FM26 and the revolution of Serbian football. It's too late to wait for 2029 for a half-finished reform, changes - NOW! We bring you the full imaginary news about the changes from the website of the FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SERBIA:

FUDBALSKI SAVEZ SRBIJE

Terazije 35, 11000 Beograd

Sector for Competitions and Football Development

DATE: December 10, 2024

SUBJECT: PRESENTATION OF A NEW STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND REORGANIZATION OF THE COMPETITION SYSTEM (2025/26)

A NEW ERA OF SERBIAN FOOTBALL: A REVOLUTION IN QUALITY, INTEGRITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Faced with many years of stagnation, infrastructure deficit and loss of competitive charm, the Football Association of Serbia makes a historic decision on the complete reconstruction of the football pyramid. The time of cosmetic changes has passed. Serbian football requires an urgent, radical and in-depth reform to catch up with modern European tendencies.

This document represents "Project 2025" – a comprehensive plan that redefines professionalism, restores dignity to amateur sport and makes the development of young players an absolute imperative.

I. BASIC POSTULATES OF THE REFORM

The new structure of the competition was not created randomly, but is the result of a detailed analysis with the aim of eliminating "matches of no competitive significance" and ensuring financial stability.

1. Concentration of quality: Reducing the number of clubs in the higher ranks in order to create an elite capable of European challenges.
2. Categorization of clubs: The status of a club in the new system is determined by the Composite Performance Index (KIU), which evaluates: competitive results (last 5 years), infrastructure, financial independence, historical significance, player production,...
3. Competitiveness: Introduction of innovative play-off formats and league splits so that every match, until the last round, has weight.
4. Financial fairness: Guaranteed revenues, win bonuses and so-called "parachute payments" for relegated clubs, thus preventing clubs from shutting down.
5. Easy-to-understand and intuitive formats of the competition, as well as the fairness and validity of the placement
6. Complete reform of amateur football in Serbia: 4. and 5. Rank, more than 400 clubs
7. Strict club licensing: Professional License - Semi Professional License A - Semi Professional License B - Amateur License
8. Reform of cup competitions: 4 new cups, matches abroad, bigger prizes
9. New money contracts

II. STRUCTURE OF THE COMPETITION: A PYRAMID OF 5 RANKS

The new system consists of one professional, two semi-professional and two amateur leagues, with the addition of a parallel system for development ("B") teams. 

 

1ST Tier: MOZZART BET SUPER LIGA SRBIJE

The Elite of Serbian Football – Professional Status

1. Format: 10 clubs.
2. System: A three-round system (3x9), after which the league is divided.
   • Play-offs (Top 6): One-round (5 rounds) for the title and Europe.
   • Play-out (4 teams): One-round (3 rounds) for survival.
3. Registration rules: 1 U20 player on the field (bonus) required. Maximum of 8 foreigners in the protocol.
4. Calendar: No winter break (aligned with the European calendar).
5. Promotion/Relegation:
   • 10th place: Direct relegation.
   • 9th place: A participant in the F4 for survival.
6. Finances: Each club receives a guaranteed €650,000 per year + high bonuses for placement and victories.

2ND TIER: MOZZART BET PRVA LIGA SRBIJE

Semi-Professional A Status – Talent Incubator

1. Format: 14 clubs.
2. System: Two-round system (26 rounds), league split in 7th place.
   • Play-off (Top 7): Double Round (12 additional rounds).
   • Play-out (Bottom 7): Double Round (12 extra rounds).
3. Registration rules: 2 U20 players required. Maximum of 6 foreigners.
4. Calendar: Short winter break.
5. Promotion and Play-offs: 1st Place: Direct placement in the Super League.
   • 2nd, 3rd and 4th place + 9th team of the Super League: They play the "F4" tournament (semi-finals/finals). The winner will go to the Super League.
6. Relegation: One team is directly relegated, three play out spots from which two teams end up going up against Srpske Lige sides. 

• Finance: €100,000 guaranteed + bonuses.

3rd Tier: SRPSKE LIGE (4 GROUPS)

Semi-Professional B Status – Regional Basis

1. Formats: 4 groups of 10 clubs (Zapad, Istok, Vojvodina, Belgrade).
2. System: Three-lap system (27 laps) + league split in the 4th position for the final mini-cycle (3 rounds in the playoffs and 5 rounds in the playoffs).
3. Registration rules: 2 U20 players required. Maximum of 4 foreigners.
4. Promotion:
   • 4 winners of Srpske Lige and 2 Prva Liga Play out teams (13th PLS and the losers of 11th vs 12th PLS) create 3 PO ties, winners of which play PLS football next year.
5. Relegation: 1 team is directly relegated, 2 teams go to the relegation play-offs against teams from the Zone Leagues.
6. Funding: €25,000 per club.

4TH TIER: AMATEUR NATIONAL ZONAL LEAGUES

Reform of amateur sports

1. Structure: 8 leagues of 10 clubs each, regionalized
2. Format: Double-circuit system (20 games) + 2x split in 4th place.
3. Specificity: Emphasis on the amateur spirit. There are no restrictions on player registration.
4. Support: The FSS covers the costs of all guest appearances in order to relieve the budgets of local self-governments.
5. Promotion: The winners of the groups play the final of the playoffs to enter the Srpske Lige. The losers have a second chance against the losers of the playoffs for the relegation of the Srpske Lige.
6. Relegation: 2 teams are directly relegated, while 1 team goes into the rele. play offs where 4 out of 8 teams get relegated

5TH TIER: AMATEUR LOWER LEAGUES (NORTH AND SOUTH)

Football Base

1. Structure: 40 leagues divided into North (20) and South (20). Each league has 8 clubs, regionalized
2. System: 2x7 rounds + play-offs and play-outs (2x3 games)
3. Promotion: League winners go to the play offs where 20 out of 40 teams get promoted.
4. Relegation: The last-placed clubs must justify their status against potential candidates from the community of the Recreational Leagues of Belgrade
5. Support: Paid game expenses for all clubs.
    

III. DEVELOPMENTAL "B" LEAGUES AND JUNIOR CATEGORIES

Recognizing the problem of the transition from youth to senior football, the FSS is introducing a closed system for reserve teams, focused exclusively on development.

1. MozzartBet First "B" League as well as Serbian "B" League: 8 clubs, "B" license. In 4x7 format with a short winter break.
2. Key rule: A minimum of 10 players under the age of 22 must be on the field at any given time. The result is in the background, development is primary.
3. Youth categories: Youth and Cadet leagues completely "copy" the formats of the senior ranks for less result pressure.
    

IV. REVISION OF THE CUP COMPETITIONS

The Cup system has been redesigned to reward success and bring spectacle to smaller environments.

1. SERBIAN CUP: Includes the first three ranks + the top 16 from the 4th rank. Niželigaš is always a host. The game is played on Wednesdays.
2. SERBIAN AMATEUR CUP: For clubs of 4th, 5th and 6th rank. No cash prizes. The final is played abroad (football arenas in the diaspora), at the expense of the Association.
3. SERBIAN SUPER CUP: The winner of the Serbian Cup against the winner of the Amateur Cup. A spectacle at the beginning of the season with cash prizes.
4. Winter and Summer Cups: Tournament format during the breaks for the lower leagues. The Winter League Cup as well as the Summer Cup. Serious cash prizes as well as amateur football spectacles in the diaspora. B teams participate as well.

V. OTHER KEY CHANGES

1. Infrastructure and Licensing: Strict enforcement of regulations. Clubs that do not meet the infrastructure requirements for a certain rank (pitch, dressing rooms, floodlights) will not be able to compete, regardless of placement.
2. VAR Technology: Implementation of VAR in full in the first two ranks, and the "VAR Light" system in Serbian leagues.
3. Disciplinary Rules: Tougher penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct, but also greater protection for referees and delegates.

…

CONCLUSION

This isn't just a format change; It's a change of consciousness. With these changes, the FAS guarantees a more exciting championship, financial stability for clubs and, most importantly, a system that will produce world-class footballers. Football is back where it belongs.

For the football team of Serbia.

President of the Football Association of Serbia

The media's reaction to the changes: 
 

Social media reactions to the changes: 
 

Changes

-Version 1.0:

Main items:

1. A Complete Revolution in Serbian Football

Side items:

1. Added a couple of clubs that weren't in the base.
2. Fixed a couple of mistakes from the database
3. New announced management of football clubs FK Rad, FK Loznica, FK Dubočica
4. National stadium

-Version 1.1

Main items:

1. rearranged some clubs in the pyramid (more emphasis on what league they currently play in)
    

Side items:

1. minor bug fixes (mainly the foreigners rule working correctly, B teams no longer play in amateur cup competitions, naming fixes)
2. added a couple more teams
3. Rankings info slightly improved

-Version 1.2

Main items:

1. format chnages for Zonske lige and Niže lige
2. Kup zimskih liga now with a group stage

Side items:

1. players actualy leave on holiday during the mid season break
2. registration windows introduced
3. minor name changes
4. homegrown u18 players don't need registering

-Version 1.3
 

Main items:

1. No main items. This is the complete version and the last update for a while. Some sort of v2.0 will probably be released on FM27 🙂

Side items:

1. fixed a tiny bug not allowing player numbers to go above 26
2. added a few clubs
3. added some awards for the lower leagues
4. PLSb now with 8 teams
5. fixed a few database naming/stadium mistakes
6. PLS relegation slightly changed
    

Credits to Karna. All changes to the structure and database have been made using his Zone League add-on as a basis. Go support him:

https://www.youtube.com/@KarnaYT/

https://www.instagram.com/fm_menadjer/

https://www.tiktok.com/@fm_menadjer?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnUe6vCk4XfDehZw0_1s_fyhk2iXbQZ2lcFybExrdA2vLQHcp8-WY1YJCwVHs_aem_4RX3S2UQiWOYQibmbZjaQQ/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkKdKO2nG8-54HXqOtR8MzA

Credits

Karna