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.
On top of the system sit the level one 1. Bundesliga and the level two 2. Bundesliga, both organized by the professional German Football League. The two top flights are then followed by the level three 3. Liga, the lowest full professional division in Germany, held by the German Football Association itself.
Starting at level five, the various fully amateur divisions are usually governed by the 21 state associations. For the North East German Football Association and Southwestern Regional Football Association, both regional bodies still run the level five divisions under their jurisdiction. Their state member associations' pyramids therefore start at level six.
After each season, the winners of the Bundesliga are crowned German football champions. The bottom two Bundesliga teams are relegated to 2. Bundesliga, whereas the champion and runner-up of 2. Bundesliga are promoted to the top flight. Additionally, the third-last ranked team of Bundesliga and the third-best ranked team of 2. Bundesliga play a promotion/relegation playoff for the final spot in the next Bundesliga edition. The bottom two 2. Bundesliga teams are relegated to 3. Liga, whereas the champion and runner-up of 3. Liga are promoted to the second flight. Additionally, the third-last ranked team of 2. Bundesliga and the third-best ranked team of 3. Liga play a promotion/relegation playoff for the final spot in the next 2. Bundesliga edition. The bottom four teams of 3. Liga are relegated to Regionalliga.
Regional association league systems
Whereas the professional first three levels of the German football league system each are single division only and are organised by nationwide governing bodies, the semi-professional level four Regionalliga comprises five independent divisions, each run by different regional and/or state associations.
As an exception to the regular promotion rules within the German league system, not all champions of each Regionalliga division are granted automatic promotion.
Instead only the Regionalliga West and Southwest each provide a fixed direct promotion. Another direct promotion place is assigned according to a rotation principle among the Regionalliga Nord, Nordost, and Bayern champions. The representatives from the remaining two Regionalligen determine the fourth promoted club in two-legged playoffs.
The Southwestern Regional Football Association league system is the regional association league system in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland and starts at level four of the German league system with the Regionalliga Südwest on top, which is held under joint jurisdiction along with the Southern German Football Association. The champions and the runner-up enter a promotion playoff along with the winners of the four other Regionalliga divisions for three promotions to the 3. Liga. By rule, the champions and the runner-up will not face each other in the promotion playoffs.
Three states are subdivided into more than one state football association. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia is subdivided into three state associations, these being Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine and Westphalia. The state of Baden-Württemberg is also subdivided into three state associations, these being Baden, South Baden and Württemberg. Finally, the state of Rhineland-Palatinate is subdivided into two state associations, these being Rhineland and Southwest.[4]
Starting on levels four to six of the German football league system, each of these 21 state associations runs a league pyramid under its own jurisdiction. The state association of Bavaria starts its pyramid at level four. The top divisions of the state associations of Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Westphalia sit at level five of the pyramid. The pyramids of the remaining associations of Baden, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Rhineland, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, South Baden, Southwest, Thuringia and Württemberg start at level six of the German football league system.
All state associations have full jurisdiction over their league pyramids, though the configuration varies in between states. A traditional state league pyramid had a Verbandsliga (Association League) as its top flight, followed by several divisions of Landesliga (State League). Due to many structural reforms in the last decades, both on federal level and on state levels, this structure has become more indeterminate. Currently, eight of the 21 state associations (Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Westphalia) have an Oberliga (English: Premier League) as their top amateur state division, some followed by a Verbandsliga, some directly by a Landesliga. Starting in 2012, the state association of Bavaria organized its own Regionalliga (Regional League), a league formerly only organized by the superior regional associations.[5]
With the exception of Berlin and Hamburg, all other state associations usually supervise several county and/or district associations. The county associations usually cover the area of a government district, whereas the district associations have jurisdiction for the territory of an urban district. The associations of Bavaria, Bremen, Lower Saxony and the Southwest are initially subdivided into several county associations, the latter are then subdivided into district associations. The associations of South Baden and Württemberg have several county associations following in the league system, but no district associations. The remaining associations (Baden, Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Rhine, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Middle Rhine, Rhineland, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia and Westphalia) are directly subdivided into district associations. The county associations usually run a single division, the Bezirksliga (County League) under their jurisdiction, then followed by the district associations' top flights Kreisliga (District League). State associations that are directly subdivided into district associations, typically run the Bezirksliga themselves. In Hesse, the Bezirksliga is called the Gruppenliga (Group League).
Below the state association league system 12 district associations work as feeders to the Verbandsliga. In the 2017–18 season, the full system comprises 61 divisions having 861 teams.[6] Additionally, four teams play above the state association league system: Holstein Kiel (2. Bundesliga), Eutin 08, SC Weiche Flensburg 08 and VfB Lübeck (all Regionalliga Nord).
↓ relegation to Kiel, Herzogtum Lauenburg, Lübeck, Neumünster, Nordfriesland, Ostholstein, Plön, Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Schleswig-Flensburg, Segeberg, Stormarn or Westküste (Dithmarschen-Steinburg) district FA league systems
Below the state association league system one county association and following it two district associations work as feeders to the Landesliga.[10] In the 2016–17 season, the full system comprises 11 divisions having 148 teams.[11] Additionally, two teams play above the state association league system: SV Werder Bremen (Bundesliga) and SV Werder Bremen II (3. Liga).
↓ relegation to Mecklenburger Seenplatte-Vorpommern, North Vorpommern-Rügen, Schwerin-Northwestern Mecklenburg, Vorpommern-Greifswald, Warnow or West Mecklenburg district FA league systems
↓ relegation to Dahme/Flaming, East Brandenburg, Havelland, Lower Lusatia, Oberhavel/Barnim, Prignitz/Ruppin, South Brandenburg or Uckermark district FA league systems
The Berlin Football Association league system is the state association league system in the state of Berlin and starts at level six of the German league system with the Berlin-Liga on top. The current (2022-23 season) champions are SV Sparta Lichtenberg. The champions are directly promoted to NOFV-Oberliga Nord. Within the BFA, main and Reserve teams (Addressed as II, III, IV, V etc.) are allowed to play in the same rank up to Landesliga but will be grouped separate. When the main team is being overtaken by a reserve team by promotion, the teams switch the names for the following season.
↓ relegation to Altmark East, Altmark West, Anhalt, Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Börde, Burgenland, Halle, Harz, Jerichower Land, Magdeburg, Mansfeld-Südharz, Saalekreis, Salzland or Wittenberg district FA league systems
↓ relegation to Central Thuringia, East Thuringia, Eichsfeld-Unstrut-Hainich, Erfurt-Sömmerda, Jena-Saale-Orla, North Thuringia, Rhön-Rennsteig, South Thuringia or West Thuringia district FA league systems
The Saxony Football Association league system is the association league system in the state of Saxony and starts at level six of the German league system with the Sachsenliga on top. The current (2016–17 season) champions are FC Eilenburg. The champions are directly promoted to Oberliga Nordost.
↓ relegation to Central Saxony, Chemnitz, Dresden, Erzgebirge, Leipzig, Meissen, Muldental/Leipzig region, North Saxony, Sächsische Schweiz/Osterzgebirge, Upper Lusatia, Vogtland, West Lusatia or Zwickau district FA league systems
↓ relegation to Duisburg-Mülheim-Dinslaken, Düsseldorf, Essen, Grevenbroich-Neuss, Kempen-Krefeld, Kleve-Geldern, Moers, Mönchengladbach-Viersen, Oberhausen-Bottrop, Rees-Bocholt, Remscheid, Solingen or Wuppertal-Niederberg district FA league systems
↓ relegation to Eifel, Hunsrück/Mosel, Koblenz, Mosel, Rhein/Ahr, Rhein/Lahr, Trier/Saarburg, Westerwald/Sieg or Westerwald/Wied district FA league systems
↓ relegation to Alzey-Worms, Bad Kreuznach, Birkenfeld, Kaiserslautern-Donnersberg, Kusel-Kaiserslautern, Mainz-Bingen, Pirmasens/Zweibrücken, Rhine-Middle Haardt, Rhine-Palatinate and South Palatinate district FA league systems
The Hessian Football Association league system is the state association league system in the state of Hesse and starts at level five of the German league system with the Hessenliga on top. The current (2016–17 season) champions are SC Hessen Dreieich (not promoted). The champions are directly promoted to Regionalliga Südwest.
The Baden Football Association league system is one of three state association league systems in the state of Baden-Württemberg, covering its northwestern part, and starts at level six of the German league system with the Verbandsliga Nordbaden on top. The current (2021–22 season) champions are ATSV Mutschelbach. The champions are directly promoted to Oberliga Baden-Württemberg, whereas the runner-up enters a promotion playoff along with the Verbandsliga Südbaden runner-up and the Verbandsliga Württemberg runner-up for one additional promotion.
↓ relegation to Alb, Black Forest, Böblingen/Calw, Bodensee, Danube, Danube/Iller, Enz/Murr, Hohenlohe, Kocher/Rems, Neckar/Fils, Northern Black Forest, Rems/Murr, Riß, Stuttgart, Unterland or Zollern county FA league systems