Slovenian Third League
 |
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| Country | Slovenia |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1992 |
| Divisions | 4 |
| Number of teams | 52 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | 2. SNL |
| Relegation to |
Regional League or Intercommunal Leagues |
| Current champions |
Ilirija (Centre) Beltinci (East) Brežice 1919 (North) Brda (West) (2015–16) |
| Most championships |
Dravinja Korte Krka Zavrč (3 titles each) |
 2016–17 season
|
|
The Slovenian Third League (Slovene: Tretja Slovenska Nogometna Liga), commonly known as the 3. SNL, is the third tier of the Slovenian football system. The league consists of four regional groups (Centre, East, North and West). They are operated by the Intercommunal Football Associations.
Between the 1992–93 and 1997–98 seasons, Slovenian Third League was divided into two regional groups (East and West), with both group winners directly promoting to the Slovenian Second League (except in the 1994–95 season, when the 1. SNL and 2. SNL got reorganized).
In the 1998–99 season, the league was expanded to four regional groups (Centre, East, North, West). Up to the 2002–03 season, all four group winners were promoted directly to the second division. In the 2003–04 season, a two-legged play-offs were introduced, as only two teams promoted.
In the 2004–05 season, the format was changed back to two regional groups with both group winners promoting.
From the 2014–15 season onwards, the league is again divided into four regional groups with a total of 52 participating clubs. Three groups (i.e. North, Centre, East) are composed of 14 clubs, while the West group consists of 10 clubs.
In the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons, group winners played a promotional two-legged play-off to decide two promoting teams. Due to expansion of the Slovenian Second League, two teams from each group promoted in the 2016–17 season. In the following seasons, group winners again played a two-legged play-off for two promotion spots.
The number of relegated teams from each group is determined by the number of regional MNZ's from which the clubs in all four groups are a part of. There are nine MNZ's governing bodies in Slovenian football:
This means that three teams from 3. SNL North are relegated at the end of the season and replaced by the winners of the fourth tier competitions held separately in MNZ Celje, MNZ Maribor and MNZ Ptuj. The number of relegated teams from 3. SNL Centre and 3. SNL East is two, while only the bottom team relegates from 3. SNL West as MNZ Koper and MNZ Nova Gorica manage a combined fourth tier competition. The number of relegated teams is also influenced by the location of teams which relegate from the second division. Each of the bottom placed second division teams can only relegate to the one 3. SNL group that is managed by the MNZ they are a part of.
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