| Countries | Norway |
|---|---|
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Founded | 1991 1963–1990 (as 4. divisjon) |
| Number of teams | 164 (divided into 10 groups of 14 and 2 groups of 12) |
| Level on pyramid | 4 |
| Promotion to | Norwegian Second Division |
| Relegation to | Norwegian Fourth Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | Norwegian Cup |
| Current champions | Kvik Halden, Lillestrøm 2, Nesodden, Korsvoll, Hasle-Løren, Gjøvik, Elverum, Jevnaker, Sandefjord 2, Skarphedin, Mandalskameratene, Viking 2, Staal Jørpeland, Austevoll, Voss, Tornado Måløy, Herd, Sunndal, Tiller, Stjørdals-Blink, Stålkameratene, Mjølner, Skarp and Kirkenes. (2010; teams in bold promoted) |
| Website | fotball.no |
| 2011 Norwegian Third Division | |
The Norwegian Third Division (Norwegian: 3. divisjon) is the fourth highest division of the men's football league in Norway. Like the rest of the Norwegian football league system, the season runs from spring to autumn, running approximately from April to October. After the 2010 season, the league was reorganised, reducing the number of teams to 164 and halving the number of parallel sections from 24 to 12.
From 2011, there will be 12 parallel sections of the Third Division, and the winner of each will be promoted to the Second Division. Ten sections will consist of 14 teams each, from the South of Norway, the last two sections will consist of 12 teams each, from the North of Norway (the counties Nordland, Troms and Finnmark). In the sections with 14 teams, the bottom three teams will be relegated to the Fourth Division, and in the two sections with 12 teams each, the bottom two teams will be relegated.[1]
Like in the rest of the Norwegian Football league, all the teams play each other twice, once at home and once away. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and if two teams are equal on points, the won with the best goal difference is above the other on the table. The teams are placed in the 12 sections according to geographic considerations.
Reserve teams of clubs from the two top divisions can participate in the Third Division. Reserve teams of clubs from the First Division can not play in the Second Division, and so can not be promoted from the Third Division.[2]
The Third Division was known as the Fourth Division until 1990, when the First Division changed its name to Tippeligaen, the Second Division became the First Division and the names of all the lower divisions were adjusted accordingly. Until 2010, there were 24 parallel sections of the Third Division, each consisting of between 10 and 16 teams. The winners paired up and played each other in one home match and one away match in a playoff. Thus, 12 teams were promoted to the Second Division. This system was in place from 2001. The number of teams that were relegated from each section to the Fourth Division, varied from two to four, depending on the number of teams in each section.
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