Being the top flight of the Southwestern state association, the Verbandsliga is a level 6 division of the German football league system.

Before its inception, three separate leagues operated in the area as the highest level of play.

Until 1933, the region covered by the Southwest FA was politically part of two other German states during the Weimar Republic era.

The league was established in 1952 with sixteen teams, the winner gaining promotion to the 2nd Oberliga Südwest.

The founder members were: With the introduction of the Bundesliga in 1963 the Amateurliga was placed below the new Regionalliga Südwest but still retained its third-tier status.

FC Kaiserslautern II holds the record for years in the Amateurliga, having spent 21 continuous seasons in it from 1957 to 1978.