Football in Moldova

{{Infobox sport overview

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| union = Moldovan Football Federation (FMF)

| country = Moldova

| sport = association football

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| nationalteam = Men's national team
Women's national team

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After gaining its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Moldova became a member of FIFA in 1994.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/member-associations/MDA/news/025b-0ee53f3c3edd-76dd1364e356-1000--fledgling-moldovan-game-flourishing/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704005337/https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/member-associations/MDA/news/025b-0ee53f3c3edd-76dd1364e356-1000--fledgling-moldovan-game-flourishing/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 4, 2020|title=Fledgling Moldovan game flourishing | Inside UEFA|date=July 9, 2018|website=UEFA}} Football is the most popular sport in Moldova.{{cite web |url=http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1162-may-2013/9823-enjoying-a-title-deciding-match-in-moldova-for-free |title=When Saturday Comes - Enjoying a title-deciding match in Moldova for free |publisher=Wsc.co.uk |access-date=2013-12-03 |archive-date=2013-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609081248/http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1162-may-2013/9823-enjoying-a-title-deciding-match-in-moldova-for-free |url-status=dead }}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=64FaJB7c8HwC&dq=soccer+in+moldova&pg=PA105|title=Moldova|first=Patricia|last=Sheehan|date=13 March 2019|publisher=Marshall Cavendish|isbn=9780761409977|access-date=13 March 2019|via=Google Books}}

National team

The national team has limited international success and have never qualified for a European Championship or World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/10289992/England-v-Moldova-Roy-Hodgsons-side-should-have-an-easy-task-but-spare-a-thought-for-the-visitors.html|title=England v Moldova: Roy Hodgson's side should have an easy task but spare a thought for the visitors|first=Tony|last=Hawks|date=6 September 2013|access-date=13 March 2019|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LPUnDwAAQBAJ&dq=football+in+moldova&pg=PT121|title=The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly: Issue Twenty|first1=Jonathan|last1=Wilson|first2=Jarrod|last2=Kimber|first3=Igor|last3=Rabiner|first4=Nick|last4=Miller|first5=Iain|last5=Macintosh|date=1 March 2016|publisher=Blizzard Media Ltd|access-date=13 March 2019|via=Google Books}}

In UEFA Euro 2004 qualifiers, Moldova beat Austria 1–0 and Belarus 2–1, but lost to the Netherlands 2–1.

In the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, their best results were winning against Belarus 2–0, and two home draws against Scotland and Norway. They also drew 2–2 against Bosnia and Herzegovina at home, and beat them 1–0 in the away game during the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers. In the same qualifications, they beat Hungary 3–0 and also drew 1–1 against Turkey.

Domestic football

Sheriff Tiraspol is the most successful Moldovan football team and has won the most championships.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/sports/soccer/soccer-team-of-post-soviet-transnistria-dominates-moldovan-league.html|title=Post-Soviet Transnistria's Soccer Team Dominates Moldovan League|first=James|last=Montague|newspaper=The New York Times|date=19 August 2012|access-date=13 March 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2016/11/22/across-the-dniester-how-football-is-bridging-moldovas-cultural-divide/|title=Across the Dniester: how football is bridging Moldova's cultural divide|first=Liam|last=Walk|date=22 November 2016|access-date=13 March 2019}}

League system

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Level

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League(s)/Division(s)

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Liga

8 clubs

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Liga 1

12 clubs

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Liga 2

24 clubs divided in 2 series of 12 clubs each

References

External links

{{official website|http://www.fmf.md/}} of the Moldovan Football Federation
[http://www.divizianationala.com/ Football teams in Moldova]