The turbulent history of Spain's third-tier football league, the former Segunda División B

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For decades, the Segunda División B served as the vital third tier of Spanish football, bridging the gap between amateur ranks and professional glory. It was a complex, shifting landscape of reserve squads and regional clubs, ultimately undergoing a radical transformation in 2021 to reshape the nation's sporting pyramid.

The Segunda División B was established as the third level of the Spanish football league system, first appearing in 1929 with 10 teams. Cultural Leonesa claimed the inaugural title, but the division was quickly replaced by the Tercera División during a 1930 reorganization. It remained dormant until its revival in 1977, when it returned as the third tier, initially split into two groups. Over the following decades, the structure evolved significantly, expanding to four groups of 20 teams by 1987, and eventually reaching a peak of 102 teams in the 2020–21 season.

The league's complexity was defined by its promotion and relegation mechanics. Reserve teams from La Liga and Segunda División clubs frequently competed alongside independent regional teams, though they faced strict eligibility rules for promotion. The path to the second division was often grueling, involving multi-stage playoff series that determined which clubs could ascend. By the 2008–09 season, a specific playoff format for group winners was introduced, providing a direct route to promotion while also crowning an overall champion.

The 2020–21 season marked the final chapter for the Segunda División B. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the league was temporarily expanded to 102 teams across five groups and various subgroups. In 2021, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) replaced the division with a new structure. A semi-professional third tier, the Primera División RFEF, was created, pushing the former third level down to become the fourth tier, now known as the Segunda División RFEF. This shift finalized a long history of reorganization, ending the era of the Segunda División B as the primary gateway to professional Spanish football.

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