From there it gradually expanded further through a combination of territorial expansion of Nazi Germany and the sub-dividing of the Gauligas in later years, reaching a strength of thirty-one in its last completed season, 1943–44.

Group 2 was contested by the champions of the Gauligas Mitte, Niedersachsen, Nordmark and Sachsen:[7]

Group 3 was contested by the champions of the Gauligas Hessen, Mittelrhein, Niederrhein and Westfalen:[7]

Group 4 was contested by the champions of the Gauligas Bayern, Baden, Südwest and Württemberg:[7]

Two of the four clubs in the 1940 semi-finals had reached the same stage in the previous season, Dresdner SC and FC Schalke 04, while Rapid Wien replaced Admira Wien and SV Waldhof Mannheim Hamburger SV in comparison to 1939:[8]