Within each group, the teams would play a double round-robin to decide their league position.
The three group winners and the runners-up contested a play-off round to decide the two promotion slots.
The three second last placed teams in each group played a single round-robin play-out to decide the fourth relegation slot.
The three group winners played a two legged tie against one of the runners-up to decide the three finalists.
[7] The three second last placed teams from each group competed in a single round-robin play-out to decide the fourth and last relegation slot.