Being the top flight of the Lower Rhine state association, the Oberliga is currently a level 5 division of the German football league system.

The Verbandsliga Niederrhein was upon its inception the third tier of the German football league system.

With the exception of 1963 and 1974, when the league systems were changed, the champion continued to have the opportunity to win promotion.

The league operated with 16 clubs throughout most of its existence, only occasionally altering the numbers to balance out promotion and relegation.

The NRW-Liga existed for only for seasons before it was disbanded again in the wake of the Regionalliga West becoming a league for clubs from North Rhine-Westphalia only.