German Football Leagues

The German football league system, or league pyramid, refers to a series of hierarchically interconnected leagues for association football clubs in Germany that consists of over 2,300 men's divisions, in which all leagues are bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. Clubs that are successful in their league can rise higher in the pyramid, whilst those that finish at the bottom can find themselves sinking further down. The top three professional levels contain one division each. Below this, the semi-professional and amateur levels have progressively more parallel divisions, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas. In theory it is possible for even the lowest local amateur club to rise to the top of the system and become German Football Champions. The number of teams promoted between the leagues varies, and promotion to the upper levels of the pyramid is usually contingent on meeting additional criteria, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.

Level I: Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (English: Federal League) is the top level in the German football league system and is operated by the German Football League (German: Deutsche Fußball Liga - DFL), Germany's professional football governing body. 18 clubs compete for the title of German Football Champions in a round-robin home and away 34 matchday season. The two clubs finishing last in every season are automatically relegated to the 2. Bundesliga. The club finishing third-last plays a home and away play-off against the club finishing third in the 2. Bundesliga, with the winners earning the final spot in the next Bundesliga season.

Level II: 2. Bundesliga
The 2. Bundesliga (English: Federal League 2) is the second level in the German football league system and is also operated by the German Football League. 18 clubs compete in a round-robin home and away 34 matchday season. The two clubs finishing first in every season are automatically promoted to the Bundesliga. The club finishing third plays a home and away play-off against the club finishing third-last in the Bundesliga. The two clubs finishing last are automatically relegated to the 3. Liga. The club finishing third-last plays a home and away play-off against the club finishing third in the 3. Liga, with the winners earning the final spot in the next 2. Bundesliga season.

Level III: 3. Liga
The 3. Liga (English: League 3) is the third level in the German football league system and the lowest tier in professional football in Germany. The league is operated by the German Football Association (German: Deutscher Fußball Bund - DFB), Germany's national football association. 20 clubs compete in a round-robin home and away 38 matchday season. The two clubs finishing first in every season are automatically promoted to 2. Bundesliga. The club finishing third plays a home and away play-off against the club finishing third-last in the 2. Bundesliga. The three clubs finishing last are automatically relegated to the Regionalliga. The 3. Liga is the top tier, a reserve team of a professional club is allowed to compete. In case, reserve teams finish on promotion spots in the Regionalliga, eligible teams following in the final rankings will be promoted instead.

Level IV: Regionalliga
The Regionalliga (English: Regional League) is the fourth level in the German football league system and usually considered a semi-professional league. The league is operated by the German Football Association in cooperation with its five regional football associations. Each regional football association covers the territory of one to six German states.

Currently there are 3 Regionalliga divisions with a total of 55 clubs competing. Until the 2011–12 season, the winners of each Regionalliga division are promoted directly to the 3. Liga, whereas a number of teams finishing at the bottom of the table will be relegated to Oberliga, depending on their corresponding state football association. Due to a structural reform of the Regionalliga in 2012, relegation rules will not be in effect for the 2011–12 season.

Level V: Oberliga
The Oberliga (English: Premier League) is the fifth level in the German football league system and the top amateur football league in Germany, therefore historically it was long-time named Amateur-Oberliga. The Oberliga is operated by the regional and state football associations of the German Football Association.

The jurisdiction of most state football associations covers the territory of their corresponding German state, with the exception of three state associations in North Rhine-Westfalia and Baden-Württemberg, respectively two state associations in Rhineland-Palatinate.

Currently there are 10 Oberligas, with the NOFV-Oberliga split into two divisions, totalling 11 groups, usually with 16 to 18 clubs each. Usually, the Oberliga divisions are organised by one to three state football associations. This is except for the NOFV-Oberliga, being operated by the North-East German Football Association, and except for the NRW-Liga, being operated by the West German Football and Athletics Assocation. Both are the governing regional bodies of the covered state associations.

With the exception of the 2011–12 season, usually the winners of each Oberliga division are promoted to Regionalliga, whereas a number of teams finishing at the bottom of the table will be relegated to their respective Verbandsliga oder Landesliga, depending on their corresponding state football association. Due to a structurual reform of the Regionalliga and some Oberliga divisions in 2012, special regulations for promotion and relegation will be in effect for the 2011–12 season.

Level VI and lower
Starting at Level VI, each of the 21 German state football associations run a league pyramid under their own jurisdiction. Usually one or two top finishers of each state associations top level earn a promotion spot to Oberliga, depending on the size of the state association. Because of the autonomy of the state associations, the league systems below the Oberliga differ by name, size and covered area. A quite common state association league pyramid consists of Verbandsliga (English: Association League) or Landesliga (English: State League) at Level VI, Landesliga or Bezirksoberliga (English: County Premier League) at Level VII, and Bezirksliga (English: County League) at Level VIII. With each level deeper, the number of divisions usually multiplies by two or three, with the area covered becoming progressively smaller. In 2010–11, at tier-VI a nationwide total 33 leagues were existent, with 92 leagues at tier-VII, and 221 leagues on tier-VIII.

Below the bottom flight in every state football association, a number of district football associations run their own league pyramid with a top flight usually called Kreisliga (English: District League) or in some states Kreisoberliga (English: District Premier League) as a feeder to the state football association's pyramid. The district football associations generally cover the area of a major town or a larger district, with typically several hierarchic leagues, usually called Kreisliga A, Kreisliga B, and so on. Nationwide, over 2,300 such divisions are operated by approximately 300 district football associations.

2011–12 season
The 2011–12 season will be a transition year for the semi-professional Regionalliga. The number of divisions will increase from three to five starting in 2012–13. Therefore, no club will be relegated to the Oberliga, with vacant spots for the 2012–13 Regionalliga season filled by extra promotions from the various Oberligas.

2012 Regionalliga reallocation
The clubs from the Northeast German Football Association will leave the Regionalliga Nord, forming the new Regionalliga Nordost. Therefore the Regionalliga Nord will only consist of the clubs from the North German Football Assocation. The Regionalliga Süd will be dissolved. The clubs from the Bavarian Football Association will form the new Regionalliga Bayern, whereas the remainder of the Regionalliga Süd, along with the clubs from the Regional Football Association Southwest will form the new Regionalliga Süd/Südwest. Therefore the Regionalliga West will only consist of the clubs from the West German Football and Athletics Assocation.

2012–13 season
Starting from the 2012–13 season, a promotion playoff will be introduced to the Regionalliga. The winners of all 5 divisions and the runners-up of the Southwest division will contest in 3 home and away playoffs, with the winners earning a spot in the 3. Liga. The actual number of teams in every division is not final, as it will depend the regional allocation of promotions to and relegation from the 3. Liga at the end of the 2011–12 season. The five divisions are allowed a maximum of 22 clubs in the first season, with a possible reduction to 16 or 18 clubs in later seasons.

Until 1933
Until the foundation of the German Football Association there had already been lots of different regional and district championships resp. leagues and it was not until 1906 that there was a consistent mode to determine the participants of the German championship that was played as a final tournament until the foundation of the Bundesliga. For that reason football in Germany was divided into seven regions which had their own regional championships (that were mostly played as a cup tournament, too). Only the regional champions and the defending German champion were qualified to play in the championship until 1924, when the number of final tournament participants was increased to 16.

As there were no regional top-level league established the system of many parallel leagues and divisions continued up to the 1933–34 season.

From the late 1920s on there were efforts to install a nationwide professional league, but these efforts were never powerful enough to outreach the strong anti-professionalism from conservative and nationalist officials.

1933–1944
National Socialism took power in Germany in January 1933. This also meant the end of attempts to invent professional football in Germany. But the football authorities did restructure and slightly centralise the football competition system. So in 1933 the Gauliga (county league) system was initiated as a system of 16 top-level divisions similar in strength that replaced the more than thirty previous top-level divisions. The champion of each Gauliga was qualified to play in the German championship tournament. With 10 teams each in the Gau leagues, the number of teams in the top flight was 160, a reduction from 400 to 500 teams until then. The number of Gau leagues increased to 31 in 1944, because of league division for economic reasons (transport costs) and territory annexion during World War II.

1947–1963
After World War II the Oberliga system developed out of the occupation zone championships. The first teams of the five West German top-level divisions (Nord, West, Südwest, Süd, Berlin) qualified for the German championship tournament. From 1949 until 1991 the German Democratic Republic had its own football league system.

1963–1974
Since the late 1920s there had been plans to establish a nationwide professional top-level league, but they all failed because of the opposition by anti-professionalists and the relatively strong regional football associations. In summer 1962, under the influence of the FIFA World Cup quarter final defeat to Yugoslavia, the German Football Association decided to establish the Bundesliga as a nationwide professional football league.

The previous Oberliga became the second level of the German league system, now named Regionalliga. Its five parallel divisions (Nord, West, Südwest, Süd, Stadtliga Berlin) corresponded with the previous Oberliga divisions.

In the first two years the Bundesliga had 16 members but their number was increased to 18 in 1965. Two teams were relegated to the Regionalliga. The first two teams from each Regionalliga division and the champion of West Berlin competed in a promotion tournament in two groups, whose winners were promoted into the Bundesliga.

1974–1981
Soon it became obvious that the financial gap between the fully professionalised Bundesliga and the five Regionalliga divisions, where many semi-professional and even amateur-like clubs competed, was too large. Teams relegated from the Bundesliga were often in serious danger of bankruptcy. Some clubs tried to avoid this fate by match fixing, known as the 1971 Bundesliga scandal.

To narrow the gap between pro football and amateur levels, in 1974 a second professional tier was introduced with the 2. Bundesliga, having a North and a South Division with usually 20 clubs each. For the first time in Bundesliga history, the level II division champions gained direct access to the Bundesliga, as the former promotion tournament was disestablished. Instead, even the playoff winner among the two runners-up was also promoted, with relegation from the Bundesliga therefore increased to 3 clubs.

As the Regionalligas were dissolved in 1974, with about one half of the former Regionalliga clubs relegated to their corresponding fully amateur state league pyramids, between 1974 and 1978, several amateur premier leagues, called Amateur-Oberliga, were established in every region, to narrow the gap between professional football and amateur level once more.

1981–1991
In 1981 the two divisions of the 2nd Bundesliga were merged into one nationwide division with 20 teams.

1991–1994
As the league systems of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic were merged in 1991, the number of teams competing in the Bundesliga was temporarily increased to 20 and to make room for 24 teams the 2. Bundesliga was again divided into a North and a South division of 12 teams each.

In 1992 the number of competing teams in the Bundesliga was re-decreased to 18 with four teams relegated and only two promoted from the second level. The 2. Bundesliga played one more season with 24 teams in one division before its size was decreased to 20 members in 1993 and 18 teams in 1994.

1994–2000
In 1994 the Regionalliga was re-established at the third-tier of the German football league system. It was divided into four divisions (Nord, Nordost, West/Südwest and Süd). Four teams were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga. At the beginning these were the four division champions, but later the champions of the Nord and Nordost division had to compete in a promotion play-off while one runner-up from the South or West division was promoted additionally.

2000–2008
From 2000 until 2008 there were two Regionalliga divisions (Nord and Süd), the champions and runners-up of each division were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga.

2008–2012
In 2006, the German Football Association decided to establish a further nationwide league at the third level of the German football league system starting with the 2008–09 season. This 3rd Liga consists of 20 teams. In the starting season the league consisted of the four lowest-ranked teams of the 2. Bundesliga after the 2007–08 season and the 3rd to 10th place finishers in both the Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga Süd after 2007–08 season.

The champions and the runners-up of the 3. Liga are promoted to the 2. Bundesliga. The third placed team starts in a home and away play-off against the third-last team of the 2. Bundesliga. The teams finishing 18th to 20th in the 3. Liga are relegated to the Regionalliga.

The Regionalliga was continued with an additional division (West) as fourth level of the league system. 54 teams compete in three regional divisions (North, West, South) of 18 teams each. These 54 teams consist of those Regionalliga teams that did not qualify for the 3. Liga after the 2007–08 season and additional teams from Oberliga feeders. Starting in 2008–09, the winner of each Regionalliga division will be promoted to the 3. Liga.

From 2012
Starting from the 2012–13 season, the Regionalliga will be expanded to five regional divisions. The Northern Division will be split into a Northern Division and a North-Eastern Division. The Western and the Southern Division will be divided into a Western Division, a South/South-Western Division and a Bavarian Division. The five Division winners along with the runner-up of the South-Western Division will compete for 3 promotions spots to the 3. Liga in a play-off round.

Scheme
¹ in some areas called Landesliga, in others Verbandsliga.

² in some areas called Kreisliga A, Kreisliga B, Kreisliga C and Kreisliga D or 1. Kreisklasse, 2. Kreisklasse and 3. Kreisklasse.

The league structure has shifted frequently and typically reflects the degree of participation in the sport in various parts of the country. In the early 1990's, changes were driven by German reunification and the subsequent intregration of the national leagues of East and West Germany. All these levels are interconnected by way of promotion and relegation. The next diagram shows how this works for the first five levels. Note that the actual number of clubs being promoted and relegated below the Regionalliga level is frequently subject to change by the German Football Association.

Baden
The league pyramid of the Baden Football Association (Badischer Fußballverband – BFV) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Verbandsliga Baden as a feeder to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg. Below the Baden league tier-IX district football associations work as feeders to the Landesliga.

Bavaria
The league pyramid of the Bavaria Football Association (Bayerischer Fußball-Verband – BFV) currently starts at tier-V of the German football league system with the Bayernliga as a feeder to the Regionalliga Süd. Below the Bavarian league pyramid, 24 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Due to the 2012 Regionalliga reform, the usual rules of promotion and relegation are disbanded for the 2011–12 season. Instead 9 to 13 clubs from the Bayernliga and from the three Landesliga divisions will promote to the new implemented Regionalliga Bayern. The Bayernliga itself will be split into two divisions, North and South, starting in 2012, with the number of Landesliga divisions increased to five, and with the Bezirksoberliga dissolved after the 2011–12 season.

Berlin
The league pyramid of the Berlin Football Association (Berliner Fußball-Verband – BFV) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Berlin-Liga as a feeder to the NOFV-Oberliga Nord. As the state of Berlin consists only of the city of Berlin itself, there are no district associations. The Berlin district league pyramid is therefore organised by the state association.

Brandenburg
The league pyramid of the Brandenburg Football Association (Fußball-Landesverband Brandenburg – FLB) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Brandenburg-Liga, a feeder to the NOFV-Oberliga Nord. Below the Brandenburg league pyramid, 17 district football associations work as feeders to the Landesklasse.

Bremen
The league pyramid of the Bremen Football Association (Bremer Fußball-Verband – BFV) currently starts at tier-V of the German football league system with the Bremen-Liga as a feeder to the Regionalliga Nord. Below the Bremen league pyramid a total of 3 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Hamburg
The league pyramid of the Hamburgian Football Association (Hamburger Fußball-Verband – HFV) currently starts at tier-V of the German football league system with the Oberliga Hamburg as a feeder to the Regionalliga Nord. As the state of Hamburg consists only of the city of Hamburg itself, there are no district associations. The Hamburgian district league pyramid is therefore organised by the state association.

Hesse
The league pyramid of the Hessian Football Association (Hessischer Fußball-Verband – HFV) currently starts at tier-V of the German football league system with the Hessenliga as a feeder to the Regionalliga Süd. Below the Hesse league pyramid 32 district football associations work as feeders to the Gruppenliga.

Lower Rhine
The league pyramid of the Lower Rhine Football Association (Fußballverband Niederrhein – FVN) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Niederrheinliga as a feeder to the NRW-Liga. All divisions on each level run in parallel with clubs redistributed due to geographical considerations each new season. Below the Lower Rhein league pyramid 14 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Lower Saxony
The league pyramid of the Lower Saxony Football Association (Niedersächsischer Fußballverband – NFV) currently starts at tier-V of the German football league system with the Oberliga Niedersachsen as a feeder to the Regionalliga Nord. Below the Lower Saxony league pyramid 47 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
The league pyramid of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Football Association (Landesfußballverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – LFVMV) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Verbandliga Mecklenburg-Vorpommern a feeder to the Oberliga Nordost-Nord. Below the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern league pyramid 6 district football associations work as feeders to the Landesklasse.

Middle Rhine
The league pyramid of the Middle Rhine Football Association (Fußballverband Mittelrhein – FVM) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Mittelrheinliga as a feeder to the NRW-Liga. All divisions on each level run in parallel with clubs redistributed due to geographical considerations each new season. Below the Middle Rhein league pyramid 9 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Rhineland
The league pyramid of the Rhineland Football Association (Fußballverband Rheinland – FVR) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Rheinlandliga as a feeder to the Oberliga Südwest. Below the Rheinland league pyramid 9 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Saarland
The league pyramid of the Saarland Football Association (Saarländischer Fußballverband – SFV) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Saarlandliga as a feeder to the Oberliga Südwest. Below the Saarland league pyramid 4 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Saxony
The league pyramid of the Saxony Football Association (Sächsischer Fußball-Verband – SFV) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Sachsenliga as a feeder to the NOFV-Oberliga Süd. Below the Saxony league pyramid 13 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Saxony-Anhalt
The league pyramid of the Saxony-Anhalt Football Association (Fußballverband Sachsen-Anhalt – FSA) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Verbandsliga Sachsen-Anhalt a feeder to the NOFV-Oberliga Süd. Below the Saxony-Anhalt league pyramid 14 district football associations work as feeders to the Landesklasse.

Schleswig-Holstein
The league pyramid of the Schleswig-Holstein Football Association (Schleswig-Holsteinischer Fußballverband – SHFV) currently starts at tier-V of the German football league system with the Schleswig-Holstein-Liga as a feeder to the Regionalliga Nord. Below the Schleswig-Holstein league pyramid 14 district football associations work as feeders to the Verbandsliga.

South Baden
The league pyramid of the South Baden Football Association (Südbadischer Fußball-Verband – SBFV) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Verbandsliga Südbaden as a feeder to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg. Below the South Baden league pyramid 24 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Southwest
The league pyramid of the Soutwest German Football Association (Südwestdeutscher Fußballverband – SWFV) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Verbandliga Südwest as a feeder to the Oberliga Südwest. Below the South West league pyramid 10 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksklasse.

Thuringia
The league pyramid of the Thuringia Football Association (Thüringer Fußball-Verband – TFV) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Thüringenliga a feeder to the NOFV-Oberliga Süd. Below the Thuringia league pyramid 21 district football associations work as feeders to the Regionalklasse.

Westphalia
The league pyramid of the Westphalia Football and Athletics Association (Fußball- und Leichtathletikverband Westfalen – FLVW) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with two divisions of Westfalenliga as feeders to the NRW-Liga. All divisions on each level run in parallel with clubs redistributed due to geographical considerations each new season. Below the Westphalian league pyramid 33 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.

Due to the 2012 Regionalliga reform, the usual rules of promotion and relegation are disbanded for the 2011–12 season. Instead the two division winners from the Westfalenliga will compete in a home and away playoff with clubs from NRW-Liga for promotion to the reorganised Regionalliga West. Playoff losers along with an additional number of 10 to 16 Westfalenliga clubs will promote to the reimplemented Oberliga Westfalen. The number of Landesliga divisions will be decreased to four, and the number of Bezirksliga divisions will be decreased to twelve after the 2011–12 season.

Württemberg
The league pyramid of the Württemberg Football Association (Württembergischer Fußball-Verband – WFV) currently starts at tier-VI of the German football league system with the Verbandsliga Württemberg as a feeder to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg. Below the Württemberg league pyramid 16 district football associations work as feeders to the Bezirksliga.