In 2008, it was replaced by the NRW-Liga (Oberliga Nordrhein-Westfalen), a new statewide league.

The league was formed in 1978 as a highest level of play for the two regions of Mittelrhein and Niederrhein, which cover the western half of the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen.

Upon creation of the Regionalligas in 1994, the champions of the Oberligas were directly promoted again, however the Oberligas slipped to fourth tier in the German football league system.

The top six teams in the Oberliga that year were qualified for the new Regionalliga West/Südwest, however, the champion, Fortuna Düsseldorf, won promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga and Bayer Leverkusen II declined, therefore only four teams went to the Regionalliga, the clubs being: Additionally to those four clubs, two teams from the Nordrhein region were relegated from the 2nd Bundesliga in 1994, entering the Regionalliga as well, these being the Wuppertaler SV and the Rot-Weiß Essen.

At the end of the 2007–08 season, the Oberliga Nordrhein was disbanded and its clubs distributed to various leagues according to the season's final standings: To the Regionalliga West: To the Oberliga Nordrhein-Westfalen: To the Verbandsliga Mittelrhein: To the Verbandsliga Niederrhein: