The Regionalligas themselves had only been formed in 2000, to replace an even more regionalised system with separate leagues for every regional football association.

The winner of each league plus the runners-up of the South/Southwest region play in the finals round for the German Under 17 championship.

If the two semi-final teams playing each other are level on points and goals after the second game, there will be a penalty shoot-out.

[2] The three Bundesligas are not geographically balanced, North/Northeast covers a large area while West a rather small one, but in population terms, the arrangement is much more level.

[4] The champions of the three divisions: The German under 17 football championship begun in 1977, with the first final being played on 3 July 1977 in Niefern.