The season is the last one played with twelve teams, as league size will be reduced to ten for 2010–11.
The reserve teams of Austrian Bundesliga clubs Red Bull Salzburg and Austria Vienna will be demoted to the Regionalliga after the season regardless of their final position.
They were replaced by SC Rheindorf Altach, who finished the 2008–09 Bundesliga season in last place.
FC Vöcklabruck finished the 2008–09 season in the bottom three places and were relegated to their appropriate Regionalliga division.
The three relegated teams were replaced by Regionalliga division champions First Vienna (East), TSV Hartberg (Central) and FC Dornbirn 1913 (West).