3rd Liga
Encyclopedia
The 3rd Liga is the third division of football in Germany
. The league started with the beginning of the 2008–09 season, when it replaced the Regionalliga as the third tier football league in Germany. In the German football league system
, it is positioned between the 2. Bundesliga
and the semi-professional Regionalliga, which became the fourth division and consists of three groups of 18 clubs playing separately.
, the DFB, announced the formation of the 3rd Liga. It was originally anticipated that the league's name would be 3. Bundesliga, but the DFB chose 3. Liga instead, reflecting the fact that the league will be directly administered by the DFB, not by the DFL (Deutsche Fußball Liga, English:German Football League) who runs the two Bundesligen. This system is similar to France's Championnat National
or Japan's Japan Football League
, where the third tier is a unified semi-professional league directly run by the national governing body.
, Regionalliga Süd
, Regionalliga West
. If, however, a reserve team is playing in the 3rd Liga and the respective first team is relegated to the 3rd Liga, the reserve team will be relegated regardless of its league position.
The first match of the 3rd Liga was played on 25 July 2008 between FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt and Dynamo Dresden
at the Steigerwaldstadion
in Erfurt
. Dynamo Dresden won the match 1–0, with Halil Savran
scoring the only goal in the closing stages of the first half.
s from each of the two divisions of the Regionalliga were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga. The teams ranked 3rd to 10th in both Regionalliga entered the new 3. Liga, joining the four teams relegated from the 2. Bundesliga to form the new 20-team league. Teams finishing 11th or lower in their Regionalliga remained where they were.
On 18 May 2008, at the end of the 2007–08 2. Bundesliga season
, four clubs were relegated from the 2. Bundesliga and became charter members of the 3. Liga: Kickers Offenbach
, FC Erzgebirge Aue
, SC Paderborn 07
& FC Carl Zeiss Jena
On 31 May 2008, at the end of the 2007–08 Regionalliga seasons
, clubs placing 3rd through 10th in the Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga Süd also qualified for the new 3. Liga.
From the Regionalliga Nord
:
From the Regionalliga Süd
:
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
. The league started with the beginning of the 2008–09 season, when it replaced the Regionalliga as the third tier football league in Germany. In the German football league system
German football league system
The German football league system, or league pyramid, refers to a series of hierarchically interconnected leagues for association football clubs in Germany that consists of over 2,300 men's divisions, in which all leagues are bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation...
, it is positioned between the 2. Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
and the semi-professional Regionalliga, which became the fourth division and consists of three groups of 18 clubs playing separately.
History
On 8 September 2006, the German Football AssociationGerman Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
, the DFB, announced the formation of the 3rd Liga. It was originally anticipated that the league's name would be 3. Bundesliga, but the DFB chose 3. Liga instead, reflecting the fact that the league will be directly administered by the DFB, not by the DFL (Deutsche Fußball Liga, English:German Football League) who runs the two Bundesligen. This system is similar to France's Championnat National
Championnat National
The Championnat de France National, commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2...
or Japan's Japan Football League
Japan Football League
The is the 3rd tier of the Japanese association football league system, following J. League Division 1 and J. League Division 2. Also known as the JFL, it is generally considered as the top amateur league in Japan although in reality it is a semi-professional league as many full-time footballers...
, where the third tier is a unified semi-professional league directly run by the national governing body.
Set-up
The teams which are not reserve teams of Bundesliga teams among the 20 teams in the league compete for promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga, while the 3 bottom teams are relegated to one of the three Regionalligen: Regionalliga NordRegionalliga Nord
The Regionalliga Nord is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the northern and eastern part of Germany. It covers ten of the sixteen states of Germany...
, Regionalliga Süd
Regionalliga Süd
The Regionalliga Süd is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the southern part of Germany...
, Regionalliga West
Regionalliga West
The Regionalliga West is the fourth tier of the German football league system since its introduction in 2008. It covers the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and North Rhine-Westphalia and is one of three leagues at this level, together with the Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga...
. If, however, a reserve team is playing in the 3rd Liga and the respective first team is relegated to the 3rd Liga, the reserve team will be relegated regardless of its league position.
The first match of the 3rd Liga was played on 25 July 2008 between FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt and Dynamo Dresden
Dynamo Dresden
SG Dynamo Dresden are a German association football club, based in Dresden, Saxony. They were founded in 1950, as a club affiliated with the East German police, and became one of the most popular and successful clubs in East German football, winning eight league titles...
at the Steigerwaldstadion
Steigerwaldstadion
Steigerwaldstadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Erfurt, Germany. The stadium is able to hold 19,439 people and was built in 1931. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt....
in Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
. Dynamo Dresden won the match 1–0, with Halil Savran
Halil Savran
Halil Savran is a Turkish-German footballer currently playing for 1. FC Union Berlin.- Career :Savran has previously played for Reinickendorfer Füchse, SV Lichtenberg 47 and Tennis Borussia Berlin. In his last season at TeBe he was the top scorer in the NOFV-Oberliga, with 29 goals...
scoring the only goal in the closing stages of the first half.
Qualifying for the 3rd Liga
At the end of the 2007–08 season, the two best non-reserve teamReserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
s from each of the two divisions of the Regionalliga were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga. The teams ranked 3rd to 10th in both Regionalliga entered the new 3. Liga, joining the four teams relegated from the 2. Bundesliga to form the new 20-team league. Teams finishing 11th or lower in their Regionalliga remained where they were.
On 18 May 2008, at the end of the 2007–08 2. Bundesliga season
Second Fußball-Bundesliga 2007-08
- Results :- Top scorers :- Stadia :-See also:* 1. Bundesliga 2007-08* Regionalliga 2007-08* German Cup 2007-08-External links:* * * *...
, four clubs were relegated from the 2. Bundesliga and became charter members of the 3. Liga: Kickers Offenbach
Kickers Offenbach
Kickers Offenbach is a German association football club in Offenbach am Main, Hesse. The club was founded on 27 May 1901 in the Rheinischer Hof restaurant by footballers who had left established local clubs including Melitia, Teutonia, Viktoria, Germania and Neptun...
, FC Erzgebirge Aue
FC Erzgebirge Aue
FC Erzgebirge Aue is a German football club based in Aue, Saxony. The former East German side was a charter member of the 3. Liga in 2008–09, after being relegated from the 2. Bundesliga in 2007–08. The city of Aue has a population of about 18,000 making it one of the smallest cities to ever...
, SC Paderborn 07
SC Paderborn 07
SC Paderborn 07 is a German association football club based in Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the 2. Bundesliga.-History:...
& FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena is a German association football club based in Jena, Thuringia.-History:The club was founded in May 1903 by workers at the Carl Zeiss AG optics factory as the company-sponsored Fussball-Club der Firma Carl Zeiss. The club underwent name changes in 1911 to Fussball Club Carl Zeiss...
On 31 May 2008, at the end of the 2007–08 Regionalliga seasons
Fußball-Regionalliga 2007-08
The Fußball-Regionalliga 2007–08 season began on 27 July 2007, and finished on 31 May 2008, for both the North and South divisions.-Introduction of the 3. Liga:...
, clubs placing 3rd through 10th in the Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga Süd also qualified for the new 3. Liga.
From the Regionalliga Nord
Regionalliga Nord
The Regionalliga Nord is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the northern and eastern part of Germany. It covers ten of the sixteen states of Germany...
:
- Fortuna DüsseldorfFortuna Düsseldorf' is a German association football club based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the second tier of German league football, the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga...
- 1. FC Union Berlin1. FC Union Berlin1. FC Union Berlin is a German association football club based in Berlin. It is one of two sides in the city bearing the name Union that emerged during the Cold War and played in East Germany, while the other played in the west. The club currently plays in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga.-Foundation to...
- SV Werder Bremen IISV Werder Bremen IISV Werder Bremen II is the reserve team of Werder Bremen. It currently plays in the 3. Liga and has been a regular fixture at 3rd level football in Germany...
- Wuppertaler SV BorussiaWuppertaler SV BorussiaWuppertaler SV Borussia is a German association football club located in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia. The city was founded in 1929 out of the union of a number of smaller towns including Elberfeld, Barmen, Vohwinkel, Cronenberg and Ronsdorf – each with its own football club...
- FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt
- Dynamo DresdenDynamo DresdenSG Dynamo Dresden are a German association football club, based in Dresden, Saxony. They were founded in 1950, as a club affiliated with the East German police, and became one of the most popular and successful clubs in East German football, winning eight league titles...
- Kickers EmdenKickers EmdenBSV Kickers Emden is a German association football club, located in Emden, Lower Saxony.-History:The club first began playing in 1928 as a section of the gymnastics club Emder Turnverein, which was founded in 1861...
- Eintracht BraunschweigEintracht BraunschweigEintracht Braunschweig is a German association football club based in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. The club was one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963 and won the national title in 1967.-History:...
From the Regionalliga Süd
Regionalliga Süd
The Regionalliga Süd is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the southern part of Germany...
:
- VfB Stuttgart IIVfB Stuttgart IIVfB Stuttgart II is a German football team located in Stuttgart, currently playing in the 3rd Liga. Their first team, VfB Stuttgart, won the Bundesliga league title in 2007.- Relationship with VfB Stuttgart :...
- VfR AalenVfR AalenVfR Aalen is a German football club based in Aalen, Baden-Württemberg.-History:The club was founded on 8 March 1921 out of the football department of the gymnastics club MTV Aalen and has led a largely unremarked existence as a lower division side...
- SV SandhausenSV SandhausenSV Sandhausen is a German association football club that plays in Sandhausen, immediately to the south of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg.-History:...
- SpVgg UnterhachingSpVgg UnterhachingSpielvereinigung Unterhaching is a German sports club in Unterhaching, a semi-rural municipality on the southern outskirts of the Bavarian capital Munich....
- Wacker Burghausen
- FC Bayern Munich IIFC Bayern Munich IIBayern Munich II are the second team of German association football club Bayern Munich. In 2010–11 they played in the 3rd Liga, having qualified for its inaugural season in 2008, and have consistently played at the third level of German football — they played in the Regionalliga Süd from...
- Jahn RegensburgJahn RegensburgSSV Jahn Regensburg is a German association football club based in Regensburg, Bavaria. The team was part of a larger sports club founded in 1889 as Turnerbund Jahn Regensburg which took its name from Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, whose ideas of gymnastics greatly influenced German sport in the 19th...
- Stuttgarter KickersStuttgarter KickersStuttgarter Kickers is a German association football club that plays in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, founded on 21 September 1899 as FC Stuttgarter Cickers...
Promotion/Relegation
The winner and runner-up in a given season is automatically promoted to the 2. Liga. The third place team enters a home/away playoff against the 16th placed team of the 2. Liga for the right to enter/stay in the 2. Liga. Teams placing in the bottom three are automatically sent to the Regionalliga.| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Promotion Playoff | Standings |
| 2008–09 | 1. FC Union Berlin 1. FC Union Berlin 1. FC Union Berlin is a German association football club based in Berlin. It is one of two sides in the city bearing the name Union that emerged during the Cold War and played in East Germany, while the other played in the west. The club currently plays in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga.-Foundation to... |
Fortuna Düsseldorf Fortuna Düsseldorf ' is a German association football club based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the second tier of German league football, the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga... |
SC Paderborn 07 SC Paderborn 07 SC Paderborn 07 is a German association football club based in Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the 2. Bundesliga.-History:... |
Table |
| 2009–10 | VfL Osnabrück VfL Osnabrück VfL Osnabrück is a German multi-sport club in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony. It currently fields teams in basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, and tennis, but is by far best known for its football section.- Foundation to WW2 :... |
FC Erzgebirge Aue FC Erzgebirge Aue FC Erzgebirge Aue is a German football club based in Aue, Saxony. The former East German side was a charter member of the 3. Liga in 2008–09, after being relegated from the 2. Bundesliga in 2007–08. The city of Aue has a population of about 18,000 making it one of the smallest cities to ever... |
FC Ingolstadt 04 FC Ingolstadt 04 FC Ingolstadt 04 is a German football club based in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. The club was founded in 2004 out of the merger of the football sides of two other clubs: ESV Ingolstadt and MTV Ingolstadt.-ESV Ingolstadt:... |
Table |
| 2010–11 | Eintracht Braunschweig Eintracht Braunschweig Eintracht Braunschweig is a German association football club based in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. The club was one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963 and won the national title in 1967.-History:... |
F.C. Hansa Rostock | Dynamo Dresden Dynamo Dresden SG Dynamo Dresden are a German association football club, based in Dresden, Saxony. They were founded in 1950, as a club affiliated with the East German police, and became one of the most popular and successful clubs in East German football, winning eight league titles... |
Table |
- Bold denotes team earned promotion.
Placings in the 3rd Liga
The following clubs have played in the league and achieved the following final positions:| Club | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. FC Union Berlin 1. FC Union Berlin 1. FC Union Berlin is a German association football club based in Berlin. It is one of two sides in the city bearing the name Union that emerged during the Cold War and played in East Germany, while the other played in the west. The club currently plays in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga.-Foundation to... |
1 | 2BL | 2BL | 2BL |
| Fortuna Düsseldorf Fortuna Düsseldorf ' is a German association football club based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the second tier of German league football, the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga... |
2 | 2BL | 2BL | 2BL |
| SC Paderborn 07 SC Paderborn 07 SC Paderborn 07 is a German association football club based in Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the 2. Bundesliga.-History:... |
3 | 2BL | 2BL | 2BL |
| VfL Osnabrück VfL Osnabrück VfL Osnabrück is a German multi-sport club in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony. It currently fields teams in basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, and tennis, but is by far best known for its football section.- Foundation to WW2 :... |
2BL | 1 | 2BL | x |
| Erzgebirge Aue | 12 | 2 | 2BL | 2BL |
| FC Ingolstadt 04 FC Ingolstadt 04 FC Ingolstadt 04 is a German football club based in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. The club was founded in 2004 out of the merger of the football sides of two other clubs: ESV Ingolstadt and MTV Ingolstadt.-ESV Ingolstadt:... |
2BL | 3 | 2BL | 2BL |
| Eintracht Braunschweig Eintracht Braunschweig Eintracht Braunschweig is a German association football club based in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. The club was one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963 and won the national title in 1967.-History:... |
13 | 4 | 1 | 2BL |
| Hansa Rostock | 2BL | 2BL | 2 | 2BL |
| DSC Arminia Bielefeld | BL | 2BL | 2BL | x |
| Rot-Weiß Oberhausen Rot-Weiß Oberhausen Rot-Weiß Oberhausen is a German association football club in Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was formed as Oberhausener SV in December 1904 out of the merger of Emschertaler SV and the football enthusiasts of Oberhausener TV 1873... |
2BL | 2BL | 2BL | x |
| TuS Koblenz TuS Koblenz TuS Koblenz is a German association football club, located in Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate. Fussball Club Deutschland Neuendorf, which was formed in 1911, is viewed as the foundation of the modern club.-Play under the Third Reich:... 3 |
2BL | 2BL | 11 | RL |
| Rot Weiss Ahlen2 | 2BL | 2BL | 20 | OL |
| FC Carl Zeiss Jena FC Carl Zeiss Jena FC Carl Zeiss Jena is a German association football club based in Jena, Thuringia.-History:The club was founded in May 1903 by workers at the Carl Zeiss AG optics factory as the company-sponsored Fussball-Club der Firma Carl Zeiss. The club underwent name changes in 1911 to Fussball Club Carl Zeiss... |
16 | 5 | 15 | x |
| 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 is a German association football club from the city of Heidenheim, Baden-Württemberg.-History:The current day club was formed in 2007 through the separation of the football section from parent association Heidenheimer Sportbund, a larger sports club that has 5,800 members in... |
RL | 6 | 9 | x |
| Kickers Offenbach Kickers Offenbach Kickers Offenbach is a German association football club in Offenbach am Main, Hesse. The club was founded on 27 May 1901 in the Rheinischer Hof restaurant by footballers who had left established local clubs including Melitia, Teutonia, Viktoria, Germania and Neptun... |
7 | 7 | 7 | x |
| FC Bayern Munich II FC Bayern Munich II Bayern Munich II are the second team of German association football club Bayern Munich. In 2010–11 they played in the 3rd Liga, having qualified for its inaugural season in 2008, and have consistently played at the third level of German football — they played in the Regionalliga Süd from... |
5 | 8 | 20 | RL |
| Rot-Weiß Erfurt | 10 | 9 | 5 | x |
| VfB Stuttgart II VfB Stuttgart II VfB Stuttgart II is a German football team located in Stuttgart, currently playing in the 3rd Liga. Their first team, VfB Stuttgart, won the Bundesliga league title in 2007.- Relationship with VfB Stuttgart :... |
11 | 10 | 10 | x |
| SpVgg Unterhaching SpVgg Unterhaching Spielvereinigung Unterhaching is a German sports club in Unterhaching, a semi-rural municipality on the southern outskirts of the Bavarian capital Munich.... |
4 | 11 | 14 | x |
| Dynamo Dresden Dynamo Dresden SG Dynamo Dresden are a German association football club, based in Dresden, Saxony. They were founded in 1950, as a club affiliated with the East German police, and became one of the most popular and successful clubs in East German football, winning eight league titles... |
9 | 12 | 3 | 2BL |
| Werder Bremen II | 17 | 13 | 18 | x |
| SV Sandhausen SV Sandhausen SV Sandhausen is a German association football club that plays in Sandhausen, immediately to the south of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg.-History:... |
8 | 14 | 12 | x |
| SV Wehen Wiesbaden | 2BL | 15 | 4 | x |
| Jahn Regensburg Jahn Regensburg SSV Jahn Regensburg is a German association football club based in Regensburg, Bavaria. The team was part of a larger sports club founded in 1889 as Turnerbund Jahn Regensburg which took its name from Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, whose ideas of gymnastics greatly influenced German sport in the 19th... |
15 | 16 | 8 | x |
| Wacker Burghausen | 18 | 17 | 17 | x |
| VfR Aalen VfR Aalen VfR Aalen is a German football club based in Aalen, Baden-Württemberg.-History:The club was founded on 8 March 1921 out of the football department of the gymnastics club MTV Aalen and has led a largely unremarked existence as a lower division side... |
19 | RL | 16 | x |
| 1. FC Saarbrücken 1. FC Saarbrücken 1. FC Saarbrücken is a German association football club based in the city of Saarbrücken, Saarland. The club began its existence as the football department of Turnverein Malstatt formed in 1903... |
OL | RL | 6 | x |
| SV Babelsberg 03 SV Babelsberg 03 SV Babelsberg 03 is a German association football club based in Potsdam-Babelsberg, on the outskirts of Berlin. The team was founded as Sport-Club Jugendkraft 1903 and again as SG Karl-Marx Babelsberg in 1948 as successor to the pre-war side SpVgg Potsdam 03.-History:Playing as SV Nowawes the team... |
RL | RL | 13 | x |
| SC Preußen Münster SC Preußen Münster SC Preußen Münster are a German association football club based in Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia.-History:The club was founded as FC Preussen in 1906 and has its roots in a group formed at the Johann-Conrad-Schlaun Grammar School... |
RL | RL | RL | x |
| Chemnitzer FC Chemnitzer FC Chemnitzer FC is a German association football club based in Chemnitz, Saxony.The roots of the club go back to its establishment as Chemnitzer BC 1933 in 1933 after the collapse of former Chemnitzer BC 1899.... |
RL | RL | RL | x |
| SV Darmstadt 98 SV Darmstadt 98 SV Darmstadt 98 is a German association football club based in Darmstadt, Hesse. The club was founded on 22 May 1898 as FC Olympia Darmstadt. Early in 1919 the association was briefly known as Rasen-Sportverein Olympia before merging with Darmstädter Sport Club 1905 on 11 November that year to... |
RL | RL | RL | x |
| Borussia Dortmund II Borussia Dortmund II Borussia Dortmund II are the reserve team of Borussia Dortmund. They currently play in the Regionalliga West.-Current squad:-Current technical staff:- References :... |
RL | 18 | RL | RL |
| Holstein Kiel Holstein Kiel Holstein Kiel is a German association football and sports club based in the city of Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein. Through the 1910s and 1920s the club was a dominant side in northern Germany winning six regional titles and finishing as runners-up another six times... |
RL | 19 | RL | RL |
| Wuppertaler SV | 14 | 20 | RL | RL |
| Kickers Emden Kickers Emden BSV Kickers Emden is a German association football club, located in Emden, Lower Saxony.-History:The club first began playing in 1928 as a section of the gymnastics club Emder Turnverein, which was founded in 1861... 1 |
6 | OL | OL | OL |
| Stuttgarter Kickers Stuttgarter Kickers Stuttgarter Kickers is a German association football club that plays in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, founded on 21 September 1899 as FC Stuttgarter Cickers... |
20 | RL | RL | RL |