Landesliga
Encyclopedia
| Landesliga |
|---|
| Nation |
 Germany |
 |
| Levels on Pyramid |
| Level 6 and 7 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... |
| Number of leagues |
| 45 |
The Landesliga (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for "state league") is the 7th tier of football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
in most of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, one division below the Verbandsliga
Verbandsliga
The Verbandsliga is the 6th tier of football in Germany, played on a regional basis by Bundesland. In Saxony, Thuringia, Hamburg, Bremen and Bavaria the 6th tier is called Landesliga, which is the 7th tier in some of the other Bundesländer...
. In 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...
, Sachsen, Thüringen
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
and Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
the Landesligas are set right below the Oberliga and therefore are the 6th tier. The reason for this is that Bavaria, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Bremen are the only places in Germany where the Oberliga
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...
, 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...
and the Verband are geographically the same, while the other two states simply chose to call their leagues Landesligas when establishing them in 1990.
Typically, in each Bundesland
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...
, the Landesligen are split up into different Staffeln or "divisions".
In Bavaria, the Landesliga is split up into three divisions, South, Central and North. In Sachsen, Bremen and Thüringen the Landesliga is in a single division format. In Hamburg, it consists of two divisions.
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
and 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...
are the only two German states not to have Landesligen. The Rheinland region of Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
also operates without such a league.
Tier-VI Landesligas
Twelve of the 45 Landesligas in Germany are set at tier six of the German football league systemGerman 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...
, these being:
| League | Promotion to | Relegation to | Formed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landesliga Sachsen Landesliga Sachsen The Sachsenliga, formerly referred to as Landesliga Sachsen, is the sixth tier of the German football league system and the highest league in the German state of Saxony,... |
NOFV-Oberliga Süd NOFV-Oberliga Süd The NOFV-Oberliga Süd is the fifth tier of the German football league system in the southern states of former East Germany. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the fourth tier of the league system. It covers the German states of Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Saxony... |
Bezirksliga Chemnitz, Bezirksliga Leipzig, Bezirksliga Dresden | 1990 |
| Landesliga Thüringen Landesliga Thüringen The Thüringenliga is the sixth tier of the German football league system and the highest league in the German state of Thuringia . Until the introduction of the 3... |
NOFV-Oberliga Süd | Landesklasse Thüringen-Ost, Landesklasse-Thüringen-West | 1990 |
| Landesliga Bayern-Süd Landesliga Bayern-Süd The Landesliga Bayern-Süd is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.... |
Oberliga Bayern Oberliga Bayern The Fußball-Bayernliga, commonly referred to as the Bayernliga, is the highest football league in the state of Bavaria and the Bavarian Football League System. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German football, the fifth tier of the German football league system... |
Bezirksoberliga Schwaben Bezirksoberliga Schwaben The Bezirksoberliga Schwaben is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Swabia . Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the 6th tier of the league system.... , Bezirksoberliga Oberbayern Bezirksoberliga Oberbayern The Bezirksoberliga Oberbayern is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Upper Bavaria... |
1963 |
| Landesliga Bayern-Mitte Landesliga Bayern-Mitte The Landesliga Bayern-Mitte is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.... |
Oberliga Bayern | Bezirksoberliga Mittelfranken Bezirksoberliga Mittelfranken The Bezirksoberliga Mittelfranken is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Middle Franconia... , Bezirksoberliga Oberpfalz Bezirksoberliga Oberpfalz The Bezirksoberliga Oberpfalz is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Upper Palatinate... , Bezirksoberliga Niederbayern Bezirksoberliga Niederbayern The Bezirksoberliga Niederbayern is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Lower Bavaria... |
1963 |
| Landesliga Bayern-Nord Landesliga Bayern-Nord The Landesliga Bayern-Nord is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.... |
Oberliga Bayern | Bezirksoberliga Unterfranken Bezirksoberliga Unterfranken The Bezirksoberliga Unterfranken is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia... , Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken The Bezirksoberliga Oberfranken is currently the 7th tier of the German football league system in the Bavarian Regierungsbezirk of Upper Franconia... |
1963 |
| Landesliga Bremen Landesliga Bremen The Landesliga Bremen is the sixth tier of the German football league system and the second-highest league in the German state of Bremen, below the Oberliga Bremen.-Overview:... |
Oberliga Bremen | Bezirksliga Bremen, Bezirksliga Bremerhaven | |
| Landesliga Hamburg-Hammonia Landesliga Hamburg-Hammonia The Landesliga Hamburg-Hammonia is the sixth tier of the German football league system and the second-highest league in the German state of Hamburg, together with the Landesliga Hamburg-Hansa... |
Oberliga Hamburg Oberliga Hamburg The Oberliga Hamburg, sometimes referred to as Hamburg-Liga, is in the fifth tier of the German football league system and the highest league in the German state of Hamburg, incorporating some of its surrounding districts... |
Bezirksliga Nord, Bezirksliga Ost, Bezirksliga Süd, Bezirksliga West | |
| Landesliga Hamburg-Hansa Landesliga Hamburg-Hansa The Landesliga Hamburg-Hansa is the sixth tier of the German football league system and the second-highest league in the German state of Hamburg, together with the Landesliga Hamburg-Hammonia... |
Oberliga Hamburg | Bezirksliga Nord, Bezirksliga Ost, Bezirksliga Süd, Bezirksliga West | |
| Landesliga Braunschweig | Niedersachsenliga | Bezirksliga Braunschweig 1, Bezirksliga Braunschweig 2, Bezirksliga Braunschweig 3, Bezirksliga Braunschweig 4 | 2006 |
| Landesliga Hannover | Niedersachsenliga | Bezirksliga Hannover 1, Bezirksliga Hannover 2, Bezirksliga Hannover 3, Bezirksliga Hannover 4 | 2006 |
| Landesliga Lüneburg | Niedersachsenliga | Bezirksliga Lüneburg 1, Bezirksliga Lüneburg 2, Bezirksliga Lüneburg 3, Bezirksliga Lüneburg 4 | 2006 |
| Landesliga Weser-Ems | Niedersachsenliga | Bezirksliga Weser-Ems 1, Bezirksliga Weser-Ems 2, Bezirksliga Weser-Ems 3, Bezirksliga Weser-Ems 4, Bezirksliga Weser-Ems 5 | 2006 |
Source:
- The Landesligen of Thuringia and Saxony are unique in their naming as every other league in Germany of this standing carries the name VerbandsligaVerbandsligaThe Verbandsliga is the 6th tier of football in Germany, played on a regional basis by Bundesland. In Saxony, Thuringia, Hamburg, Bremen and Bavaria the 6th tier is called Landesliga, which is the 7th tier in some of the other Bundesländer...
. This was done so simply by choice of the local football associations in Saxony and Thuringia and the name could be changed to Verbandsliga if they wish to do so. Bavaria does not have this option however, since its Landesligas are not the highest leagues in the Verband. This position is held by the OberligasOberliga (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 this state.
Tier VII-Landesligas
Apart from the above mentioned states, Landesligen also exist in the states of Baden-WürttembergBaden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
, Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
(in the south-west part only), North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
as tier six leagues, below the Verbandsligas.
In Baden-Württemberg:
- Landesliga Württemberg 1
- Landesliga Württemberg 2
- Landesliga Württemberg 3
- Landesliga Württemberg 4
- Landesliga Südbaden 1
- Landesliga Südbaden 2
- Landesliga Südbaden 3
- Landesliga Mittelbaden
- Landesliga Odenwald
- Landesliga Rhein/Neckar
In Saarland:
- Landesliga Saarland-Nordost
- Landesliga Saarland-Südwest
In Rhineland-Palatinate:
- Landesliga Südwest-Ost
- Landesliga Südwest-West
In North Rhine-Westphalia:
- Landesliga Niederrhein 1
- Landesliga Niederrhein 2
- Landesliga Niederrhein 3
- Landesliga Mittelrhein 1
- Landesliga Mittelrhein 2
- Landesliga Westfalen 1 Ost
- Landesliga Westfalen 2 Süd
- Landesliga Westfalen 3 West
- Landesliga Westfalen 4 Nord
- Landesliga Westfalen 5 Mitte
In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern:
- Landesliga Mecklenburg-Vorpommern-Ost
- Landesliga Mecklenburg-Vorpommern-West
In Brandenburg:
- Landesliga Brandenburg-Nord
- Landesliga Brandenburg-Süd
In Saxony-Anhalt:
- Landesliga Sachsen-Anhalt-Nord
- Landesliga Sachsen-Anhalt-Mitte
- Landesliga Sachsen-Anhalt-Süd
In Berlin:
- Landesliga Berlin 1
- Landesliga Berlin 2