German football league system

Therefore, in theory, it is possible for even the lowest local amateur club to rise to the top of the system and become German football champions one day.

Liga, the lowest full professional division in Germany, organised by the German Football Association itself.

Whereas the professional first three levels of the German football league system each are single division only and are organised by nationwide governing bodies, the semi-professional level four Regionalliga comprises five independent divisions, each run by different regional and/or state associations.

Another direct promotion place is assigned according to a rotation principle among the Regionalliga Nord, Nordost, and Bayern champions.

The representatives from the remaining two Regionalligen determine the fourth promoted club in two-legged playoffs.

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.

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 the German football league system.

Currently, eight of 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.

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.

[6] 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).

[8] Additionally, six teams play above the state association league system: Hamburger SV (Bundesliga), FC St. Pauli (2.

[9] Additionally, 16 teams play above the state association league system: Hannover 96 and VfL Wolfsburg (Bundesliga), Eintracht Braunschweig (2.

FC Germania Egestorf/Langreder, Schwarz-Weiß Rehden, VfB Oldenburg, SSV Jeddeloh, SV Drochtersen/Assel, VfV 06 Hildesheim and Eintracht Braunschweig II (all Regionalliga Nord).

Level Division ↑ 1 promotion spot + 1 promotion playoff spot to Regionalliga Nord 5 Niedersachsenliga – 16 teams ↓ relegation to Braunschweig, Hanover, Lüneburg or Weser-Ems county FA league systems 6 4 divisions of Landesliga – 68 teams 7 17 divisions of Bezirksliga – 274 teams ↓ relegation to Ammerland, Aurich, Bentheim, Braunschweig, Celle, Cloppenburg, Cuxhaven, Diepholz, Emden, Emsland, Friesland, Gifhorn, Göttingen-Osterode, Hamelin-Pyrmont, Hanover, Hanover region, Harburg, Heidekreis, Helmstedt, Hildesheim, Holzminden, Leer, Lüchow-Dannenberg, Lüneburg, Nienburg, Nordharz, Northeim-Einbeck, Oldenburg, Oldenburg region/Delmenhorst, Osnabrück, Osnabrück region, Osterholz, Peine, Rotenburg, Schaumburg, Stade, Uelzen, Vechta, Verden, Wesermarsch, Wilhelmshaven, Wittmund or Wolfsburg district FA league systems 8 42 divisions of Kreisliga – 634 teams 9 57 divisions of 1.

[12] Additionally, seven teams play above the state association league system: Hansa Rostock (3.

Bundesliga), Hertha BSC II, VSG Altglienicke, FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin, BFC Dynamo, Berliner AK 07 (Regionalliga Nordost), SV Lichtenberg 47, Tennis Borussia Berlin, FC Hertha 03 Zehlendorf, SC Staaken, SV Tasmania Berlin, CFC Hertha 06, SFC Stern 1900 and SV Sparta Lichtenberg (NOFV-Oberliga Nord) Level Division ↑ 1 promotion spot to NOFV-Oberliga Nord 6 Berlin-Liga – 18 teams 7 2 divisions of Landesliga – 32 teams 8 3 divisions of Bezirksliga – 48 teams 9 4 divisions of Kreisliga A – 64 teams 10 5 divisions of Kreisliga B – 80 teams 11 8 divisions of Kreisliga C – 116 teams The Saxony-Anhalt Football Association league system is the association league systems in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and starts at level six of the German league system with the Verbandsliga Sachsen-Anhalt on top.

Liga), VfB Germania Halberstadt (Regionalliga Nordost), SV Merseburg 99, VfL Halle 96, Askania Bernburg, Union Sandersdorf and 1.

[16] Additionally, seven teams play above the state association league system: FC Carl Zeiss Jena and Rot-Weiß Erfurt (3.

[17] Additionally, 15 teams play above the state association league system: RB Leipzig (Bundesliga), FC Erzgebirge Aue and Dynamo Dresden (2.

[18] Additionally, nine teams play above the state association league system: Borussia Mönchengladbach (Bundesliga), Fortuna Düsseldorf (2.

[19] Additionally, eight teams play above the state association league system: Bayer Leverkusen and 1.

Additionally, 14 teams play above the state association league system: Borussia Dortmund and Vfl Bochum (Bundesliga), Arminia Bielefeld and FC Schalke 04 (2.

[20] Additionally, six teams play above the state association league system: TuS Koblenz (Regionalliga Südwest), FV Engers 07, FC Karbach, TuS Rot-Weiss Koblenz, FSV Salmrohr and Eintracht Trier (all Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar).

FC Kaiserslautern II, FK Pirmasens, TSG Pfeddersheim, SV Gonsenheim, TuS Mechtersheim, Arminia Ludwigshafen and FV Dudenhofen (all Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar).

[26] Additionally, eight teams play above the state association league system: Eintracht Frankfurt (Bundesliga), SV Darmstadt 98 (2.

Level Division ↓ 1 promotion spot to Regionalliga Südwest 5 Hessenliga – 17 teams 6 3 divisions of Verbandsliga – 51 teams ↓ relegation to Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Fulda, Giessen/Marburg, Kassel or Wiesbaden county FA league systems 7 8 divisions of Gruppenliga – 131 teams ↓ relegation to Alsfeld, Bergstraße, Biedenkopf, Büdingen, Darmstadt, Dieburg, Dillenburg, Frankenberg, Frankfurt, Friedberg, Fulda, Gelnhausen, Giessen, Groß-Gerau, Hanau, Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Hochtaunus, Hofgeismar-Wolfhagen, Kassel, Lauterbach-Hünfeld, Limburg-Weilburg, Maintaunus, Marburg, Odenwald, Offenbach, Rheingau-Taunus, Schlüchtern, Schwalm-Eder, Waldeck, Werra/Meißner, Wetzlar or Wiesbaden district FA league systems 8 25 divisions of Kreisoberliga – 405 teams 9 38 divisions of Kreisliga A – 604 teams 10 49 divisions of Kreisliga B – 732 teams 11 32 divisions of Kreisliga C – 460 teams 12 9 divisions of Kreisliga D – 126 teams The Baden Football Association league system is one of three state association league systems in the state of Baden-Württemberg, covering its northwestern part, and starts at level six of the German league system with the Verbandsliga Nordbaden on top.

[27] Additionally, 13 teams play above the state association league system: TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (Bundesliga), SV Sandhausen (2.

[32] Additionally, 13 teams play above the state association league system: VfB Stuttgart (Bundesliga), 1.

Liga), VfB Stuttgart II, Stuttgarter Kickers and SSV Ulm 1846 Fußball (Regionalliga Südwest), TSG Backnang 1919, FSV 08 Bissingen, SGV Freiberg, SV Göppingen, Neckarsulmer SU and SSV Reutlingen 05 (all Oberliga Baden-Württemberg).