There are 22 district Football Associations in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

. These organizations are the governing bodies (alongside the

Portuguese Football Federation The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) ( pt, Federação Portuguesa de Futebol; ) is the governing body of football in Portugal. The federation was formed in 1914 as Portuguese Football Union (UPF) by the three existing regional associations ...

) 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 and

Segunda Divisão The Segunda Divisão Portuguesa (English: ''Portuguese Second Division'') was a football league situated at the third level of the Portuguese football league system. The division had previously been the second level of the Portuguese pyramid but, w ...

; after 1948, a

Terceira Divisão The Terceira Divisão Portuguesa (in English: ''Portuguese Third Division'') was a football league in Portugal, situated at the fourth level of the Portuguese football league system. The Third Division was initially the third level of the Portugue ...

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 ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

and Madeira, 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 became the Portuguese third-level football 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 Campeonato Nacional de Seniores.

List of district associations

The 22 DFAs are: # ''

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

'' (for the district of Faro) # '' Associação de Futebol de Angra do Heroísmo'' (former Azorean district of Angra do Heroísmo) # '' Associação de Futebol de Aveiro'' ( district of Aveiro) # ''

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 The Beja District () is located in southern Portugal. The district capital is the city of Beja. It is the largest district of the country by area, and constitutes around 11% of its area. Municipalities The district is composed of 14 municipali ...

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

district of Bragança 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 Castelo Branco'' (

district of Castelo Branco Castelo Branco District ( pt, Distrito de Castelo Branco ) is located in Central Portugal. Its capital is Castelo Branco, which is now also its most populous city, overtaking Covilhã, which was once the largest city, in the late 2010s. It has ...

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

district of Évora 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 da Guarda'' (

district of Guarda The district of Guarda ( pt, Distrito de Guarda ) is located in the Centro Region of Portugal, except Vila Nova de Foz Côa, which is in the Norte Region. The district capital and most populous city is Guarda. Municipalities The district conta ...

) # '' Associação de Futebol da Horta'' (former Azorean district of Horta) # '' Associação de Futebol de Leiria'' ( district of Leiria) # '' Associação de Futebol de Lisboa'' ( district of Lisbon) # '' Associação de Futebol da Madeira'' (former Madeiran district of

Funchal Funchal () is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it the sixth largest city in Portugal. Because of its high ...

) # '' Associação de Futebol de Ponta Delgada'' (former Azorean district of

Ponta Delgada Ponta Delgada (; ) is the largest municipality ('' concelho'') and economic capital of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in Portugal. It is located on São Miguel Island, the largest and most populous in the archipelago. As of 2021, it has 67, ...

) # '' Associação de Futebol de Portalegre'' (

district of Portalegre Portalegre District ( pt, Distrito de Portalegre ) is located in the east of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Portalegre. As of 2021, it is the least populous district of Portugal. Municipalities The district is composed of 15 mu ...

) # '' Associação de Futebol do Porto'' ( district of Oporto) # '' Associação de Futebol de Santarém'' ( district of Santarém) # '' Associação de Futebol de Setúbal'' ( district of Setúbal) # '' Associação de Futebol de Viana do Castelo'' ( district of Viana do Castelo) # '' Associação de Futebol de Vila Real'' ( district of Vila Real) # '' Associação de Futebol de Viseu'' (

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