Licensing controversies The start of the 2011–12 season was affected by multiple licensing controversies involving
Timișoara,
Gloria Bistrița and
Bihor Oradea. On 30 May 2011, the
Romanian Football Federation denied licences to four 2010–11 Liga I teams, Timișoara, Gloria Bistrița, Universitatea Craiova and Victoria Brănești, while a fifth team, Unirea Urziceni, did not apply for a licence. Of these five teams, Timișoara and Gloria Bistrița had achieved qualification for the 2011–12 season on competitional grounds. A final decision by the executive committee of the FRF on the matter, particularly on the question to which league both teams will be incorporated, was scheduled for 2 June 2011, but eventually postponed to 20 June 2011. As a direct consequence from the licence denial, Timișoara were not allowed to participate in the
2011–12 UEFA Champions League. On 6 June 2011, the FRF announced that Bihor Oradea, runners-up in the 2010–11 Liga II Seria II and therefore having earned promotion, did not meet requirements for a Liga I licence. On 11 June 2011, a FRF communique stated that the executive committee doesn't have the power to change the Licensing Commission decisions. However, on 20 June, the FRF Executive Committee decided that for the next three years the licences will not matter for Liga I promotion. Therefore, Timișoara, Gloria Bistrița and Bihor Oradea could play in the 2011–12 Liga I season. The decision was reverted on the same day, after an intervention of FRF president, Mircea Sandu. The only chance for the three teams to play in the next season would be a favorable decision from
Court of Arbitration for Sport for their appeals. On 22 June 2011, FRF announced that Sportul Studențesc will retain their Liga I place and Mioveni will promote instead of Bihor Oradea. FRF decided also that a play-off round will be played between
Săgeata Năvodari and
Voința Sibiu for the last remaining place in Liga 1. On 2 July, in Săgeata Năvodari, the first match of the play-off was a goalless draw. Voința Sibiu promoted for the first time in history in Liga I after a 2–0 victory in the second match of the play-off. On 8 July, Court of Arbitration for Sport announced that the appeals from Timișoara, Bihor and Bistrița will be heard in an expedited manner in order to have a decision before the start of the season. On 18 July, CAS announced that the appeals were dismissed. The challenged decisions taken by the competent authorities in Romania and by UEFA were confirmed in their entirety.
Home ground dilemmas Two of the most supported teams, Steaua București and Rapid București started the season without a contract with their traditional home grounds,
Ghencea and
Giulești. The
Ministry of National Defense, owner of Ghencea, denounced the contract with Steaua for unpaid debts. A new agreement is expected to be signed. Meanwhile, because Steaua's home ground was suspended for the first two stages because of the incidents in the 2010–11 Romanian Cup final and the 2011 Romanian Supercup, the team played the first two home matches at
Constanța and
Ploiești. Further matches was played in Ploiești and Buzău. Numerous other stadiums were considered by the Steaua owner
George Becali for a new home: the new
Arena Națională,
CFR Cluj stadium,
Buzău and
Astra stadium. Ghencea owners invited Steaua to return to Ghencea, but only after the debts (around 560.000 euro) will be fully paid. However, Steaua played further matches on Astra and Buzău stadiums and National Arena. George Becali declared at the beginning of November that the team will settle on the National Arena until the end of 2011. Rapid played the first game match on
Regie, because they were suspended for the incidents created by fans during the last match of the
2010–11 Liga I. Because of debts towards
CS Rapid București, owners of Giulești, they were still unable to use their traditional home stadium. CS Rapid București agreed to sign a new contract if a part of the debts were paid until the coming match of the fourth stage against Concordia Chiajna. The match was eventually played on the
Nicolae Dobrin Stadium in Pitești. Before the sixth stage, Rapid president
Dinu Gheorghe announced there is not yet an agreement and thus the match with FC Brașov will be played on Regie. On 12 September, a temporary accord was signed between the two parts, meaning that Rapid will return to their traditionally home ground for at least two matches. On 11 October 2011, was signed a contract for the entire season.
Investigations and arrests On 25 September 2011, Vasile Avram, the president of Romanian Referees Commission (CCA), has been arrested on suspicion of taking bribes from a businessman close to
Târgu Mureș. Further information revealed that in the same investigation are involved the presidents of other two clubs,
Dinamo București and
Vaslui, and the heads of Romanian Football Federation,
Mircea Sandu, and Romanian Professional Football League,
Dumitru Dragomir. It is still unclear how the 2011–12 Liga 1 season will be affected by these investigations. Vasile Avram was released after 58 days of arrest with some restrictions, but the process will continue. However, he was already replaced as the president of CCA with Ion Crăciunescu. Also, in October 2011
National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) started the investigation of the members of Romanian Football Federation Execute Committee, accusing them of abuse in the Universitatea Craiova temporary exclusion of all competition after last season relegation. Following the exclusion, all the Craiova's players was declared free of contract. ==League table==