FC Porto set to enter futsal's Third Division | OneFootball

FC Porto is preparing to create a senior futsal team, with a view to registering it in the National Third Division Championship.

From next season onward, the competition will be contested by 50 clubs, with a maximum of three spots reserved for clubs that have been part of the national top 20 in professional football competitions over the last five seasons — including FC Porto.

“Up to three clubs from the ranking of the 20 clubs with the best average classification in professional football competitions between the 2020/21 and 2024/25 seasons and which, in the 2025/26 season, do not have a senior futsal team competing in the National Championship of the I, II or III Futsal Division and which comply with the participation criteria for the competition, in accordance with the respective Regulations, including obtaining the required certification level,” reads clause 1.3 of the regulations published this Wednesday by the Portuguese Football Federation.

In 2026/27, the 50 clubs that will compete in the National Third Division Futsal Championship will be split into three groups of 14 teams, organized according to geographical proximity, in addition to the Azores Group, made up of eight teams.

In the initial phase, the teams face each other twice, once at home and once away, and the top-ranked team in each group secures direct promotion to the Second Division. The runners-up — and the winner of the Azores Group — move on to a playoff with two knockout rounds at neutral venues, with the winner of the second round also earning promotion.

The Championship Title Decider will be contested by three clubs, who will face each other once at a neutral venue to determine the winner of the national Third Division title.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.