The 2018 Liga 3 was the second season of the Liga 3 under its current name, the third season under its current league structure, and the only amateur league football competition in Indonesia.[1]
The league was divided into the regional stage and the national stage. Every amateur team in Indonesia competed in its provincial stage of the league and the teams which relegated from 2017 Liga 2 competed in the national zone preliminary round.[2]
Persik defeated PSCS 3–2 on aggregate to win their first Liga 3 title.
Overview
Player regulations
Teams can register a maximum of 30 players. 27 players were under 23 years old (U-23) and 3 players without age restriction, the teams also could not use foreign players.[3]
Qualifying round
Qualifying round for national round was divided into 2 routes:[4]
Regional route (consist of representatives from 34 provinces). First, each province held their provincial league followed by unlimited amateur teams with different competition format (see table below). Then qualified teams from provincial league competed in their respective region to earn 24 spots in regional preliminary round based on their quota. These 24 teams then competed for 12 slots in national round.
National zone route was consisted of the teams which relegated from 2017 Liga 2, 20 teams (winners and runner-ups from 8 groups + 4 play-off winner) qualified for national round from this route.
Regional route
Province round
These teams were representatives from their provincial league to be competed in regional round.
Started on 9 July 2018 Preliminary: Divided to 8 groups, home tournament Second Round: Divided to 4 groups, home tournament Top 8 - Final Round: Knockout system with single match
Started on 2 July 2018 First Round: divided to 4 groups, home tournament Second Round: Divided to 2 groups, home tournament Final Round (Top 4): Single round robin home tournament
Started on 25 March 2018 Preliminary: Divided to 4 groups, home-away tournament Top 8 - Semifinal round: Knock-out system, home-away Final Round: Single match
Started on 1 April 2018 First Round: Divided to 7 groups, home-away tournament Second Round: 4 groups, home tournament Semifinal - Final Round: Knock-out system with single match
Started on 5 August 2018 (West), and 12 August 2018 (Central) Preliminary: Divided to 2 zones (each 3 teams), home tournament Final Round: Two-legged matches in neutral venue
Started on 24 June 2018 Preliminary: divided to 4 groups, home-away tournament Second Round: divided to 2 groups, home tournament Semifinal - Final Round: Knock-out system with single match
Started on 22 April 2018 Preliminary: divided to 3 groups, home tournament Top 8: single round robin home tournament Semifinal - Final Round: Knock-out system with single match
Started on 22 July 2018 Preliminary: divided to 4 groups, home tournament Second Round: Divided to 2 groups, home tournament Semifinal round: Knock-out system with single match Final Round: Home-away matches
Started on 3 May 2018 (Morowali), and 30 July 2018 (Palu) Preliminary: Divided to 2 zones, each zone consist of 2 groups, home tournament Final Round (Top 6): Single round robin home tournament
Started on 14 July 2018 Preliminary: divided to 5 groups, home tournament Second Round: divided to 2 groups, home tournament Semifinal round: Knock-out system, home-away Final Round: Single match
Started on 9 May 2018 (Mamuju) and ? (Polewali)[17] Preliminary:divided to 2 zones, home tournament Semifinal - Final Round: Knock-out system with single match
Started on 29 July 2018 (Sumbawa),[20] and 1 August 2018 (Lombok) Preliminary: Divided to 2 zones, home tournament Sumbawa (5 teams, 1 group), Lombok (8 teams, 2 groups) Final Round: Home-away matches
In this first round, 32 teams divided into eight groups. Each group played a home tournament basis. First round was played from 26 November – 2 December 2018. Winner and runner-up of each group advanced to second round.[37]
The second round featured by 16 teams which are the winners and runner-ups from each group of the first round. The second round matches was played from 8–9 December 2018. Each winner advanced to third round.[37]
In this round, eight teams divided into two groups. Each group played a home tournament basis. Third round was played from 16–22 December 2018. Three best teams of each group promoted to Liga 2. Winner of each group also advanced to final.[37]