The Braga Football Association (''Associação de Futebol de Braga'', abrv. ''AF Braga'') is the district governing body for the all football competitions in the Portuguese district of Braga since 1992. It is also the regulator of the clubs regist ...

'' (

district of Braga The district of Braga ( pt, Distrito de Braga ) is a district in the northwest of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Braga, and it is bordered by the district of Viana do Castelo in the north, Vila Real in the east, Spain ( Galicia) ...

) # '' Associação de Futebol de Bragança'' ( district of Bragança) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Castelo Branco The Associação de Futebol de Castelo Branco ''(Castelo Branco Football Association)'' is one of the 22 District Football Associations that are affiliated to the Portuguese Football Federation. The AF Castelo Branco administers lower tier footb ...

'' ( district of Castelo Branco) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Coimbra The Associação de Futebol de Coimbra ''(Coimbra Football Association)'' is one of the 22 District Football Associations that are affiliated to the Portuguese Football Federation. The AF Coimbra administers lower tier football in the district ...

'' (

district of Coimbra Coimbra District ( pt, Distrito de Coimbra, or ) is located in the Centro Region, Portugal. The district capital is the city of Coimbra. Municipalities The district is composed by 17 municipalities: * Arganil * Cantanhede * Coimbra * Condeixa ...

) # '' Associação de Futebol de Évora'' ( district of Évora) # ''

Associação de Futebol da Guarda The Guarda Football Association (''Associação de Futebol da Guarda'', abrv. ''AF Guarda'') is the district governing body for the all football competitions in the Portuguese district of Guarda. It is also the regulator of the clubs registered in ...

'' ( district of Guarda) # ''

Associação de Futebol da Horta The Horta Football Association ( pt, Associação de Futebol de Horta) is one of the 22 Portuguese District Football Associations, District Football Associations that are affiliated with the Portuguese Football Federation. The AF Horta administers ...

'' (former Azorean district of

Horta Horta may refer to: People * Horta (surname), a list of people Places * Horta, Africa, an ancient city and former bishopric in Africa Proconsularis, now in Tunisia and a Latin Catholic titular see * Horta, Azores, Portugal, a municipality an ...

) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Leiria The Leiria Football Association ( pt, Associação de Futebol de Leiria) is one of the 22 District Football Associations that are affiliated with the Portuguese Football Federation. The AF Leiria administers lower-tier football in the district o ...

'' (

district of Leiria The District of Leiria ( pt, Distrito de Leiria ) is a district located in Centro region of Portugal, divided between the traditional provinces of Beira Litoral and Estremadura. It borders on the north with district of Coimbra, on the east with ...

) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Lisboa The Lisbon Football Association (''Associação de Futebol de Lisboa'', abrv. ''AF Lisboa'') is the district governing body for the all football competitions in the Portuguese district of Lisbon. It is also the regulator of the clubs registered in ...

'' (

district of Lisbon Lisbon District ( pt, Distrito de Lisboa, ) is a district located along the western coast of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Lisbon, which is also the national capital. From its creation until 1926, it included the area of the cu ...

) # ''

Associação de Futebol da Madeira The Madeira Football Association (''Associação de Futebol da Madeira'', abrv. ''AF Madeira'') is the regional governing body for the all football competitions in the former Portuguese district of Funchal, including both Madeira Island and Porto ...

'' (former Madeiran district of Funchal) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Ponta Delgada The Ponta Delgada Football Association ( pt, Associação de Futebol de Ponta Delgada) is the governing body for association football and futsal competitions in the Portuguese former-district of Ponta Delgada. This organization regulates football ...

'' (former Azorean district of Ponta Delgada) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Portalegre The Portalegre Football Association (''Associação de Futebol de Portalegre'', abrv. ''AF Portalegre'') is the district governing body for the all football competitions in the Portuguese district of Portalegre. It is also the regulator of the clu ...

'' ( district of Portalegre) # ''

Associação de Futebol do Porto The Porto Football Association (Portuguese: Associação de Futebol do Porto; abbreviated as ''AF Porto'') is the district governing body for the all football and futsal competitions in the Portuguese district of Porto. It is also the regulator o ...

'' (

district of Oporto The District of Porto ( pt, Distrito do Porto ) is located on the north-west coast of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Porto, the second largest city in the country. It is bordered by the Aveiro and Viseu districts to the south, Br ...

) # '' Associação de Futebol de Santarém'' (

district of Santarém A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

) # '' Associação de Futebol de Setúbal'' (

district of Setúbal A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municipa ...

) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Viana do Castelo The Viana do Castelo Football Association (''Associação de Futebol de Viana do Castelo'', frequently shortened to ''AF Viana do Castelo'') is the district governing body for the all football competitions in the Portuguese Viana do Castelo Distric ...

'' (

district of Viana do Castelo The Viana do Castelo District ( pt, Distrito de Viana do Castelo ) is a district located in the northwest of Portugal, bordered on the north by Spain (Galicia (Spain), Galicia) and on the south by Braga District. It has an area of and a populati ...

) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Vila Real The Vila Real Football Association (''Associação de Futebol de Vila Real'', abrv. ''AF Vila Real'') is the district governing body for all football competitions in the Portuguese district of Vila Real. It is also the regulator of the clubs regi ...

'' (

district of Vila Real The District of Vila Real ( pt, Distrito de Vila Real ) is a district of northern Portugal. With an area of , the district is located east of the port city of Porto and north of the Douro, Douro River. Vila Real has always belonged to the his ...

) # ''

Associação de Futebol de Viseu The Viseu Football Association (''Associação de Futebol de Viseu'', abrv. ''AF Viseu'') is the district governing body for the all football competitions in the Portuguese district of Viseu. It is also the regulator of the clubs registered in the d ...

'' (

district of Viseu The District of Viseu ( pt, Distrito de Viseu ) is located in the Central Inland of Portugal, the District Capital is the city of Viseu. Municipalities The district is composed by 24 municipalities: * Armamar * Carregal do Sal * Castro Daire * ...

) ''Note: "Associação de Futebol de/do/da" means "Football Association of"'' Angra do Heroísmo, Beja, Bragança, Guarda, Horta and Viana do Castelo have never had representation in the top level.

Overview

List of district associations

See also