Regionalliga_Nord

Regionalliga Nord

Regionalliga Nord

Football league


The Regionalliga Nord (English: Regional League North) 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.

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...

From 1963 to 1974, a Regionalliga Nord existed as the second tier of the German football league system, but it is not related to the current Regionalliga.

Overview

The Regionalliga Nord was introduced in 1994 along with three other Regionalligas, those being:

The reason for its introduction was to create a highest regional league for the north of Germany and to allow its champions, and some years the runners-up too, to be directly promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga. Prior to the introduction of the four Regionalligas, the leagues below the second division were the Oberligas, in which there was ten. Those ten Oberliga champions had to go through a promotion play-off rather than being directly promoted. The champions of the Regionalligas Nord and Nordost however had to play-off for a spot in the 2nd Bundesliga from 1996 to 2000. The winner of this contest was promoted, the loser faced the runners-ups of the Regionalligas Süd and West/Südwest for another spot in the second division.

The Regionalliga Nord was direct continuation of the Oberliga Nord, which was disbanded in 1994 in favour of the Regionalliga. Fourteen out of sixteen Oberliga Nord clubs qualified for the new league, only the bottom two teams were relegated to the two new Oberligas.

To replace the Oberliga Nord below the Regionalliga, two new leagues were formed, those being the Oberligas Niedersachsen/Bremen and Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein. These two leagues were in turn disbanded in 2004 when the Oberliga Nord was reformed.

In 2001, Union Berlin of this league became only the second Regionalliga side to reach a German Cup final, losing 2−0 to Schalke 04.

With the league changes in Germany in 2008, the Oberliga Nord was again disbanded and the level below the Regionalliga Nord in this region were the five Verbandligas. This required a promotion play-off for this league winners as there were not five promotion spots available for their region. No changes were made in the NOFV region, where the two Oberligas Nord and Süd remained.

The following four teams were promoted to the Regionalliga from 2009:

  • NOFV-Oberliga Nord champions
  • NOFV-Oberliga Süd champions
  • Lower Saxony champions, being the winner of the home-and-away series of the champions of the Oberliga Niedersachsen-West and Oberliga Niedersachsen-Ost
  • Winner of the promotion play-off for the champions of the Oberliga Hamburg, Bremen and Schleswig-Holstein

League history

Founding members

Map of Germany: Position of the Regionalliga Nord (1994-2000) highlighted

The Regionalliga Nord was formed in 1994 with 18 clubs, fourteen from the Oberliga Nord and one each from the Verbandsligas of Niedersachsen, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein.

The founding members were:

From the Oberliga Nord:

From the Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein:

From the Verbandsliga Hamburg:

From the Verbandsliga Bremen:

From the Verbandsliga Niedersachsen:

The "new" Regionalliga Nord was actually a reformation of the "old" Regionalliga Nord which operated from 1963 to 1974 in the same region but then as the second tier of German football. Unlike the "old" Regionalliga, the new one allowed reserve teams to compete in it.

Expansion of the league in 2000

Map of Germany: Position of the Regionalliga Nord (2000-2008) highlighted

After six seasons, in 2000, the number of Regionalligas was reduced from four to two. Only the Regionalligas Süd and Nord survived. The clubs of the other two were spread according to their geographical location.

Only the teams placed two to six were permitted to remain in the league. The league champion, VfL Osnabrück, was promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga and all clubs from place seven to eighteen were relegated to the Verbandsligas. The league was expanded to nineteen teams and fourteen clubs from the 2nd Bundesliga, Regionalliga West/Südwest and Regionalliga Nordost were admitted.

Relegated from the 2nd Bundesliga:

The league reform in 2008

Map of Germany: Position of the Regionalliga Nord highlighted

With the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008 and of a third Regionalliga, the Regionalliga West, the league became the fourth tier of German football.[1] The clubs from North Rhine-Westphalia left the league again and joined the new Regionalliga West.

The make up of the leagues was:

  • Winner and runners-up of the Regionalliga Nord qualified for the 2nd Bundesliga (unless they are reserve teams)
  • Clubs placed third to tenth went to the new 3. Liga (only the two best placed reserve teams were admitted)
  • Clubs placed eleventh to eighteen remained in the Regionalligas (clubs from North Rhine-Westphalia left for the Regionalliga West)
  • The five best teams from the Oberliga Nord joined the Regionalliga. The sixth placed team played-off with the five Verbandsliga winners from this region for one more place in the Regionalliga.
  • The three best teams from the NOFV-Oberliga Nord and Süd each and a play-off winner of the two fourth placed teams.

The following 18 teams fulfilled the various qualification criteria and were granted a license for play in the new Regionalliga Nord for the 2008-09 season.[2]

From the NOFV-Oberliga Süd:

The league reform in 2012

The Regionalligas from 2012 onwards.

In October 2010, another reform of the Regionalligas expanded the number of leagues to five, with the Nordost clubs leaving the Regionalliga Nord to form their own Regionalliga Nordost once more. The new system came into operation in the 2012–13 season. It was also decided to limit the number of reserve teams per Regionalliga to seven.[3]

The league reform in 2019

As four teams were relegated from the 3. Liga at the end of the 2018–19 season, the champions of the Regionalliga Nordost, Regionalliga Südwest and Regionalliga West were promoted directly to the 3. Liga and the remaining two champions, VfL Wolfsburg II of the Regionalliga Nord and Bayern Munich II of the Regionalliga Bayern, played a two-legged promotion play-off for the last promotion spot,[4] which was won by Bayern Munich II. In 2020, the three direct promotion spots went to the champions of the Regionalliga Südwest, Regionalliga Nord and Regionalliga Bayern, while the Nordost and the West champions participated in the play-off. This format was installed initially as a temporary solution until the DFB-Bundestag in September 2019 decided on a format that could have enabled all Regionalliga champions to be promoted.[5] On that date, the Bundestag delegates voted to grant the Südwest and West champions two direct promotions indefinitely from 2021, with the third direct promotion place rotating between the Regionalliga Nord, Nordost and Bavarian champions. The representatives from the two remaining Regionalligen enter a two-legged play-offs to determine the fourth promotion place.[6]

Winners and runners-up of the Regionalliga Nord

The winners and runners-up of the league:

More information Season, Winner ...

Source: "Regionalliga Nord". Das deutsche Fussball-Archiv. Retrieved 19 March 2008.

  • Promoted teams in bold.

a Season abandoned in June 2020, with final standings decided on a points-per-game basis.

b Season abandoned in April 2021 with Weiche Flensburg leading the north division and Werder Bremen II leading the south division. TSV Havelse were nominated for the promotion play-offs.

League statistics

The top goalscorers and attendance figures for the league are:

More information Season, Total attendance ...
League record

Placings in the Regionalliga Nord

Current extent of league

Final league positions for clubs from the region currently covered by the league:

More information Club ...

Former extent of league

Final league positions for clubs from the regions formerly covered by the league:

More information Club ...

Source: "Regionalliga Nord". Das deutsche Fussball-Archiv. Retrieved 11 December 2007.

Key

More information Symbol, Key ...

Notes

a In 2002, 1. FC Magdeburg were refused a licence for the Regionalliga.
b In 2001, SV Wilhelmshaven was refused a licence for the Regionalliga.
c In 2009, Türkiyemspor Berlin avoided relegation after Kickers Emden withdrew from the 3. Liga.
d In 2001, FC Sachsen Leipzig was refused a licence for the Regionalliga.
e In 2005, KFC Uerdingen was refused a licence for the Regionalliga.
f In 1998, VfL Hamburg 93 withdrew their team from the league.
g Tennis Borussia Berlin declared insolvency on 21 May 2010 and was automatically relegated.
h Hansa Rostock II withdrew from the league in 2010 for financial reasons.
i VfB Lübeck and FC Oberneuland declared insolvency in 2013 and were relegated from the league.
j Eintracht Braunschweig II was relegated to the Oberliga in 2018 following the first team's relegation from the 2. Bundesliga, sparing Schwarz-Weiß Rehden from relegation.
k In 2021, VfL Wolfsburg II withdrew their team from the league.


References

  1. "Regionalliga Nord 2008/2009 - 1. Spieltag". weltfussball.de. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  2. DFB-Bundestag beschließt Reform der Spielklassen DFB website, 22 October 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  3. "Lauth lost Aufstiegsspiele zur 3. Liga aus" [Lauth draws promotion matches to the 3. Liga]. DFB.de (in German). German Football Association. 27 April 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  4. "Änderung der Aufstiegsregelung in der Regionalliga beschlossen" [Change of promotion format in the Regionalliga decided upon]. dfb.de. Deutscher Fußball-Bund. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  5. "Eigener Ausschuss und neue Aufstiegsregelung zur 3. Liga" [Own committee and new promotion scheme to the 3. Liga]. DFB.de. DFB. 27 September 2019.
  6. Torschützenkönige (Top goal scorers) Regionalliga Nord (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  7. Die Regionalligen 1994/95. DSFS. 1995. p. 28. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  8. Die Regionalligen 1995/96. DSFS. 1996. p. 35. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  9. Die Regionalligen 1996/97. DSFS. 1997. p. 38. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  10. Saison-Statistik 1997/98. DSFS. 1998. p. 9. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  11. Saison-Statistik 1998/99. DSFS. 1999. p. 9. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  12. Die Regionalligen 1999/2000. DSFS. 2000. p. 54. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  13. Deutschlands Fussball in Zahlen 2000/2001. DSFS. 2001. p. 182. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  14. Deutschlands Fussball in Zahlen 2001/2002. DSFS. 2002. p. 178. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  15. Deutschlands Fussball in Zahlen 2002/2003. DSFS. 2003. p. 180. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  16. Deutschlands Fussball in Zahlen 2003/2004. DSFS. 2004. p. 178. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  17. Deutschlands Fussball in Zahlen 2004/2005. DSFS. 2005. p. 180. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  18. Deutschlands Fussball in Zahlen 2005/2006. DSFS. 2006. p. 142. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  19. Deutschlands Fussball in Zahlen 2006/2007. DSFS. 2007. p. 142. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  20. Deutschlands Fussball in Zahlen 2007/2008. DSFS. 2008. p. 142. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  21. Zuschauertabele (Spectator figures) Regionalliga Nord 2008-09 (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  22. Zuschauertabele (Spectator figures) Regionalliga Nord 2009-10 (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  23. Zuschauertabele (Spectator figures) Regionalliga Nord 2010-11 (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  24. Zuschauertabele (Spectator figures) Regionalliga Nord 2011-12 (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  25. Zuschauertabele (Spectator figures) Regionalliga Nord 2012-13 (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  26. Regionalliga Nord 2013/2014 .:. Zuschauer .:. Heimspiele (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  27. Regionalliga Nord 2013/2014 » Torschützenliste (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  28. Regionalliga Nord 2014/2015 .:. Zuschauer .:. Heimspiele (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  29. Regionalliga Nord 2014/2015 » Torschützenliste (in German) weltfussball.de. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  30. "Regionalliga Nord 2015/2016 Zuschauer Heimspiele" [Regionalliga Nord 2015–16 home games spectators]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  31. "Regionalliga Nord 2015/2016 Torschützenliste" [Regionalliga Nord 2015–16 goal scorers]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  32. "Regionalliga Nord 2016/2017 Zuschauer Heimspiele" [Regionalliga Nord 2016–17 home games spectators]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  33. "Regionalliga Nord 2016/2017 Torschützenliste" [Regionalliga Nord 2016–17 goal scorers]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  34. "Regionalliga Nord 2017/2018 Zuschauer Heimspiele" [Regionalliga Nord 2017–18 home games spectators]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  35. "Regionalliga Nord 2017/2018 Torschützenliste" [Regionalliga Nord 2017–18 goal scorers]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  36. "Regionalliga Nord 2018/2019 Zuschauer Heimspiele" [Regionalliga Nord 2018–19 home games spectators]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  37. "Regionalliga Nord 2018/2019 Torschützenliste" [Regionalliga Nord 2018–19 goal scorers]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  38. "Regionalliga Nord 2019/2020 Zuschauer Heimspiele" [Regionalliga Nord 2019–20 home games spectators]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  39. "Regionalliga Nord 2019/2020 Torschützenliste" [Regionalliga Nord 2019–20 goal scorers]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  40. "Regionalliga Nord 2020/2021 Zuschauer Heimspiele" [Regionalliga Nord 2020–21 home games spectators]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  41. "Regionalliga Nord 2020/2021 Zuschauer Heimspiele" [Regionalliga Nord 2020–21 home games spectators]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  42. "Regionalliga Nord 2020/2021 Torschützenliste" [Regionalliga Nord 2020–21 goal scorers]. weltfussball.de (in German). Retrieved 18 August 2023.

Sources

  • Deutschlands Fußball in Zahlen, (in German) An annual publication with tables and results from the Bundesliga to Verbandsliga/Landesliga. DSFS.
  • Kicker Almanach, (in German) The yearbook on German football from Bundesliga to Oberliga, since 1937. Kicker Sports Magazine.
  • Die Deutsche Liga-Chronik 1945-2005 (in German) History of German football from 1945 to 2005 in tables. DSFS. 2006.

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