Algarve Football Association


The Associação de Futebol do Algarve is one of the 22 District Football Associations that are affiliated to the Portuguese Football Federation. The AF Algarve administers lower tier football in the district of Faro.

Background

Associação de Futebol do Algarve, commonly referred to as AF Algarve, is the governing body for football in the district of Faro. The Football Association is based in Penha in Faro, close to Piscinas Municipais de Faro and Complexo Desportivo da Penha. The Association's President is António Coelho Matosa.
The organisation was established on 22 January 1922 following an initial meeting on 15 October 1921 at the Ginásio Clube Farense by representatives from a number of Algarve clubs including Sporting Clube Farense, Sport Lisboa e Faro, Boxing Futebol Clube, Sporting Clube Olhanense, Lusitano Futebol Clube, Glória Futebol Clube, Portimonense Sporting Clube, Sport Club União, Sport Club "Os Leões Portimonenses" and Esperança Futebol Clube. The two previous attempts to establish a Football Association ended in failure.

Competitions

Algarve clubs compete in the three national levels of the Portuguese football league system in competitions run by the Portuguese League for Professional Football and Portuguese Football Federation.
Below the Campeonato de Portugal, the competitions are organised at a district level with each District Association organising its competitions according to geographical and other factors. The AF Algarve runs two league competitions with the Division One being at the fourth level of the league system and Division Two at the fifth level. At one time this second tier was divided into two groups on a geographical basis.
In more general terms the AF Algarve currently organises District Championships for Football and Futsal for men and women for all age groups including Senior, Junior, Youth, Beginners, Infants and Schools.

Notable clubs affiliated to AF Algarve

;Primeira Liga
;LigaPro
;Campeonato de Portugal
;Distritais
AF Algarve Division One covering the regional fourth tier of the Portuguese football league system.

Division One (1ª divisão)

At the end of the season the champions will be promoted to the national third tier. The team placed second gains entry to the Portuguese FA Cup.
The three lowest teams will be relegated to Algarve League Division Two.

Division Two (2ª divisão)

The winners will be promoted to Division One.

Taça do Algarve

The regional cup competition is competed for by the teams above, plus those in the national third tier.
It is of note that the number of clubs in the Algarve has declined significantly in recent years. Among the casualties are Campinense, Castromarinense, Infante de Sagres, Beira Mar Monte Gordo, Serrano, Bensafrim. Os Machados and Internacional Almancil.

Former participants

Other clubs that have competed in the Distritais include:

Historic champions

YearChampions
1914/15SC Farense
1917/18SC Farense
1921/22SC Olhanense
1922/23Lusitano VRSA
1923/24SC Olhanense
1924/25SC Olhanense
1925/26SC Olhanense
1926/27SC Olhanense
1927/28Lusitano VRSA
1928/29Lusitano VRSA
1929/30Lusitano VRSA
1930/31SC Olhanense
1931/32Lusitano VRSA
1932/33SC Olhanense

YearChampions
1933/34SC Farense
1934/35Lusitano VRSA
1935/36SC Farense
1936/37Portimonense SC
1937/38SC Farense
1938/39SC Olhanense
1939/40SC Olhanense
1940/41SC Olhanense
1941/42SC Olhanense
1942/43SC Olhanense
1943/44SC Olhanense
1944/45SC Olhanense
1945/46SC Olhanense
1946/47SC Olhanense

;Titles
Season1ª Divisão2ª DivisãoCupSupercup
2005/06CampinenseCampinense-
2006/07QuarteirensePortimonense-
2007/08FarenseQuarteiraMessinense-
2008/09Esp. LagosCulatrenseEsp. Lagos-
2009/10MessinenseMoncarapachense-
2010/11QuarteirenseSilves-
2011/12Lusitano VRSAAljezurenseLouletanoQuarteirense
2012/13FC FerreirasLusitano VRSALusitano VRSA
2013/14Lusitano VRSALouletanoFC Ferreiras
2014/15AlmancilenseLagoaLusitano VRSA
2015/16ArmacenensesMessinenseAlmancilenseArmacenenses
2016/17MoncarapachenseAlgarve CFLusitano VRSALusitano VRSA
2017/18FC Ferreiras11 EsperançasAlmancilenseFC Ferreiras

List of member clubs

AbbreviationSettlementOfficial NameDivision CupOther information
AljezurenseAljezurJuventude Clube AljezurenseDistritais -
AlmancilenseAlmancil, LouléSociedade Recreativa AlmancilenseDistritais * *
AlvorenseAlvor, PortimãoAssociação Cultural e Recreativa Alvorense 1º DezembroDistritais * *
ArmacenensesArmação de Pêra, SilvesClube de Futebol Os ArmacenensesDistritais *
BensafrimBensafrim, LagosEstrela Desportiva BensafrimDistritais -
BoliqueimeBoliqueime, LouléClube Desportivo de BoliqueimeDistritais -
CampinenseCampinas de LouléJuventude Sport CampinenseDistritais * *
CastromarinenseCastro MarimUnião Desportiva CastromarinenseDistritais *
CRD SantaluzienseSanta Luzia, TaviraClube de Recreio e Desporto SantaluzienseDistritais *
CulatrenseIlha da Culatra, FaroClube União CulatrenseDistritais -
Esp. LagosLagosClube de Futebol Esperança de LagosCampeonato Nacional de Seniores * *
EstombarensesEstômbar, LagoaClube de Futebol Os EstombarensesDistritais -
FarenseFaroSporting Clube FarenseSegunda Liga * * *
Faro e BenficaFaroSport Faro e BenficaDistritais *
FC 11 EsperançasFaroFutebol Clube 11 EsperançasDistritais -
FC FerreirasAlbufeiraFutebol Clube de FerreirasCampeonato Nacional de Seniores *
GEJUPCEPortimãoGil Eanes Juventude Portimonense ClubeDistritais -
GuiaAlbufeiraGuia Futebol ClubeDistritais *
Imortal DCAlbufeiraImortal Desportivo ClubDistritais * *
Infante SagresSagresClube Recreativo Infante de SagresDistritais -
LagoaLagoaGrupo Desportivo de LagoaDistritais * *
LouletanoLouléLouletano Desportos ClubeCampeonato Nacional de Seniores * *
Lusitano VRSAVila Real de Santo AntónioLusitano Futebol ClubeDistritais * *
MachadosMachados, São Brás de AlportelGrupo Desportivo e Cultural MachadosDistritais -
MessinenseSilvesUnião Desportiva MessinenseDistritais * *
MoncarapachenseMoncarapacho, OlhãoLusitano Ginásio Clube MoncarapachenseDistritais *
MonchiquenseMonchiqueJuventude Desportiva MonchiquenseDistritais -
OdeceixenseOdeceixeGrupo Desportivo OdeceixenseDistritais -
OdiáxereLagosClube Desportivo de OdeáxereDistritais -
OlhanenseOlhãoSporting Clube OlhanensePrimeira Liga * * *
PadernensePadernePadernense Clube, Cultura, Desporto e RecreioDistritais * *
PortimonensePortimãoPortimonense Sporting ClubeLiga de Honra * * *
QuarteiraQuarteira, LouléQuarteira Sport ClubeCampeonato Nacional de Seniores -
QuarteirenseQuarteira, LouléClube Desportivo e Recreativo QuarteirenseDistritais * *
SambrazenseSão Brás de AlportelUnião Desportiva e Recreativa SambrazenseDistritais * *
SerranoSão Marcos da Serra, SilvesSerrano Futebol ClubeDistritais -
SilvesSilvesSilves Futebol ClubeDistritais * *
TaviraTaviraGinásio Clube de TaviraDistritais *

;Footnote: