Liga was formed for the 2008–09 season, replacing the Regionalliga, which had previously served as the third-tier in the country.

A violent dispute broke out in the run-up to the decision scheduled for September 2006 at the DFB-Bundestag about the participation of second teams in the first and second division.

Ultimately, a compromise was worked out that initially only allowed four-second substitutes to play in the inaugural season of the third division.

Half of the clubs from the existing Regionalliga North and South were able to qualify for the premiere season, plus four relegated teams from the 2.

Dynamo Dresden won the match 1–0, with Halil Savran scoring the only goal in the closing stages of the first half.

[9] For the 2019–20 season, as in the two national leagues, warnings for club officials were introduced in the form of cards.

[14] In parallel to the two national leagues, the DFB increased the substitutions quota per team from three to five player for the 3.

Liga until the end of the season, and the third-highest German division was not allowed be played in front of spectators.

[15] While small numbers of spectators were allowed from the start of the 2020–21 season under certain conditions, it was decided in an internal league survey to limit the substitution contingent to three players again.

[citation needed] From its foundation in 2008 to 2013, the league operated at a financial loss, with a record deficit of €20.9 million in 2012–13.

The longest uninterrupted club playing in the league is SV Wehen Wiesbaden, which from 2009 until its promotion to the 2.

Liga: Kickers Offenbach, Erzgebirge Aue, SC Paderborn and FC Carl Zeiss Jena.

Liga are obliged to list at least 4 players in the match report sheet (game day squad) for each game who are eligible to play for a DFB selection team and who are not older than 23 years for the entire season (1 July to 30 June), i.e. were born on or after 1 July 1998 (U23 players) for the 2021–22 season.

In addition to sporting qualifications, the clubs concerned must also meet the economic and technical- organizational requirements that are mandatory by the DFB Presidium.

[22] In particular, the conditions relating to the arcade infrastructure repeatedly prompt potential climbers from the subordinate regional leagues not to submit any licensing documents; for example SV Rödinghausen or Berliner AK 07, both of which play in stadiums that are clearly too small.

FC Saarbrücken or Türkgücü München show that even a temporary game operation in alternative venues is just as problematic as the search for one.

Since the start of the 2017–18 season, Deutsche Telekom has been broadcasting all games for customers and subscribers as internet live streams.

Approximately 1–2 matches per week are broadcast with English commentary on the German Football Association YouTube channel.

FC Magdeburg, FC Hansa Rostock, MSV Duisburg, Arminia Bielefeld, Karlsruher SC, Alemannia Aachen, Eintracht Braunschweig, TSV 1860 Munich and Fortuna Düsseldorf, but also the ambitious newcomer RB Leipzig often had an average attendance of well over 10,000 viewers per game.

Liga has attendance numbers that are comparable to the second-tier soccer leagues in Italy (Serie B), France (Ligue 2) and Spain (Segunda División).

[36] Only the third-tier English football league One has similarly high or higher attendance numbers.

In 2009, the Stuttgarter Kickers got down after the DFB had imposed a three-point deduction for a loan that was not repaid on time.

In 2010–11, the opening of insolvency proceeding resulted in the forced regulation of Rot Weiss Ahlen.

In 2013, after the opening of insolvency proceedings, Alemannia Aachen was determined to be relegated early on and Kickers Offenbach's third division license was revoked.

[29] At a press conference in mid-October 2019, the DFB published the balance sheet report for the 2018–19 season.

One of the main drivers of this situation, according to the report, was increased spending on human resources, particularly on player transfers and salaries.

In addition, the number of spectators in the stadiums continued to rise, but in return it fell significantly on television.

[40] In order to counteract the problem, the DFB decided in September 2018 to introduce so-called financial fair play in the 3.

A further €2.95 million is to flow into the youth development of the participants, whereby the use of U21 players with German nationality should have a positive effect on the distribution rate per club.

The following clubs have played in the league and achieved the following final positions:[82] At the end of the regular season the third placed team in the 3.