Hessenliga
Founded
1945
Nation
Germany
State
Hesse
Promotion To
Regionalliga Süd/Südwest Regionalliga Süd/Südwest The Regionalliga Süd/Südwest will be the fourth tier of the German football league system from 2012 in the states of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland...
Relegation To
Verbandsliga Hessen-Nord Verbandsliga Hessen-Nord The Verbandsliga Hessen-Nord, until 2008 named Landesliga Hessen-Nord, is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3...
Verbandsliga Hessen-Mitte Verbandsliga Hessen-Mitte The Verbandsliga Hessen-Mitte, until 2008 named Landesliga Hessen-Mitte, is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3...
Verbandsliga Hessen-Süd Verbandsliga Hessen-Süd The Verbandsliga Hessen-Süd, until 2008 named Landesliga Hessen-Süd, is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3...
Number of Teams
18
Level on Pyramid
Level 5 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...
Domestic Cups
Hessenpokal Hesse Cup The Hesse Cup is one of the 21 regional cup competitions of German football. The winner of the competition gains entry to the first round of the German Cup.-History:...
Current Champions 2010–11 2010–11 Hessenliga The 2010–11 season of the Hessenliga was the third season of the league at tier five of the German football league system.Although the teams from the German state of Hesse made up the bulk of the clubs in the Hessenliga, the Bavarian side FC Bayern Alzenau played the 2010–11 season in the division...
FC Bayern Alzenau FC Bayern Alzenau FC Bayern Alzenau is a German football club based in Alzenau, Bavaria.-History:The club was initially formed as Alzenauer Fußball Club and joined gymnastics club Turn- und Sport Alzenau as that club's football department on 16 September 1922 before again becoming independent in 1923 as FC Bayern...

The Hessenliga (until 2008 Oberliga Hessen) is the highest football league in the state

States of Germany

Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...

 of Hesse

Hesse

Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...

 and the Hessian football league system. It is one of eleven Oberligas

Oberliga (football)

The Oberliga is currently the name of the fifth tier of the German football leagues. Before the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the fourth tier...

 in German football, the 5th tier of 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 was, until the introduction of the 3. Liga

3rd Liga

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...

 in 2008, the 4th tier.

Overview

The league was formed in 1945 and except for its first two seasons it has always played as one single division. As such, it is the longest continuously operating Oberliga in Germany. The league was called Landesliga

Landesliga

The Landesliga is the 7th tier of football in most of Germany, one division below the Verbandsliga. In Bavaria, Sachsen, Thüringen, Bremen, Lower Saxony and Hamburg the Landesligas are set right below the Oberliga and therefore are the 6th tier...

-Hessen until 1950 and actually formed the second tier of southern German football. With the introduction of the 2nd Oberliga Süd

2nd Oberliga Süd

The 2nd Oberliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1950 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...

 in 1950, the Landesliga-Hessen was renamed Amateurliga Hessen. From 1978, it was called Amateur Oberliga Hessen and finally, in 1994 it was renamed Oberliga Hessen.

Since introduction of the Regionalliga Süd in 1994, the winner of the Oberliga Hessen is automatically promoted to this league, till 1994 the winners of the Oberligas had to play-off for the four promotion spots to 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...

 with the other Oberliga winners.

In 1994, with the introduction of the Regionalliga, six clubs from Hessen were qualified for the new league, based on their performance over the last three seasons, these clubs being:

• 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...
  
  
• SV Wehen Wiesbaden
• SG Egelsbach
  SG Egelsbach
  The SG Egelsbach is a German association football club from the city of Egelsbach, Hesse.-History:The club was formed after the Second World War in 1945 when four local sports associations merged, the FC Egelsbach 1903, TV 1874 Egelsbach, TG 1885 Egelsbach and the Arbeiter-Radfahrverein 1905...
  
  
• Rot-Weiss Frankfurt
• KSV Hessen Kassel
  KSV Hessen Kassel
  KSV Hessen Kassel is a German association football club based in Kassel, Hesse. The club was founded as FC Union 93 Kassel in 1893 and just two years later joined FC Hassia 93 Cassel to form Casseler FV 95...
  
  
• 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...
  
  

Originally, FSV Frankfurt

FSV Frankfurt

FSV Frankfurt is a German association football club based in the Bornheim district of Frankfurt am Main, Hesse and founded in 1899. The club plays in the shadow of larger and much more successful Eintracht Frankfurt, which has recently returned to 2nd tier football...

, champions of 1994, would have also been qualified but gained promotion to the 2. Bundesliga instead.

The Oberliga Hessen still remained below the Regionalliga Süd after the reduction of the number of Regionalligas from four to two in 2000 but this reduction meant that the Oberliga champions in that year were not promoted.

With the changes in the league system in 2008, four clubs from the Hessenliga were promoted to Regionalliga Süd after the 2007–08 season, nominally the top four teams, however, there was also financial requirements to receive a Regionalliga license. The four clubs were:

• 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...
  
  
• SV Wehen II
• Viktoria Aschaffenburg
  Viktoria Aschaffenburg
  SV Viktoria 01 Aschaffenburg is a German football club based in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria.Even though Aschaffenburg is located in Bavaria, Viktoria Aschaffenburg historically played its football in the Hessenliga and the associated Hessian leagues, rather than the Fussball-Bayernliga , against clubs...
  
  
• Eintracht Frankfurt II

The Hessenliga is fed by the three Verbandsligen. The winners of those are directly promoted to the Hessenliga, the three runners-up play-off with the 15th club from the Hessenliga for one more promotion spot.

• Feeder leagues to the Hessenliga:
  • Verbandsliga Hessen-Nord
    Verbandsliga Hessen-Nord
    The Verbandsliga Hessen-Nord, until 2008 named Landesliga Hessen-Nord, is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3...
    
    
  • Verbandsliga Hessen-Mitte
    Verbandsliga Hessen-Mitte
    The Verbandsliga Hessen-Mitte, until 2008 named Landesliga Hessen-Mitte, is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3...
    
    
  • Verbandsliga Hessen-Süd
    Verbandsliga Hessen-Süd
    The Verbandsliga Hessen-Süd, until 2008 named Landesliga Hessen-Süd, is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3...
    
    

The Hessenliga also, at times, accommodated teams from Bavaria

Bavaria

Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...

, Viktoria Aschaffenburg

Viktoria Aschaffenburg

SV Viktoria 01 Aschaffenburg is a German football club based in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria.Even though Aschaffenburg is located in Bavaria, Viktoria Aschaffenburg historically played its football in the Hessenliga and the associated Hessian leagues, rather than the Fussball-Bayernliga , against clubs...

 and FC Bayern Alzenau

FC Bayern Alzenau

FC Bayern Alzenau is a German football club based in Alzenau, Bavaria.-History:The club was initially formed as Alzenauer Fußball Club and joined gymnastics club Turn- und Sport Alzenau as that club's football department on 16 September 1922 before again becoming independent in 1923 as FC Bayern...

. In the 2011-12 season, Viktoria will play in the league while Alzenau plays one level above in the Regionalliga.

From 2012 onwards, the league will become a feeder league to the new Regionalliga Süd/Südwest

Regionalliga Süd/Südwest

The Regionalliga Süd/Südwest will be the fourth tier of the German football league system from 2012 in the states of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland...

, together with the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg

Oberliga Baden-Württemberg

The Oberliga Baden-Württemberg is the highest Football League in the state of Baden-Württemberg and the Baden-Württemberg football league system. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German Football, the 5th tier of the German football league system...

 and the Oberliga Südwest

Oberliga Südwest

The Oberliga Südwest is the highest regional football league for the Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland state of Germany. It is the fifth tier of the German football league system. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German Football, the 5th tier of the German football league system...

. The previous league the Hessenliga was set below at, the Regionalliga Süd, will be disbanded after the 2011-12 season.

Champions of the Hessenliga

>

Season Club 1945–46 SV Wiesbaden SV Wiesbaden SV Wiesbaden is a German football club based in Wiesbaden, Hesse. The team was disbanded in 1994 as the result of financial problems, but was rebuilt and currently plays in the Verbandsliga Hessen-Mitte . Their home games are played in the Helmut-Schön-Sportpark.- History :A football section was... Viktoria Aschaffenburg Viktoria Aschaffenburg SV Viktoria 01 Aschaffenburg is a German football club based in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria.Even though Aschaffenburg is located in Bavaria, Viktoria Aschaffenburg historically played its football in the Hessenliga and the associated Hessian leagues, rather than the Fussball-Bayernliga , against clubs... 1946–47 1. Rödelheimer FC 02 1. Rödelheimer FC 02 The 1. Rödelheimer FC is a German association football club from the Rödelheim district in the city of Frankfurt am Main, Hesse.-History:The 1. RFC was formed as football club on 12 April 1902 by twelve football enthusiasts in a local pub, the Zum Taunus... Rot-Weiss Frankfurt 1947–48 1. Rödelheimer FC 02 1948–49 KSV Hessen Kassel KSV Hessen Kassel KSV Hessen Kassel is a German association football club based in Kassel, Hesse. The club was founded as FC Union 93 Kassel in 1893 and just two years later joined FC Hassia 93 Cassel to form Casseler FV 95... 1949–50 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... 1950–51 Olympia Lampertheim 1951–52 Olympia Lampertheim 1952–53 FC Hanau 93 FC Hanau 93 FC Hanau 93 is a German association football club based in Hanau, Hesse.-Early history:Founded in 1893, the club is Hesse's oldest. In its first year, the club was winless in a half dozen matches, but the next season emerged as south German champion and earned an appearance in a national... 1953–54 Borussia Fulda Borussia Fulda Borussia Fulda is a German association football club from Fulda, Hesse. The club was founded 4 July 1904 as FC Borussia 1904 Fulda and underwent a number of changes in 1923 when they were first joined by Radsportclub 1907 Fulda in July, and then by Kraftsportklub Germania Fulda in September. On 6... 1954–55 SpVgg Bad Homburg 1955–56 SpVgg Neu-Isenburg SpVgg Neu-Isenburg SpVgg 03 Neu-Isenburg is a German association football club from the city of Neu-Isenburg, Hesse. The roots of the club are in the founding of Freispielclub Neu-Isenburg on 13 June 1903. Over the next three-and-a-half decades, the association went through mergers with a number of other local clubs... 1956–57 Borussia Fulda 1957–58 VfB Friedberg 1958–59 VfL Marburg VfL Marburg VfL Marburg is the oldest sports club of the Universitätsstadt Marburg, Germany, having been established in 1860 as a gymnastics club.- Sporting spectrum :... 1959–60 Borussia Fulda 1960–61 FC Hanau 93 1961–62 SV Darmstadt 98 1962–63 VfB Gießen VfB Gießen VfB Gießen is a German football club based in Gießen, Hesse, currently playing in the Verbandsliga Hessen-Mitte .- History :On 17 May 1956 SpVgg 1900 Gießen was merged with VfB 08 Gießen to become VfB 1900 Gießen. VfB Gießen has won the Hessenpokal on three occasions, but between 2001 and 2008... 1963–64 SV Darmstadt 98 1964–65 Opel Rüsselsheim 1965–66 Germania Wiesbaden Germania Wiesbaden SG Germania Wiesbaden is a German association football club from the city of Wiesbaden in Hesse.The clubs two most notable achievement came when it won the tier-one Kreisliga Hessen in 1920 and, almost 50 years later, reached as the Germany's second division for one season in 1966–67.- 1903–1945...

Season Club 1966–67 SV Wiesbaden 1967–68 Rot-Weiss Frankfurt 1968–69 FSV Frankfurt FSV Frankfurt FSV Frankfurt is a German association football club based in the Bornheim district of Frankfurt am Main, Hesse and founded in 1899. The club plays in the shadow of larger and much more successful Eintracht Frankfurt, which has recently returned to 2nd tier football... 1969–70 Eintracht Frankfurt II Eintracht Frankfurt U23 Eintracht Frankfurt U23 is the reserve team of Eintracht Frankfurt.Formerly known as Eintracht Frankfurt Amateure the team plays as U23 to emphasize the character of the team as a link between youth academy and pro team... 1970–71 SV Darmstadt 98 1971–72 VfR Bürstadt VfR Bürstadt Kickers VfR Bürstadt is a German association football club playing out of Bürstadt, Hesse. The team was founded 1 February 1910 as SC 1910 Bürstadt and took on the name VfR on 23 August 1919... 1972–73 FSV Frankfurt 1973–74 Viktoria Aschaffenburg 1974–75 FSV Frankfurt 1975–76 KSV Baunatal KSV Baunatal KSV Baunatal is a German association football club based in Baunatal, Hesse. The team was founded on 13 April 1964 out of the union of KSV Altenritte and KSV Altenbauna.- History :... 1976–77 VfR Bürstadt 1977–78 FC Hanau 93 1978–79 VfR Bürstadt 1979–80 KSV Hessen Kassel 1980–81 Viktoria Griesheim 1981–82 FSV Frankfurt 1982–83 VfR Bürstadt 1983–84 VfR Bürstadt 1984–85 Viktoria Aschaffenburg 1985–86 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... 1986–87 Kickers Offenbach 1987–88 Viktoria Aschaffenburg

Season Club 1988–89 KSV Hessen Kassel 1989–90 Rot-Weiss Frankfurt 1990–91 KSV Hessen Kassel 1991–92 Viktoria Aschaffenburg 1992–93 Kickers Offenbach 1993–94 FSV Frankfurt 1994–95 SC Neukirchen SC Neukirchen The SC Neukirchen is a German association football club from the city of Neukirchen, Hesse.-History:The actual foundation date of the club is shrouded in mystery but the club decided in 1945 that 1899 seemed the most likely year... 1995–96 Borussia Fulda 1996–97 SV Wehen SV Wehen SV Wehen Wiesbaden is a German association football club based in Wiesbaden, Hesse.-History:Since the beginning of the 07–08 season the club plays its homegames in nearby Wiesbaden and no longer in Taunusstein... 1997–98 FSV Frankfurt 1998–99 SV Darmstadt 98 1999–00 KSV Klein-Karben KSV Klein-Karben KSV Klein-Karben is a German association football club from Karben, Hesse and is part of a larger sports club founded in 1890. The association also has departments for dance, gymnastics, model airplanes, skat, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, and youth.... 2000–01 Borussia Fulda 2001–02 Eintracht Frankfurt II 2002–03 1. FC Eschborn 1. FC Eschborn 1. FC Eschborn is a German association football club which plays in Eschborn, a suburb of Frankfurt, Hesse.-History:The association was founded 10 September 1930 and after World War II was re-established as SG Eschborn... 2003–04 SV Darmstadt 98 2004–05 1. FC Eschborn 2005–06 KSV Hessen Kassel 2006–07 FSV Frankfurt 2007–08 SV Darmstadt 98 2008–09 2008–09 Hessenliga The 2008–09 season of the Hessenliga was the first season of the league at tier five of the German football league system after the introduction of the 3. Liga.... SC Waldgirmes SC Waldgirmes SC Waldgirmes is a German association football club from Waldgirmes, Hesse. The 700 member club is best known for its football team, but also has departments for table tennis, women's gymnastics, alpine gymnastics, and cycling.... 2009–10 2009–10 Hessenliga The 2009–10 season of the Hessenliga was the second season of the league at tier five of the German football league system.FSV Frankfurt II, champions of the Hessenliga, were promoted to the 2010–11 Regionalliga Süd. KSV Klein-Karben, 1... FSV Frankfurt II FSV Frankfurt FSV Frankfurt is a German association football club based in the Bornheim district of Frankfurt am Main, Hesse and founded in 1899. The club plays in the shadow of larger and much more successful Eintracht Frankfurt, which has recently returned to 2nd tier football... 2010–11 2010–11 Hessenliga The 2010–11 season of the Hessenliga was the third season of the league at tier five of the German football league system.Although the teams from the German state of Hesse made up the bulk of the clubs in the Hessenliga, the Bavarian side FC Bayern Alzenau played the 2010–11 season in the division... FC Bayern Alzenau FC Bayern Alzenau FC Bayern Alzenau is a German football club based in Alzenau, Bavaria.-History:The club was initially formed as Alzenauer Fußball Club and joined gymnastics club Turn- und Sport Alzenau as that club's football department on 16 September 1922 before again becoming independent in 1923 as FC Bayern...

• The record number of league championships is held by FSV Frankfurt
  FSV Frankfurt
  FSV Frankfurt is a German association football club based in the Bornheim district of Frankfurt am Main, Hesse and founded in 1899. The club plays in the shadow of larger and much more successful Eintracht Frankfurt, which has recently returned to 2nd tier football...
  
  , with eight titles to their name (including one won by their reserve team, FSV Frankfurt II).

Sources

• Deutschlands Fußball in Zahlen, An annual publication with tables and results from the Bundesliga to Verbandsliga/Landesliga, publisher: DSFS
  Deutscher Sportclub für Fußballstatistiken
  The Deutscher Sportclub für Fußballstatistiken e.V., short DSFS is an association dedicated to collecting and publishing German football statistics, similar to the RSSSF, and is a member of the German Olympic Society.The club used to be best known for its annual publication, the Deutschlands...
  
  
• Kicker Almanach, The yearbook on German football from Bundesliga to Oberliga, since 1937, published by the Kicker Sports Magazine
  Kicker (sports magazine)
  kicker Sportmagazin is Germany's leading sports magazine and is focused primarily on football. The magazine was founded in 1920 by German football pioneer Walther Bensemann and is published twice a week, usually Monday and Thursday, in Nuremberg...
  
  
• Süddeutschlands Fussballgeschichte in Tabellenform 1897-1988 History of Southern German football in tables, publisher & author: Ludolf Hyll
• Die Deutsche Liga-Chronik 1945-2005 History of German football from 1945 to 2005 in tables, publisher: DSFS, published: 2006

External links

Das deutsche Fussball Archiv Historic German league tables Weltfussball.de Round-by-round results and tables of the Oberliga Hessen from 1994 onwards The Hesse football leagues on Fussball.de Hessian Football Association (HFV)