The Regionalliga is the fourth tier in the German football league system. Until 1974, it was the second tier in Germany. In 1994, it was introduced as the third tier. Upon the creation of the new nationwide 3. Liga in 2008, it became the fourth tier. While all of the clubs in the top three divisions of German football are professional, the Regionalliga has a mixture of professional and semi-professional clubs.
The German football league system, or league pyramid, refers to the hierarchically interconnected league system for association football in Germany that in the 2016–17 season consisted of 2,235 leagues in up to 13 levels having 31,645 teams, in which all divisions are bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. The top three professional levels contain one division each. Below this, the semi-professional and amateur levels have progressively more parallel divisions, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas. Teams that finish at the top of their division at the end of each season can rise higher in the pyramid, while those that finish at the bottom find themselves sinking further down. Therefore, in theory, it is possible for even the lowest local amateur club to rise to the top of the system and become German football champions one day. The number of teams promoted and relegated between the divisions varies, and promotion to the upper levels of the pyramid is usually contingent on meeting additional criteria, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.
The Frauen-Regionalliga is the third-tier of German women's association football. The Frauen-Regionalliga is made up of five separate leagues. Until 2017, the champion of each league was promoted to the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga for the next season, so were the winners of two promotion groups in 2018. Since 2019, the three winners of promotion play-offs qualify for next season's 2. Bundesliga.
The DRC Hannover is a German rugby union club from Hannover, currently playing in the Rugby-Regionalliga. The club should not be confused with the DRC 1884 Hannover, a rowing club and a separate entity.
The SV 08 Ricklingen is a German rugby union club from the Ricklingen suburb of Hanover. The team plays in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga, the second tier of German rugby. After having formed an on-the-field union with DSV 78 Hannover from 2003 to 2009 instead of fielding an independent team, the club left this partnership at the end of the 2008-09 season. Instead, it formed a partnership with TuS Wunstorf from the 2009-10 season onwards. The team now plays as SG TuS Wunstorf/08 Ricklingen.
The TSV Victoria Linden is a German rugby union club from the Linden suburb of Hannover, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports, such as triathlon and athletics.
The München RFC is a German rugby union club from Munich, currently playing in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga.
The 2. Rugby-Bundesliga is the second-highest level of Germany's Rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation. Its set below the Rugby-Bundesliga, the top-tier of German rugby, and above the Rugby-Regionalliga, the third tier.
The FC Schwalbe Hannover is a German rugby union club from Hanover, until recently playing in the Rugby-Regionalliga Lower Saxony. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports like tennis, basketball and boxing. It is based in the Döhren suburb of Hanover and is the biggest sporting club there.
The Heidelberger TV is a German rugby union club from Heidelberg, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports like basketball, tennis and badminton.
The USV Potsdam Rugby is a German rugby union club from Potsdam, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. It is part of a larger multi-sport club, the USV Potsdam, which also offers other sports like basketball, association football and tennis and consists of 19 departments.
The Hamburger Rugby Club (HRC) is a German rugby union club from Hamburg, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga.
The RC Mainz is a German rugby union club from Mainz, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga.
The Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby is a German rugby union club from Hennigsdorf, currently playing in the tier-four Regionalliga East B. The team is part of a larger club, the Stahl Hennigsdorf, which also offers other sports like volleyball, table tennis and boxing.
The RC Leipzig is a German rugby union club from Leipzig, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga, the top tier of German rugby.
The Eintracht Frankfurt Rugby is a German rugby union club from Frankfurt am Main, currently playing in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga, the second tier of rugby in Germany. It is part of a larger club, the Eintracht Frankfurt, which also offers other sports like association football, table tennis and basketball.
The VfR Döhren is a German rugby union club from Hanover, playing in the Regionalliga North, the third tier of rugby in Germany. It plays in partnership with SV Odin Hannover, as SG SV Odin/VfR Döhren.
The 3. Liga Süd-West is the third-highest level of Germany's Rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation. It is set below the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga South/West, the second tier of rugby in Southern Germany, and above the Rugby-Regionalliga, the fourth tier.
The TV Pforzheim is a German rugby union club from Pforzheim, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga, having won promotion to the league in 2011.
The RC Aachen is a German rugby union club from Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the 3e klasse, the 4 tier of Dutch Rugby. From 2012 till 2015 Aachen played in Rugby-Bundesliga.
Germany