Organising body | Deutsche Fußball Liga |
---|---|
Founded | 1963 |
Region | Germany |
Number of teams | 2 or 3 |
Qualifier for | Bundesliga |
Current champions | FC St. Pauli Holstein Kiel (2023–24) |
2023–24 2. Bundesliga |
The Promotion to the Bundesliga (German: Aufstiegsrunde zur Bundesliga) is an end-of-season competition, held annually to determine the clubs that are promoted from the Regionalligas, later the 2. Bundesliga to the Bundesliga . Originally, it was necessary because there were more second division champions than promotion spots available. From 1974 onwards, it involves only two clubs who determine the third possible promotion spot to the Bundesliga.
When the Bundesliga was formed in 1963, the German Football Association established five regional second divisions below it, the Regionalligas, these being:
Because the boundaries of these five leagues went along historical lines, determined by the boundaries of the five German sub-federations, the playing strength of the leagues was not equal. To determine the two teams to be promoted to the Bundesliga each season, a promotion round was held. The number of teams from each Regionalliga qualified for this event was not equal, for the above-mentioned reason.
From 1963, the first two teams in each Regionalliga was qualified for the promotion round, except from Berlin, who would only send the champions. To reduce the number of clubs from nine to eight, a home-and-away decider was played between two of the runners-ups. The origin of the two teams in this altered annually. The eight teams would then play a home-and-away round in two groups of four with the winners qualified for the Bundesliga. Teams from the same Regionalliga would not play in the same group. This system was in place till 1966.
From 1967, the groups were expanded to five clubs and all five Regionalligas send their runners-up to the competition. Otherwise, the modus remained unchanged. This system remained in place until 1974, when the Regionalligas were disbanded.
In 1974, the five Regionalligas were replaced by two 2. Bundesligas, those being:
The two league champions would now be directly promoted to the Bundesliga while the two runners-up played a home-and-away round to determine the third promoted team. This system remained in place until the single 2. Bundesliga replaced the two leagues.
With the introduction of the single-division 2. Bundesliga in 1981, a promotion round would have become unnecessary as the top-three teams could have been directly promoted. Instead, only the top two teams achieved direct promotion. The third-placed club had to play the 16th placed club from the Bundesliga in a home-and-away round for the last spot in the first division. This series was played until 1991.
With the German reunion in 1991 and the influx of clubs from the former DDR-Oberliga , the promotion round between the two clubs was stopped. In the 1990–91 season, five clubs were promoted to the Bundesliga, three from the west and two from the east.
As a transition season due to the integration of the East German clubs, only two clubs were promoted from the second to the first division. Also, the 2. Bundesliga was split into two regional groups for this season.
In this era, the top three teams of the 2. Bundesliga were directly promoted to the Bundesliga.
From 2009, the promotion series between the 16th-placed Bundesliga club and the third-placed 2. Bundesliga team was reestablished. [1] The Bundesliga follows its own past example [2] as well as the one set by the English Premier League, French Ligue 1, and Italian Serie A, where these games are in place too and quite popular.
Season | South | North | Third |
---|---|---|---|
1974–75 | Karlsruher SC | Hannover 96 (2) | Bayer Uerdingen |
1975–76 | 1. FC Saarbrücken | Tennis Borussia Berlin (2) | Borussia Dortmund |
1976–77 | VfB Stuttgart | FC St. Pauli | 1860 Munich |
1977–78 | Darmstadt 98 | Arminia Bielefeld (2) | 1. FC Nürnberg |
1978–79 | 1860 Munich (2) | Bayer Leverkusen | Bayer Uerdingen (2) |
1979–80 | 1. FC Nürnberg (2) | Arminia Bielefeld (3) | Karlsruher SC (2) |
1980–81 | Darmstadt 98 (2) | Werder Bremen | Eintracht Braunschweig (2) |
Season | First | Second | Third |
---|---|---|---|
1981–82 | Schalke 04 | Hertha BSC (2) | — |
1982–83 | Waldhof Mannheim | Kickers Offenbach (4) | Bayer Uerdingen (3) |
1983–84 | Karlsruher SC (3) | Schalke 04 (2) | — |
1984–85 | 1. FC Nürnberg (3) | Hannover 96 (3) | 1. FC Saarbrücken (2) |
1985–86 | FC Homburg | Blau-Weiß Berlin | — |
1986–87 | Hannover 96 (4) | Karlsruher SC (4) | — |
1987–88 | Stuttgarter Kickers | FC St. Pauli (2) | — |
1988–89 | Fortuna Düsseldorf (3) | FC Homburg (2) | — |
1989–90 | Hertha BSC (2) | SG Wattenscheid | — |
Season | First | Second | Third | East First | East Second |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990–91 | Schalke 04 (3) | MSV Duisburg | Stuttgarter Kickers (2) | Hansa Rostock | Dynamo Dresden |
Season | South | North |
---|---|---|
1991–92 | 1. FC Saarbrücken (3) | Bayer Uerdingen (4) |
The southern clubs:
The northern clubs:
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
FK Pirmasens (S) | 4–10 | Bayer Uerdingen (N) | 4–4 | 0–6 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. FC Nürnberg (S) | 2–4 | Borussia Dortmund (N) | 0–1 | 2–3 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | 3rd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
TSV 1860 Munich (S) | 4–6 | Arminia Bielefeld (N) | 4–0 | 0–4 | 2–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. FC Nürnberg (S) | 3–2 | Rot-Weiss Essen (N) | 1–0 | 2–2 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
SpVgg Bayreuth (S) | 2–3 | Bayer Uerdingen (N) | 1–1 | 1–2 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Karlsruher SC (S) | 6–4 | Rot-Weiss Essen (N) | 5–1 | 1–3 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kickers Offenbach (S) | 1–2 | Eintracht Braunschweig (N) | 1–0 | 0–2 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bayer Leverkusen (B) | 3–0 | Kickers Offenbach (2B) | 1–0 | 2–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Schalke 04 (B) | 2–4 | Bayer Uerdingen (2B) | 1–3 | 1–1 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eintracht Frankfurt (B) | 6–1 | MSV Duisburg (2B) | 5–0 | 1–1 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arminia Bielefeld (B) | 1–3 | 1. FC Saarbrücken (2B) | 0–2 | 1–1 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | 3rd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Borussia Dortmund (B) | 11–3 | Fortuna Köln (2B) | 0–2 | 3–1 | 8–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
FC Homburg (B) | 4–3 | FC St. Pauli (2B) | 3–1 | 1–2 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | 3rd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Waldhof Mannheim (B) | 4–4(5–4 p) | Darmstadt 98 (2B) | 2–3 | 2–1 | 0–0(5–4 p) |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eintracht Frankfurt (B) | 3–2 | 1. FC Saarbrücken (2B) | 2–0 | 1–2 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
VfL Bochum (B) | 1–0 | 1. FC Saarbrücken (2B) | 1–0 | 0–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | 3rd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FC St. Pauli (B) | 3–5 | Stuttgarter Kickers (2B) | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Energie Cottbus (B) | 0–5 | 1. FC Nürnberg (2B) | 0–3 | 0–2 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. FC Nürnberg (B) | 3–0 | FC Augsburg (2B) | 1–0 | 2–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Borussia Mönchengladbach (B) | 2–1 | VfL Bochum (2B) | 1–0 | 1–1 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hertha BSC (B) | 3–4 | Fortuna Düsseldorf (2B) | 1–2 | 2–2 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
1899 Hoffenheim (B) | 5–2 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern (2B) | 3–1 | 2–1 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hamburger SV (B) | 1–1 (a) | Greuther Fürth (2B) | 0–0 | 1–1 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hamburger SV (B) | 3–2 | Karlsruher SC (2B) | 1–1 | 2–1 (a.e.t.) |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eintracht Frankfurt (B) | 2–1 | 1. FC Nürnberg (2B) | 1–1 | 1–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
VfL Wolfsburg (B) | 2–0 | Eintracht Braunschweig (2B) | 1–0 | 1–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
VfL Wolfsburg (B) | 4–1 | Holstein Kiel (2B) | 3–1 | 1–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
VfB Stuttgart (B) | 2–2 (a) | Union Berlin (2B) | 2–2 | 0–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Werder Bremen (B) | 2–2 (a) | 1. FC Heidenheim (2B) | 0–0 | 2–2 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. FC Köln (B) | 5–2 | Holstein Kiel (2B) | 0–1 | 5–1 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hertha BSC (B) | 2–1 | Hamburger SV (2B) | 0–1 | 2–0 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
VfB Stuttgart (B) | 6–1 | Hamburger SV (2B) | 3–0 | 3–1 |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
VfL Bochum (B) | 3–3 (6–5 p) | Fortuna Düsseldorf (2B) | 0–3 | 3–0 (a.e.t.) |
Symbol | Key |
---|---|
(B) | Bundesliga – 16th-placed team |
(2B) | 2. Bundesliga – 3rd-placed team |
(N) | 2. Bundesliga North – 2nd-placed team |
(S) | 2. Bundesliga South – 2nd-placed team |
The 2. Bundesliga is the second division of professional football in Germany. It was implemented 11 years after the founding of the Fußball-Bundesliga as the new second division for professional football. The 2. Bundesliga is ranked below the Bundesliga and above the 3. Liga in the German football league system. All of the 2. Bundesliga clubs take part in the DFB-Pokal, the annual German Cup competition. A total of 127 clubs have competed in the 2. Bundesliga since its foundation.
The Regionalliga Nord is the fourth tier of the German football league system in the states of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Bremen and Hamburg. It is one of five leagues at this level, together with the Regionalliga Bayern, Regionalliga Nordost, Regionalliga Südwest and the Regionalliga West. Until the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008 it was the third tier.
The 3. Liga is a professional association football league and the third division in Germany. In the German football league system, it is positioned between the 2. Bundesliga and the fourth-tier Regionalliga.
Fußball-Club Würzburger Kickers e.V. is a German association football club playing in Würzburg, Bavaria. In pre-World War II football, the club competed briefly at the highest level in the Bezirksliga Bayern, and during the war, in the Gauliga Bayern. Post-war, it made a single appearance in professional football in the southern division of the 2. Bundesliga in 1977–78. After a long stint in amateur football, dropping as low as the seventh tier, the club began a recovery. The Kickers reached professional football again in 2014–15 after winning promotion to the 3. Liga and the following season were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga.
The Under 19 Bundesliga is the highest level in German Under 19 football. It was created in 2003 and is divided in three divisions with 14 teams each. The winner of each divisions and the second-placed team from the Süd/Südwest division join the play-offs for the German U19 champions.
The Promotion to the 2. Bundesliga are an end-of-season competition, held annually to determine the clubs that were promoted from the Amateurligas, later the Amateur Oberligas to the 2. Bundesligas. It is necessary because there are more third division champions than promotion spots available.
The Regionalliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system. It existed in the south of West Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2. Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse.
The Regionalliga Südwest was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the southwest of West Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2. Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the states of Saarland and Rheinland-Pfalz.
The 2. Bundesliga Süd was the second-highest level of the West German football league system in the south of West Germany from its introduction in 1974 until the formation of the single-division 2. Bundesliga in 1981. It covered the southern states of Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and Bavaria.
The Regionalliga Nordost is the fourth tier of German football in the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia. These comprise the states of former East Germany as well as West Berlin.
The Oberliga Nord was the fourth tier of the German football league system in the north of Germany. It covered the states of Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. With the introduction of the 3. Liga, the league ceased to exist from 2008.
The Under 17 Bundesliga is the highest level of play in German football for male juniors between the ages of 15 and 17. It was formed in 2007 and operates in three regional divisions with 14 clubs each. At the end of season, the three division champions and one of the runners-up determine the German champions for this age group.
The 1999–2000 Regionalliga was the sixth season of the Regionalliga as the third tier of German football. It was also the last season to be competed in four divisions. Teams were not only competing for promotion to the 2. Bundesliga, but also to qualify for the new two-division Regionalliga.
The Regionalliga Bayern is the highest association football league in the state of Bavaria and the Bavarian football league system. It is one of five Regionalligas in German football, the fourth tier of the German football league system, below the 3. Liga.
The Regionalliga Südwest is the fourth tier of the German football league system in the states of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. It is one of five leagues at this level, together with the Regionalliga Bayern, Regionalliga Nordost, Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga West.
The Introduction of the 2. Bundesliga was the step of establishing a professional second tier association football league in Germany in 1974. The new league, the 2. Bundesliga, played its first season in 1974–75 and continues to be the second-highest league in the country. Its introduction reduced the number of second divisions in Germany from five to two and the number of teams at this level from 83 to 40. It eliminated the necessity of having a promotion round at the end of the season to determine the two teams promoted to the Bundesliga.
The 2014–15 season of the Oberliga was the seventh season of the Oberligas at tier five of the German football league system and the 41st season overall since reintroduction of the Oberligas in 1974. The regular season started in July 2014 and finished on 14 June 2015, followed by relegation and promotion play-offs.
The 2015–16 season of the Oberliga was the eighth season of the Oberligas at tier five of the German football league system and the 42nd season overall since reintroduction of the Oberligas in 1974. The regular season started on 17 July 2015 and finished on 12 June 2016.
The 1973–74 Regionalliga was the eleventh season of the Regionalliga, the second tier of the German football league system. The league operated in five regional divisions, Berlin, North, South, Southwest and West. The five league champions and runners-up then entered a promotion play-off to determine the two clubs to move up to the Bundesliga for the next season. Northern German and Berlin champions Eintracht Braunschweig and Tennis Borussia Berlin were promoted.
The 2016–17 season of the Oberliga was the ninth season of the Oberligas at tier five of the German football league system and the 43nd season overall since reintroduction of the Oberligas in 1974.