For the 2023-24 season, Third league is divided in three geographical regions. Nine teams compete in the North, fourteen in the Center, and eight in the South.
The Third League - South is organised by Union of the clubs - South (Montenegrin: Udruženje klubova - Jug - FSCG). The municipalities within Southern region include: Cetinje, Kotor, Herceg Novi, Tivat, Budva, Bar and Ulcinj.
For the 2023-24 season, there are seven teams competing in the South region.
FK Partizan Bar (formerly Hajduk Bar) which withdrew prior to the start of the competition.[5]
History
Main article:
Montenegrin clubs in Yugoslav football competitions (1946-2006)
Regional leagues as a lowest-tier competition in Montenegro, were founded in 1968. The format and system of competition has not changed. From 1968 to 2006, it was the fourth or fifth level of competition in
After independence of Montenegro, regional leagues, with the same format and divisions, became Third League, and also a lowest tier of competition.
At the end of season, champions of each region qualifies for the playoff. Every season, two top teams from playoff are qualified for the Second League.
Below is the list of Montenegrin Third League champions.
Full list of champions of regional leagues before 2006, is available on the page
Montenegrin clubs in Yugoslav football competitions (1946-2006)
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Complete team list
From 2006, 60 different teams played in Montenegrin Third League. This is the complete list of the clubs that took part in 17 seasons played from 2006-07 to 2022-23, ranked by champion titles won in the Third League.
Ssn = Number of seasons; First = First season in Third League; Last = Last season in Third League; 1st = finishing as a champion of region; 2nd = finishing as a runner-up; 3rd = finishing as a third-placed team
Final placement by season
North
Since its establishing, in Montenegrin Third League - North participated overall 18 different teams. Most successful participants are FK Pljevlja, who won four titles. Except that, FK Pljevlja made the biggest win in some Montenegrin official men football competition - on season 2012-13, they defeated FK E-Roma26-1 (14-0).[6] During the same game, FK Pljevlja player Alen Pajević scored seven goals, which is an all-time record in Montenegrin Third League.
Among the other title winners in Third League - North are FK Ibar(3), FK Brskovo(2), FK Polimlje(2), FK Petnjica(2), FK Berane(1), FK Gusinje (1), FK Tekstilac (1) and FK Radnički(1).
Two teams, FK Komovi and FK Polimlje, participated in all the seasons of Third League - North.
(1).
Owner of the biggest wins in the history of Montenegrin Third League - Center is FK Zabjelo, who defeated FK Ribnica away with result 20-0 (season 2019-20).[7] Player with most scored goals on one game is Aleksandar Krstović (9 goals) who made a record on match Zora - Olympico 18-0 (season 2022-23)[8]
(1).
Since 2006, biggest win in Montenegrin Third League - South made FK Cetinje, who defeated FK Bijela with score 12-0 on season 2007-08.[9]
FK Sloga Bar is the only team which played every single season of Montenegrin Third League - South Region.
Following the Montenegrin independence, from the season 2006/07, champions of three regional leagues are participating in the playoffs for Montenegrin Second League promotion. Until 2020, every team is played four matches, and at the end, best-placed are promoted to a higher rank. From 2020, every team is playing two games, and if there is no winner after 90 minutes, penalties are deciding about it. Two teams are gaining promotion to the Second League.
Playoffs are playing after the regular season, at the end of May and start of June every year.
During the history, most promotions to Montenegrin Second League gained teams from Central and South region. Representatives of that regions gained promotions via playoffs 12 times. Clubs from North region gained 8 promotions through playoffs.
