Regionalliga - last updated on 9 June 2008
(Courtesy of Johnny Beaufays)
Competition name: Fußball-Regionalliga
Foundation: 1963
Country: Germany
Website: no website
A bit of history:
From 1963 until 1974, the five Regionalliga conferences (west, south, north, southwest, Berlin) formed the second division in West-Germany. In 1974, a two-conference Bundesliga was formed and the Regionalliga as such was abolished. Instead, each federation's league comprised the third-highest league. In 1978, seven Oberligen that transcended the federation's borders were created in addition to the already-existing Oberliga Nord.
The modern Regionalliga was created in 1994 and replaced the Amateur-Oberligen as the third tier. The Amateur-Oberligen were kept as part of the pyramid, but now comprised the fourth tier. At first, the Regionalliga had four divisions: North, Northeast, West/Southwest and South. For the 2000-01 season, however, it was reduced to two divisions: North and South. When the 3rd Liga is introduced, the Regionalliga will increase from two to three divisions.
Generally, the winners and runners-up of the two divisions are promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga, but the B-teams of clubs in the first two divisions are not allowed to be promoted. After the introduction of the 3rd Liga, the Regionalliga will have three divisions, those being North, West and South.
Between 1994 and 2000, promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga was regulated without much continuity. It was a problematic rule, as becoming champion of a division did not automatically mean promotion for that team. The champions of the South and West/Southwest divisions were automatically promoted, however, along with one of the two runners-up. The champions of the North and Northeast divisions had a play-off to decide who would get the fourth promotion spot. This rule was justified with their being more clubs in the southern part of Germany than the north.
In 1998, the promotion rule was changed again: the winner of the play-off between the North and Northeast division champions was promoted, while the loser faced the runners-up from the West/Southwest and South divisions in another play-off for the remaining promotion spot.
In the fourteen seasons of the Regionalliga from 1994 to 2008, only the SV Werder Bremen II and FC Bayern München II have played every single season of it.
Competition crests: (roll on the crest to get more informations)
Regionalliga
