At the end of the 2011–12 season the number of Oberligas was increased from eleven to fourteen.

Between 1978–94 the term Amateuroberliga was used for third-tier leagues, which were then the highest level of amateur play in the country.

In East Germany a separate league structure was in place from 1948–1990 and the top flight division there was known as the DDR-Oberliga.

From the end of the Second World War until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963 there were five regional Oberligen: Based on criteria outlined by the German association in October 1962 an evaluation system covering the last 12 seasons was established through which the sixteen clubs from these five leagues were established which were to form the new nationwide first division Bundesliga, with the others going to the new second tier Regionalligen.

From 1974 to 1994, the Oberligas, originally called 1st Amateurliga, were set right below the two 2nd Bundesligas, North and South.

Since 2012–13 fourteen leagues exist on Oberliga level, increased from eleven the previous season: The Oberliga Baden-Württemberg was formed in 1978 to provide a single-division 3rd tier league for the state of Baden-Württemberg.

Previously, the clubs in the state had played in four separate Amateurligas: Nordwürttemberg, Schwarzwald-Bodensee, Nordbaden and Südbaden.

Two of those were merged, the Amateurligas Nordwürttemberg and Schwarzwald-Bodensee to form the Verbandsliga Württemberg.

Since then it has been a single league and is the oldest Oberliga to operate continuously in this format.

The participating teams are redistributed between the northern and the southern division based on geographical needs.

Previously, the clubs that make up this Oberliga played in three separate leagues: the Amateurligas Südwest, Saarland, and Rheinland.

The Oberliga Westfalen was formed in 1978 to provide a single-division for the Westphalia region.

It stopped operating in 1994 when the Regionalliga Nord was reformed, now as the third tier of the German football league system.

To add to the confusion, the Oberliga Nord again ceased to exist after the 2007–08 season with the establishment of the 3.