The Alpha Ethniki or, officially, the Alpha Ethniki Category of Rhōmanía (Roman Greek: Ἡ τῆς Ῥωμανίας Ἄλφα Ἐθνικὴ Κατηγορία, literally "Rhōmanía's First National Category"), also known as the A Ethniki and The First National League, is the top division national football league of Rhōmanía.The league was formed in February 2020 and started play on 1 April the same year. Unlike all the other leagues in Europe, it follows a system with American influences, as is the play-off round held after the regular season to determine the national champion. The league consists of 8 teams, and the regular season typically runs from April to May, with teams playing 14 games each. Until 2022, the league was split into two conferences, the Northern and the Southern, but this was abolished with the beginning of the 2022 edition. Another peculiarity of the league is that it is simulated, owing this to the lack of infastructure.
The league is organized by the Imperial Football Federation of Rhōmanía (IFFR) as a closed league system with the B Ethniki (the second-tier league), meaning that only specific clubs are allowed to join in the nation's leagues. 3 of A Ethniki's teams, namely Knidos Club, Pammouziliotikos, and Aegina, were founded specifically for the league and are managed directly as franchises by the Federation.
Logo for the 2019-20 season, when the League was held by the Football Federation of Mouzilo
During the regular season, all clubs in the league play against each other, once at home and once away, for a total of 14 games. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams advance to the playoff round, where they compete in knockout games in the double elimination format (meaning rivals face each other once at home and once away), in the semi-finals. Contrary to UEFA practice, in the event of a draw the victor is decided according to away goal rule.The last two teams standing face off in a single game called the Super Final, the winner of which is crowned the Romaean champion of that season. In addition, the best performing team of the regular season is awarded the Community Shield, therefore it is possible for the best performing team of the regular season and the Super Final winner to be different teams. In such an event, the next season begins with a pre-season single game, called the Super Cup, in which the winner of the previous year's A Ethniki faces the holder of the Community Shield.
At the bottom of the table, the worst performing team gets relegated to the B Ethniki and is replaced by the winner of the B Ethniki Playoffs. Prior to 2022, the worst performing team of each conference would be relegated and replaced by the respective top ranked teams in the conferences of the B Ethniki.
Rhōmanía
2022 Season
Mouzilo
Aegina
New Constantinople
Hagiopolis
