2024–25 Thai League 3

2024–25 Thai League 3
Season2024–25
Dates14 September 2024[1] – TBD

The 2024–25 Thai League 3 marks the eighth season of the Thai League 3, Thailand's third-tier professional football league.[2] This season retains the structure of 69 clubs divided into six regional groups, with an adjusted regional distribution to better reflect geographical locations.

For the 2024–25 season, the regions are organized as follows: Northern (11 clubs), Northeastern (11 clubs), Eastern (12 clubs), Central (11 clubs), Western (12 clubs), and Southern (12 clubs). Notably, the Bangkok Metropolitan Region has been replaced by the Central Region. Clubs previously competing in the Bangkok Metropolitan, Eastern, and Western regions have been reallocated to the new regional groups based on their geographical positions.

The league maintains a two-stage format, beginning with the Regional Stage, where clubs compete within their respective regions. The top two clubs from each region, the champions and runners-up, advance to the National Championship Stage. In this final phase, 12 clubs compete for the national title and the opportunity for promotion to Thai League 2 for the next season. This revised regional structure aims to promote competitive balance and foster the growth of football across all regions of Thailand.

By reorganizing the regional groups, Thai League 3 continues to play a crucial role in the development of football nationwide, ensuring a fair and competitive environment for all participating clubs.

Seasonal Changes

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The 2024–25 Thai League 3 season introduces several significant changes from the previous season, impacting club composition, league structure, and regional distribution.

Relegation from Thai League 2

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Chiangmai, who originally secured their spot in Thai League 2, were relegated to Thai League 3 after failing to meet the club licensing standards.[3] As a result, Kasetsart, which had the best ranking among the clubs in the relegation zone, remained in Thai League 2 instead.[4] Customs United and Krabi were also relegated to Thai League 3 and will compete in the Eastern and Southern Regions, respectively. Chiangmai will compete in the Northern Region.

Promotion to Thai League 2

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The top three clubs from the 2023–24 Thai League 3 season have been promoted to Thai League 2: Bangkok (National champion), Sisaket United (National runners-up), and Mahasarakham SBT (National 3rd place).

Clubs relegated due to club licensing failures

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Several clubs from Thai League 3 that met competitive criteria failed to pass the club licensing for the 2024–25 season, resulting in their relegation to the Thailand Semi-pro League:

Consequently, Nakhon Sawan See Khwae City, which finished last in the Northern Region, was retained in Thai League 3 due to these failures.[8]

Clubs relegated due to finishing last in their regions

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These clubs have been relegated to the Thailand Semi-pro League for the 2025 season.

Regional redistribution and renaming

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A significant change this season is the renaming of the Bangkok Metropolitan Region to the Central Region. This renaming was part of a broader effort to align the regions more closely with the geographical locations of the clubs. To further support this adjustment:

These changes ensure that clubs are placed in regions that better reflect their actual geographical locations, promoting a more balanced and competitive league structure. The renaming of the Bangkok Metropolitan Region to the Central Region, along with the redistribution of clubs, is intended to create clarity and prevent confusion as the league continues to evolve.[11]

Regional stage

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The Regional Stage of the 2024–25 Thai League 3 includes 69 clubs divided into six regions: Northern (11 clubs), Northeastern (11 clubs), Eastern (12 clubs), Central (11 clubs), Western (12 clubs), and Southern (12 clubs). Each region operates in a round-robin format where clubs play each other in both home and away matches. The top two clubs from each region, the champion and the runner-up, qualify for the National Championship Stage. This stage serves to determine the regional winners and which clubs advance to the national competition.

Northern region

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Main article: 2024–25 Thai League 3 Northern Region

Northeastern region

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Main article: 2024–25 Thai League 3 Northeastern Region

Eastern region

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Main article: 2024–25 Thai League 3 Eastern Region

Central region

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Main article: 2024–25 Thai League 3 Central Region

Western region

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Main article: 2024–25 Thai League 3 Western Region

Southern region

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Main article: 2024–25 Thai League 3 Southern Region

National Championship stage

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Main article: 2024–25 Thai League 3 National Championship

The National Championship Stage of the 2024–25 season features 12 clubs that qualified from the Regional Stage, consisting of the champions and runners-up from each of the six regions. These clubs are divided into three groups: the Upper Group, Central Group, and Lower Group.

  • Upper Group: Comprises clubs from the Northern and Northeastern regions.
  • Central Group: Comprises clubs from the Eastern and Central regions.
  • Lower Group: Comprises clubs from the Western and Southern regions.

Each group follows a round-robin format with home-and-away matches. The club that finishes first in each group automatically advances to the knockout stage, which begins with the semi-finals. Additionally, the best second place from all three groups will advance to the semi-finals as the fourth club.

The knockout stage will be contested over two legs (home and away), with the aggregate score determining the winner. If the aggregate score is tied after both legs, the away goals rule will be applied. If the clubs are still level after applying the away goals rule, extra time will be played only in the second leg. If the tie persists after extra time, a penalty shootout will be held to determine the winner.

The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the final and automatically earn promotion to Thai League 2 for the following season. The losing clubs in the semi-finals will compete in a third place play-off, with the winner securing the final promotion spot to Thai League 2.

This structure ensures a competitive format that highlights the best clubs across the country while providing opportunities for advancement to a higher division.

Group stage

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Knockout stage

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Announcement of the Opening Day for the 2024–25 Thai League 3 Season (in Thai)". matichon.co.th. 31 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Preparations Ahead of the 2024–25 Thai League 3 Season Kickoff (in Thai)". matichon.co.th. 4 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Chiangmai Relegated Due to Failure to Meet Club Licensing Criteria (in Thai)". today.line.me. 29 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Kasetsart Secures Spot in Thai League 2 Following Chiangmai's Relegation (in Thai)". siamsport.co.th. 21 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Kongkrailas United Withdraws from the New Season (in Thai)". supersubthailand.com. 24 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Rongseemaechaithanachotiwat Phayao Disbands Amid Financial Issues (in Thai)". soccersuck.com. 20 May 2024.
  7. ^ "MH Nakhon Si City Disbands Following Financial Struggles (in Thai)". ballthai.com. 28 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Nakhon Sawan See Khwae City Continues for the New Season (in Thai)". ballthai.com. 23 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Changes in Central, Eastern, and Western Zones for the 2024–25 Thai League 3 Season (in Thai)". ballthai.com. 20 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Changes in Central, Eastern, and Western Zones for the 2024–25 Thai League 3 Season (in Thai)". today.line.me. 22 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Changes in Zone and Competition Format for Thai League 3 in the 2024–25 Season (in Thai)". siamsport.co.th. 12 July 2024.
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