The Regionalliga Süd was introduced in 1994 along with three other Regionalligas, those being: The reason for its introduction was to create a highest regional league for the south of Germany and to allow its champions, and some years the runners-up too, to be directly promoted to the 2.

The Regionalliga Süd originally was made up from clubs from the three southern states of Bavaria, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg.

In 2000, with the reduction of the number of Regionalligas to two, the league also covered the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Thuringia.

However, FC Augsburg (8th) did not receive a license for the next season and Karlsruher SC II (12th) had to drop down because the first team was relegated to the Regionalliga and regulations forbid two teams from the same club to compete in the same league at this level.

The make up of the leagues was: When the 2007–08 season finished on 31 May 2008, the following teams had fulfilled the on-the-field qualification for the Regionalliga.

FC Eintracht Bamberg was admitted to the Regionalliga in their stead, as the fifth-placed team in the largest of the southern football associations.

[4] Due to the refusal of a licence to Bayernliga champion SpVgg Bayreuth, Bamberg was awarded a place in the Regionalliga.

[5][6] After a 2008–09 season with a large number of new clubs, the league returned to a normal promotion/relegation system, with the winner moving up to the 3.

Hessen Kassel, who had hoped to join the Regionalliga Nord for 2009–10 had to remain in the south.

[7] Viktoria Aschaffenburg, which finished on a non-relegation rank, withdrew from the league, allowing Karlsruher SC II to remain in it.

FC Eintracht Bamberg and SSV Reutlingen both declared insolvency, forcing them to be automatically relegated.

In their stead, the south western clubs from Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland would re-join the league.

[9] In the 2010–11 season, SpVgg Weiden declared insolvency due to more than Euro 1 million in debts.

Unable to raise enough funds to continue competing in the league, Weiden declared on 30 November 2010 that it would withdraw its Regionalliga team and thereby automatically be relegated.

[10] The SSV Ulm 1846 suffered a similar fate, but was able to complete its fixtures as friendlies.