The German football league system , or league pyramid , refers to the hierarchically interconnected league system for association football in Germany that in the 2016–17 season consisted of 2,235 leagues in up to 13 levels having 31,645 teams , in which all divisions are bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation .
41-459: The Oberliga Nord was the fourth tier of the German football league system in the north of Germany . It covered the states of Lower Saxony , Bremen , Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein . With the introduction of the 3. Liga , the league ceased to exist from 2008. The original league of this name existed from 1947 to 1963 and was then the first tier of German football, covering the same region as
82-513: A league pyramid under its own jurisdiction. The state association of Bavaria starts its pyramid at level four. The top divisions of the state associations of Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Westphalia sit at level five of the pyramid. The pyramids of the remaining associations of Baden, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Rhineland, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, South Baden, Southwest, Thuringia and Württemberg start at level six of
123-665: A single division, the Bezirksliga (County League) under their jurisdiction, then followed by the district associations' top flights Kreisliga (District League). State associations that are directly subdivided into district associations, typically run the Bezirksliga themselves. In Hesse, the Bezirksliga is called the Gruppenliga (Group League). The Schleswig-Holstein Football Association league system
164-505: Is organised by 21 state football associations . Therefore, 13 states, these being Bavaria , Berlin , Brandenburg , Bremen , Hamburg , Hesse , Lower Saxony , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania , Saarland , Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt , Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia have a state football association with a jurisdiction covering the whole area of the corresponding political entity. Three states are subdivided into more than one state football association. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia
205-520: Is subdivided into three state associations, these being Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine and Westphalia. The state of Baden-Württemberg is also subdivided into three state associations, these being Baden, South Baden and Württemberg. Finally, the state of Rhineland-Palatinate is subdivided into two state associations, these being Rhineland and Southwest. Starting on levels four to six of the German football league system, each of these 21 state associations runs
246-673: Is the state association league system in the state of Schleswig-Holstein and starts at level five of the German league system with the Oberliga Schleswig-Holstein on top. The current (2016–17 season) champions are Eutin 08. The champions enter a promotion playoff along with the Bremen-Liga champions, the Oberliga Hamburg champions and the Niedersachsenliga runner-up for two promotions to
287-912: The 3. Liga . Below the regional association's league system, the five state association league systems of the Baden Football Association , the Bavarian Football Association , the Hessian Football Association , the South Baden Football Association and the Württembergian Football Association work as feeders to the Regionalliga. Mostly in line with the geographical borders of the 16 German states , amateur football
328-720: The 3. Liga . Below the regional association's league system, the three state association league systems of the Lower Rhine Football Association , the Middle Rhine Football Association and the Westphalian Football and Athletics Association work as feeders to the Regionalliga. The Southwestern Regional Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland and starts at level four of
369-512: The Amateurliga Niedersachsen : At the end of its last season, 2007–08, the last round having been played on 30 May 2008, the clubs of the league were spread over various other divisions, according to their final league position. The 6th placed team, TuS Heeslingen, was not granted a Regionalliga licence and the 7th placed club, VfB Oldenburg, qualified for the play-offs instead. The Bremen champion, FC Bremerhaven ,
410-654: The Regionalliga Nord . Below the state association league system 12 district associations work as feeders to the Verbandsliga. In the 2017–18 season, the full system comprises 61 divisions having 861 teams. Additionally, four teams play above the state association league system: Holstein Kiel ( 2. Bundesliga ), Eutin 08, SC Weiche Flensburg 08 and VfB Lübeck ( all Regionalliga Nord ). FC Bremerhaven Too Many Requests If you report this error to
451-691: The Regionalliga Nordost and the Regionalliga West . The two regional bodies Southwestern Regional Football Association and Southern German Football Association share the jurisdiction on the Regionalliga Südwest . Finally, the Bavarian Football Association , although being just a subordinate state association to the superior Southern German Football Association, runs the Regionalliga Bayern , by far
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#1732772036653492-985: The Regionalliga Südwest runner-up for three promotions to the 3. Liga . Below the regional association's league system, the six state association league systems of the Berlin Football Association , the Brandenburg State Football Association , the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Football Association , the Saxony Football Association , the Saxony-Anhalt Football Association and the Thuringian Football Association work as feeders to
533-413: The semi-professional and amateur levels have progressively more parallel divisions, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas. Teams that finish at the top of their division at the end of each season can rise higher in the pyramid, while those that finish at the bottom find themselves sinking further down. Therefore, in theory, it is possible for even the lowest local amateur club to rise to
574-407: The "new" Oberliga Nord. For its history, see here . The league was formed in 1974 as a continuation of the Regionalliga Nord , the then second tier of German football. With the introduction of the 2nd Bundesliga Nord in that year, the Regionalliga was disbanded and its clubs spread among the new 2nd Bundesliga, Oberliga and Amateurligas. The new Oberliga Nord however was only the third tier of
615-411: The 21 state associations (Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Westphalia) have an Oberliga (English: Premier League) as their top amateur state division, some followed by a Verbandsliga, some directly by a Landesliga. Starting in 2012, the state association of Bavaria organized its own Regionalliga (Regional League), a league formerly only organized by
656-716: The German football league system, replacing at this level the four Landes- and Amateurligas of Niedersachsen, Hamburg, Bremen and Schleswig-Holstein, who now slipped to the fourth tier of the league system. Below the Oberliga were originally four leagues, one for each of the four states of the region. The Amateurliga of Niedersachsen changed its name to Landesliga from 1974 and after 1979 to Verbandsliga . The leagues in Bremen and Hamburg changed their name to Verbandsliga straight away in 1974. Schleswig-Holstein changed from Landesliga to Verbandsliga in 1978. In 1994, Niedersachsen,
697-481: The German football league system. All state associations have full jurisdiction over their league pyramids, though the configuration varies in between states. A traditional state league pyramid had a Verbandsliga (Association League) as its top flight, followed by several divisions of Landesliga (State League). Due to many structural reforms in the last decades, both on federal level and on state levels, this structure has become more indeterminate. Currently, eight of
738-514: The German league system with the Regionalliga Südwest on top, which is held under joint jurisdiction along with the Southern German Football Association . The champions and the runner-up enter a promotion playoff along with the winners of the four other Regionalliga divisions for three promotions to the 3. Liga . By rule, the champions and the runner-up will not face each other in the promotion playoffs. Below
779-523: The German league system with the Regionalliga Südwest , which is held under joint jurisdiction along with the Regional Football Association South West respectively with the Regionalliga Bayern . The champions and the runner-up of the Regionalliga Südwest and the champions of the Regionalliga Bayern enter a promotion playoff along with the winners of the three other Regionalliga divisions for three promotions to
820-415: The Oberliga. The Western German Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and starts at level four of the German league system with the Regionalliga West on top. The champions enter a promotion playoff along with the winners of the four other Regionalliga divisions and the Regionalliga Südwest runner-up for three promotions to
861-442: The Regionalliga. The Northeastern German Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the states of Berlin , Brandenburg , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania , Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia and starts at level four of the German league system with the Regionalliga Nordost on top. The champions enter a promotion playoff along with the winners of the four other Regionalliga divisions and
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#1732772036653902-493: The champion and runner-up of 3. Liga are promoted to the second flight. Additionally, the third-last ranked team of 2. Bundesliga and the third-best ranked team of 3. Liga play a promotion/relegation playoff for the final spot in the next 2. Bundesliga edition. The bottom four teams of 3. Liga are relegated to Regionalliga . Whereas the professional first three levels of the German football league system each are single division only and are organised by nationwide governing bodies,
943-503: The difference between the leagues. In 1975 and 1976, the two first placed teams of the Oberliga took part in the promotion play-off to determine the promoted teams to the 2nd Bundesliga Nord. In 1977 and 1978, the top four teams from the Oberliga Nord went to this competition. With the reduction of the number of Oberligas in 1978, the winner and runners-up of the Oberliga Nord were directly promoted in 1979 and 1980. No promotion
984-689: The five Verbandsliga champions will have to play-off for two promotion spots to the Regionalliga Nord. The league champions: The clubs in the league and their final placings: The league started in 1974 with eighteen clubs from four German states: From the Regionalliga Nord : From the Landesliga Hamburg : From the Amateurliga Bremen : From the Landesliga Schleswig-Holstein : From
1025-524: The five Verbandsligas in its stead. The top five clubs of the Oberliga in the 2007-08 season gained promotion to the Regionalliga Nord, the sixth placed team had to play-off with the Verbandsliga champions for another Regionalliga spot and the rest of the clubs were relegated to the Verbandsligas. The northern region therefore became the only region in Germany without an Oberliga after 2008. In future,
1066-1051: The five regional associations of the German Football association, these being the Northern German Football Association , the Northeastern German Football Association , the Western German Football Association , the Southwestern Regional Football Association and the Southern German Football Association . For Bavaria, the Bavarian Football Association , a member state association of the Southern German Football Association, runs their top division under their own jurisdiction. Starting at level five,
1107-451: The largest of the four states, split its league into an eastern and a western group, a system already in place until 1964. Due to the difference in playing strength of the Verbandsligas, champions were not directly promoted but had to go through a play-off system. Eight teams in two divisions were qualified for this competition, with three clubs from Niedersachsen, two each from Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein and one from Bremen, to balance out
1148-538: The largest single state football association in Germany. As an exception to the regular promotion rules within the German league system, not all champions of each Regionalliga division are granted automatic promotion. Instead only the Regionalliga West and Southwest each provide a fixed direct promotion. Another direct promotion place is assigned according to a rotation principle among the Regionalliga Nord, Nordost, and Bayern champions. The representatives from
1189-493: The latter are then subdivided into district associations. The associations of South Baden and Württemberg have several county associations following in the league system, but no district associations. The remaining associations (Baden, Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Rhine, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Middle Rhine, Rhineland, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia and Westphalia) are directly subdivided into district associations. The county associations usually run
1230-694: The regional association's league system, the three state associations league systems of the Rhineland Football Association , the Saarland Football Association and the Southwest German Football Association work as feeders to the Oberliga. The Southern German Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the states of Baden-Württemberg , Bavaria and Hessen and starts at level four of
1271-410: The remaining two Regionalligen determine the fourth promoted club in two-legged playoffs. The Northern German Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the states of Bremen , Hamburg , Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein and starts at level four of the German league system with the Regionalliga Nord on top. The champions enter a promotion playoff along with
Oberliga Nord - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-507: The semi-professional level four Regionalliga comprises five independent divisions, each run by different regional and/or state associations. Three regional bodies, being the Northern German Football Association , the North East German Football Association and the Western German Football Association , each run a division under their sole jurisdiction, these being the corresponding Regionalliga Nord ,
1353-527: The superior regional associations . With the exception of Berlin and Hamburg, all other state associations usually supervise several county and/or district associations. The county associations usually cover the area of a government district , whereas the district associations have jurisdiction for the territory of an urban district . The associations of Bavaria, Bremen, Lower Saxony and the Southwest are initially subdivided into several county associations,
1394-517: The system sits the level one 1. Bundesliga and the level two 2. Bundesliga , both organized by the professional German Football League. The two top flights are then followed by the level three 3. Liga , the lowest full professional division in Germany, organised by the German Football Association itself. The professional level four Regionalliga is divided into 5 regional divisions, these typically organised by one or two of
1435-564: The top of the system and become German football champions one day. The number of teams promoted and relegated between the divisions varies, and promotion to the upper levels of the pyramid is usually contingent on meeting additional criteria, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances. The German football league system is held under the jurisdiction of the nationwide German Football Association and its professional body German Football League , along with its five regional associations and their 21 state associations . On top of
1476-421: The two new Oberligas of Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein and Niedersachsen/Bremen . In 2004, after ten seasons, the Oberliga Nord was reformed, as the league below the Regionalliga Nord, being the fourth tier of football now. The two Oberligas that replaced it in 1994 were disbanded. With the introduction of the 3. Liga and of a third Regionalliga in 2008, the Oberliga Nord again ceased to exist, being replaced by
1517-2312: The various fully amateur divisions are usually governed by the 21 state associations. For the North East German Football Association and Southwestern Regional Football Association, both regional bodies still run the level five divisions under their jurisdiction. Their state member associations' pyramids therefore start at level six. Hamburg state league system ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot Bremen state league system ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot Schleswig-Holstein state league system ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot Lower Saxony state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot 2 divisions of NOFV-Oberliga 33 teams ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 5 to 11 relegation spots Lower Rhine state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Middle Rhine state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Westphalia state league system ↑ 2 promotion spots Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar 19 teams ↑ 1 to 2 promotion spots ↓ 3 to 6 relegation spots Oberliga Baden-Württemberg 18 teams ↑ 1 promotion spot ↓ 3 to 6 relegation spots Hesse state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Brandenburg state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Berlin state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Saxony-Anhalt state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Thuringia state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot Saxony state league system ↑ 1 to 2 promotion spots Rhineland state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot to Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar Saarland state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot to Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar Southwest state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot to Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar Baden state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot to Oberliga Baden-Württemberg South Baden state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot to Oberliga Baden-Württemberg Württemberg state league system ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot to Oberliga Baden-Württemberg After each season,
1558-541: The winners of the Bundesliga are crowned German football champions . The bottom two Bundesliga teams are relegated to 2. Bundesliga , whereas the champion and runner-up of 2. Bundesliga are promoted to the top flight. Additionally, the third-last ranked team of Bundesliga and the third-best ranked team of 2. Bundesliga play a promotion/relegation playoff for the final spot in the next Bundesliga edition. The bottom two 2. Bundesliga teams are relegated to 3. Liga , whereas
1599-755: The winners of the four other Regionalliga divisions and the Regionalliga Südwest runner-up for three promotions to the 3. Liga . Below the regional association's league system, the four state association league systems of the Bremen Football Association , the Hamburg Football Association , the Lower Saxony Football Association and the Schleswig-Holstein Football Association work as feeders to
1640-852: Was also not granted a licence and the best place club from Bremen in the Oberliga, the FC Oberneuland, qualified instead. Its eighteen clubs went to the following leagues: To the Regionalliga Nord : To the Verbandsliga Bremen : To the Verbandsliga Hamburg : To the Verbandsligas Niedersachsen : To the Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein : German football league system The top three professional levels contain one division each. Below this,
1681-403: Was available in 1981 because the 2nd Bundesliga was reduced to one league only. From 1982, the top two teams in the league had to play-off for promotion again. The Oberliga Nord was disbanded in 1994, with the re-introduction of the Regionalliga Nord , this time as the third tier of German football. Fourteen of its sixteen clubs went to the new Regionalliga, the bottom two teams were relegated to