Bavarian football league system

Bavarian football league systemCountry| Bavaria

|

Sport| Association football
Promotion and relegation| Yes
National system
Federation| Bavarian Football Association
Confederation| UEFA
Top division|

*     * Regionalliga Bayern (men)
* Frauen-Regionalliga Bayern (women)

Second division|

*     * Bayernliga (men)
* Frauen-Bayernliga (women)

Cup competition|

*     * Bavarian Cup (men)
* Women's Bavarian Cup (women)

Association football in Bavaria

The Bavarian football league system of the Bavarian Football Association ranks within the German football league system. Its highest division, the Regionalliga Bayern, is currently the fourth tier of German football. The lowest league in Bavaria is currently the C-Klasse, which is the 12th tier of German football.

In 2012, the league system experienced a major overhaul when the Regionalliga Bayern was established, the Bayernliga split into two regional divisions and the Landesliga expanded from three to five divisions.[1]

## The league system

[edit]

### Men

[edit]

The top-tiers of the league system as operated from 2014–15 onwards:

Level

League(s)/Division(s)

|

Bundesliga
18 clubs

2\. Bundesliga
18 clubs

III

3\. Liga
20 clubs

Regionalliga Bayern
18 clubs

Bayernliga Nord
18 clubs

Bayernliga Süd
18 clubs

Landesliga Nordost
18 clubs

Landesliga Nordwest
17 clubs

Landesliga Mitte
18 clubs

Landesliga Südost
17 clubs

Landesliga Südwest
17 clubs

VII

Bezirksligas Unterfranken

Bezirksligas Oberfranken

Bezirksligas Mittelfranken

Bezirksligas Oberpfalz

Bezirksligas Niederbayern

Bezirksligas Oberbayern

Bezirksligas Schwaben
(see also: Swabian football league system)

East

West

East

West

Mittelfranken 1

Mittelfranken 2

North

South

East

West

North

South

East

North

South

VIII

Kreisligas Unterfranken

Kreisligas Oberfranken

Kreisligas Mittelfranken

Kreisligas Oberpfalz

Kreisligas Niederbayern

Kreisligas Oberbayern

Kreisligas Schwaben

Würzburg 1

Würzburg 2

Aschaffenburg

Rhön

Schweinfurt 1

Schweinfurt 2

Bamberg

Bayreuth

Coburg

Kronach

Hof

Marktredwitz

Nuremberg

Frankenhöhe

Jura

Neumarkt

Erlangen/Pegnitz 1

Erlangen/Pegnitz 2

Regensburg 1

Regensburg 2

Amberg

Weiden

Cham

Schwandorf

Passau

Straubing

Isar-Rott

Donau-Laaber

Zugspitze 1

Zugspitze 2

Inn/Salzach 1

Inn/Salzach 2

Danube/Isar 1

Danube/Isar 2

Munich 1

Munich 2

Munich 3

North

East

West

Augsburg

Central

South

Kreisklasses Unterfranken

Kreisklasses Oberfranken

Kreisklasses Mittelfranken

Kreisklasses Oberpfalz

Kreisklasses Niederbayern

Kreisklasses Oberbayern

Kreisklasses Schwaben

14 Kreisklasses

13 Kreisklasses

13 Kreisklasses

9 Kreisklasses

11 Kreisklasses

18 Kreisklasses

13 Kreisklasses

A-Klasses Unterfranken

A-Klasses Oberfranken

A-Klasses Mittelfranken

A-Klasses Oberpfalz

A-Klasses Niederbayern

A-Klasses Oberbayern

A-Klasses Schwaben

20 A-Klasses

20 A-Klasses

21 A-Klasse

11 A-Klasses

19 A-Klasses

28 A-Klasses

13 A-Klasses

B-Klasses Unterfranken

B-Klasses Oberfranken

B-Klasses Mittelfranken

B-Klasses Oberpfalz

B-Klasses Oberbayern

B-Klasses Schwaben

26 B-Klasses

19 B-Klasses

24 B-Klasses

16 B-Klasses

27 B-Klasses

23 B-Klasses

XII

C-Klasses Oberbayern

27 C-Klasses

#### Notes

[edit]

Denotes parts of league system above Bavarian level.

* All leagues on same level run parallel.
* League strengths are nominal and may vary from season to season.

## Recent changes

[edit]

In 1988, upon the suggestion of the 1\. FC Sonthofen in 1986, the Bezirksoberligas were introduced in Bavaria, set between the already existing Landesligas and Bezirksligas.[2]

In 1998, the Bavarian FA renamed the three lowest football leagues:

* A-Klasse became Kreisliga
* B-Klasse became Kreisklasse
* C-Klasse became A-Klasse

On top of this, in some of the seven Bezirke, two new lowest levels were introduced and named B and C-Klasse. The reason for this was the integration of all reserve teams into the normal competition. In the Bezirke who did not follow suit, like Schwaben, the reserve teams of clubs in the Kreisliga and below still compete in separate, parallel leagues.

The Bavarian football federation carried out drastic changes to the league system at the end of the 2011–12 season. With the introduction of the Regionalliga Bayern from 2012–13, it placed two Bayernligas below the Regionalliga. Below those, five Landesligas instead of the existing three were set, which were geographically divided to limit travel and increase the number of local derbies.[3]

### Matrix

[edit]

This is a table of the progression of the Bavarian league system by tier since 1963:

Tier | 1963–74 | 1974–81 | 1981–88 | 1988–94 | 1994–98 | 1998–2008 | 2008–12 | 2012–

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

I | Bundesliga
II | Regionalliga Süd  | 2nd Bundesliga Süd  | 2nd Bundesliga
III | Bayernliga  | Regionalliga Süd  | 3rd Liga
IV | Landesliga  | Bayernliga  | Regionalliga Süd  | Regionalliga Bayern
V | Bezirksliga  | Bezirksoberliga  | Landesliga  | Bayernliga
VI | A-Klasse  | Bezirksliga  | Bezirksoberliga  | Landesliga
VII | B-Klasse  | A-Klasse  | Bezirksliga  | Bezirksoberliga  | Bezirksliga
VIII | C-Klasse  | B-Klasse  | A-Klasse  | Kreisliga  | Bezirksliga  | Kreisliga
IX | —  | C-Klasse  | B-Klasse  | Kreisklasse  | Kreisliga  | Kreisklasse
X | —  | C-Klasse  | A-Klasse  | Kreisklasse  | A-Klasse
XI | —  | B-Klasse ‡ | A-Klasse  | B-Klasse ‡
XII | —  | C-Klasse ‡ | B-Klasse ‡ | C-Klasse ‡
XIII | —  | C-Klasse ‡ | —

* ‡ Since 1998 the B- and C- Klasse exist only in some parts of Bavaria.

League system above the Bavarian level.  | Bavarian football league system.  | Tiers without league during the designated time period.

|
|

## Bavarian Cup

[edit]

Main article: Bavarian Cup

Until 2009, the seven Bezirke in Bavaria each played their own cup competition which in turn functioned as qualifier to the German Cup (DFB-Pokal). Starting in 1998 these seven cup-winners advanced to the Bavarian Cup. The two finalists of this competition then advanced to the German Cup.[4]

Since 2009, the regional cup competitions were dissolved and qualifying competitions established instead for the lower amateur leagues. The teams in the higher divisions of Bavarian football entered the enlarged Bavarian Cup directly.

## Reserve teams

[edit]

Main article: German reserve football teams

In 1955, 1\. FC Nuremberg Amateure became the first reserve team to enter the Bayernliga, followed by FC Bayern Munich Amateure. Despite this, reserve teams from non-professional clubs were not permitted to enter the league system for many years after that, having to play in parallel reserve leagues with promotion and relegation determined by the performance of the senior team rather than the reserve side.

Regulations were slowly lowered and, in 1980, reserve teams of Landesliga clubs were permitted to enter the league pyramid, too. However, should a club drop out of the Landesliga, its reserve side would have to return to reserve football.[5]

With the introduction of the Bezirksoberliga in 1988, reserve teams from this league were permitted to enter regular league football, too. Some years later, this right was also awarded to Bezirksliga clubs. Bavaria was however slow to allow all reserve sides to enter the league system, differing in this from most other German associations. Eventually, this hurdle was dropped too, but the final decision was awarded to the individual Bezirke. Up to the fourth-lowest level, senior and reserve team can play at the same level, but not in the same league, higher than that reserve teams have to play one level below the senior side.[6]

In between, in 2008, reserve sides lost their right to compete in the cup competitions. Since the 2011–12 season, Swabia, Lower Bavaria, Lower Franconia and Upper Franconia have gradually integrated many reserve teams fully into the league system while the other three Bezirke have all the reserves.

Professional clubs often designate their reserve sides to be under-23 teams as the rules of utilising players in both the first and second them for under-23 players are less strict, with players above 23 having to have a mandatory 10-day break when being exchanged between teams.[6]

## Women's and youth leagues

[edit]

Apart from the men's leagues, the Bavarian FA also operates league systems of women's and male and female youth leagues.

In the women's league system, the Bayernliga, the fourth tier of the German league system, is set as the highest state league, with two regional Landesligas below, north and south. Below those, the Bezirksoberligas are set, followed by Bezirksligas, Kreisligas and Kreisklasses, just like the men's. No league exists below the Kreisklasse. Additionally, a women's youth league system also exists with the Under 17 Bayernliga as its highest tier.

In the men's youth league system, both in the Under 19's and Under 17's, the Bayernliga forms the top-tier which is the second division of German youth football. Below the Bayernliga, two Landesligas and seven Bezirksoberligas are set followed by the standard league system. The Under 15's differ in as much as the Bayernliga is split into two regional divisions and set underneath the Southern German Regionalliga. Below the two Bayernligas, Bezirksoberligas are set, followed by the standard league system.

In the Under 13's and below, not all statewide leagues exist, with competitions being very regional.

The top-level leagues in Bavaria since 2011–12 are:

Group | League | Tier

|
|

Men  | Bayernliga | V
Women  | Women's Bayernliga  | IV
Under 19 boys  | Under 19 Bayernliga | II
Under 17 boys  | Under 17 Bayernliga | II
Under 17 girls  | Girls Under 17 Bayernliga  | I
Under 15 boys  | Under 15 Bayernliga 1 | II
Under 15 girls  | Girls Under 17 Bezirksoberliga 2 | I
Under 13 boys  | Under 13 Bezirksoberliga  | I

* 1 In two regional divisions.
* 2 Only exists in some regions.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Auf- und Abstiegsregelung der Bayernliga und der Landesligen für das Qualifikationsspieljahr 2011/2012" [Regulations for promotion and relegation in 2012] (PDF) (in German). Bavarian FA. 11 July 2011.
2. ^ 50 Jahre Bayerischer Fußball-Verband (in German). Bavarian Football Association. 1996. p. 100.
3. ^ Attraktive Gegner, regionale Einteilung, weniger Fahrtkosten Archived 2012-03-11 at the Wayback Machine (in German) BFV website, published: 12 February 2011, accessed: 29 April 2011
4. ^ "Bayerischer Toto-Pokal". BFV. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
5. ^ 50 Jahre Bayerischer Fußball-Verband. p. 28.
6. ^ a b Spielordnung Archived October 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (in German) BFV website – Rules of the game, published: 15 July 2011, accessed: 30 July 2011

### Sources

[edit]

* Die Bayernliga 1945–1997, (in German) published by the DSFS, 1998
* Deutschlands Fußball in Zahlen, (in German) An annual publication with tables and results from the Bundesliga to Verbandsliga/Landesliga, publisher: DSFS
* Kicker Almanach, (in German) The yearbook on German football from Bundesliga to Oberliga, since 1937, published by the Kicker Sports Magazine
* Süddeutschlands Fußballgeschichte in Tabellenform 1897–1988 (in German) History of Southern German football in tables, publisher & author: Ludolf Hyll
* 50 Jahre Bayrischer Fußball-Verband (in German) 50-year-anniversary book of the Bavarian FA, publisher: Vindelica Verlag, published: 1996
* Die Deutsche Liga-Chronik 1945–2005 (in German) History of German football from 1945 to 2005 in tables, publisher: DSFS, published: 2006

## External links

[edit]

* Bayrischer Fussball Verband (Bavarian FA) (in German)
* Das deutsche Fussball Archiv  (in German) Historic German league tables
* Bavarian League tables and results (in German)
* Website with tables and results from the Bavarian Oberliga to Bezirksliga (in German)

* v
* t
* e

Football in Bavaria

* Southern German Football Association
* Bavarian Football Association

National leagues|

| Tier I-III|

* Bundesliga
* 2\. Bundesliga
* 3\. Liga

|

League system|

| Tier IV|

* Regionalliga Bayern

|

Tier V|

* Bayernliga
* Nord
* Süd
* (Promotion round)

Tier VI|

* Landesliga
* Nordost
* Nordwest
* Mitte
* Südost
* Südwest

Tier VII|

* Bezirksliga
* Unterfranken 1
* Unterfranken 2
* Oberfranken-Ost
* Oberfranken-West
* Mittelfranken 1
* Mittelfranken 2
* Oberpfalz-Nord
* Oberpfalz-Süd
* Niederbayern-Ost
* Niederbayern-West
* Oberbayern-Nord
* Oberbayern-Süd
* Oberbayern-Ost
* Schwaben-Nord
* Schwaben-Süd

Tier VIII–XII|

* Kreisliga
* Kreisklasse
* A-Klasse
* B-Klasse
* C-Klasse

Cup competitions|

| Active|

* Bavarian Cup

|

Defunct|

* Oberbayern Cup
* Niederbayern Cup
* Schwaben Cup
* Oberpfalz Cup
* Mittelfranken Cup
* Oberfranken Cup
* Unterfranken Cup

Defunct competitions|

| Championships|

* Germany (1903–1963)
* Southern Germany (1898–1933)

|

Tier I|

* Ostkreis-Liga (1909–1914)
* Kreisliga Bayern (1919–1923)
* Bezirksliga Bayern (1923–1933)
* Gauliga Bayern (1933–1945)
* Oberliga Süd (1945–1963)

Tier II|

* Landesliga Bayern (1945–1950)
* 2\. Oberliga Süd (1950–1963)
* Regionalliga Süd (1963–1974)
* 2\. Bundesliga Süd (1974–1981)

Tier III|

* 2\. Amateurliga Bayern (1951–1963)

Tier IV|

* Regionalliga Süd (1994–2012)

Tier V–VI|

* Landesliga (1963–2012)
* Nord
* Mitte
* Süd

Tier V–VII|

* Bezirksoberliga (1988–2012)
* Mittelfranken
* Niederbayern
* Oberbayern
* Oberfranken
* Oberpfalz
* Unterfranken
* Schwaben

Lists|

| Clubs|

* Bayernliga
* Landesliga Nord
* Landesliga Mitte
* Landesliga Süd

|

Other|

* Derbies
* Bayernliga top scorers

Youth competitions|

* Under 19 Bayernliga
* Under 17 Bayernliga
* Under 15 Bayernliga

* Categories: Bayernliga
* Clubs
* Competitions
* Cup

* v
* t
* e

Bayernliga

League seasons|

| Tier–II|

* 1945–46
* 1946–47
* 1947–48
* 1948–49
* 1949–50

|

Tier–III|

* 1950–51
* 1951–52
* 1952–53
* 1953–54
* 1954–55
* 1955–56
* 1956–57
* 1957–58
* 1958–59
* 1959–60

* 1960–61
* 1961–62
* 1962–63
* 1963–64
* 1964–65
* 1965–66
* 1966–67
* 1967–68
* 1968–69
* 1969–70

* 1970–71
* 1971–72
* 1972–73
* 1973–74
* 1974–75
* 1975–76
* 1976–77
* 1977–78
* 1978–79
* 1979–80

* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90

* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94

Tier–IV|

* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04

* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08

Tier–V|

* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

League champions|

| 8 titles|

* SpVgg Bayreuth

|

6 titles|

* 1\. FC Bamberg
* FC Wacker München

5 titles|

* FC Augsburg
* SSV Jahn Regensburg

4 titles|

* SpVgg Unterhaching
* ESV Ingolstadt

3 titles|

* TSV 1860 Munich
* SpVgg Weiden
* TSV 1860 Munich II
* 1\. FC Schweinfurt 05

2 titles|

* BC Augsburg
* VfL Neustadt
* FC Penzberg
* TSV Schwaben Augsburg
* 1\. FC Haßfurt
* Viktoria Aschaffenburg

1 title|

* FC Bayern Hof
* 1\. FC Amberg
* ATS Kulmbach
* VfB Helmbrechts
* VfB Bayreuth
* 1\. FC Lichtenfels
* SpVgg Büchenbach
* TSV Straubing
* ASV Herzogenaurach
* Würzburger Kickers
* MTV Ingolstadt
* SpVgg Landshut
* SV Wacker Burghausen
* SC Weismain
* SV Lohhof
* SpVgg Ansbach
* 1\. SC Feucht
* FC Ingolstadt 04
* FC Memmingen
* FC Ismaning
* TSV 1860 Rosenheim
* SV Schalding-Heining
* BC Aichach
* TSV Rain am Lech
* VfR Garching
* SV Seligenporten
* SV Pullach
* VfB Eichstätt
* SV Heimstetten

Related articles
League system
Promotion round
Clubs
Top scorers
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