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| Regionalliga Süd | |
|---|---|
| Name | Regionalliga Süd |
| Country | Germany |
| Founded | 1963 (reformed 1994, 2008) |
| Level | 3 (1994–2008), 4 (2008–present) |
| Teams | variable |
| Promotion | 2. Bundesliga (1994–2008), 3. Liga (2008–present) |
| Relegation | Oberliga Bayern, Oberliga Hessen, Oberliga Baden-Württemberg |
Regionalliga Süd Regionalliga Süd was a German football league covering Bavaria, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg that operated as a third-tier competition between 1994 and 2008 before a national reorganisation created the 3. Liga and restructured the Regionalliga system; it succeeded regional competitions involving clubs such as FC Bayern Munich II, VfB Stuttgart II, Eintracht Frankfurt II, Karlsruher SC II, and 1860 Munich II while interacting with the 2. Bundesliga, Oberliga Bayern, Oberliga Hessen, and Oberliga Baden-Württemberg. The league featured institutions with histories linked to tournaments like the DFB-Pokal, the Bundesliga, and the European Cup and included clubs that produced players who represented Germany national football team, Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart, and Eintracht Frankfurt at continental competitions.
The Regionalliga Süd emerged from a lineage of German competitions that included the post-war Oberliga Süd, the 2. Oberliga Süd, and later the reorganised Regionalliga system instituted in 1994, which followed reforms that affected clubs such as 1. FC Nürnberg, SpVgg Greuther Fürth, SSV Ulm 1846, SV Waldhof Mannheim, Alemannia Aachen, and Stuttgarter Kickers. In 1994 the German Football Association and regional associations including the Bayerischer Fußball-Verband, Hessischer Fußball-Verband, and Badischer Fußballverband agreed the Regionalliga Süd would sit below the 2. Bundesliga and above the Oberliga tiers, altering promotion routes involving MSV Duisburg, FC Hansa Rostock, Karlsruher SC, Eintracht Braunschweig, and 1. FC Kaiserslautern II. The 2008 creation of the national 3. Liga prompted a reshuffle that reduced the Regionalliga to fourth-tier status and led to a split affecting clubs such as FC Augsburg, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, SV Darmstadt 98, VfR Aalen, and SSV Jahn Regensburg.
The Regionalliga Süd typically employed a double round-robin format where each club played home and away fixtures, mirroring scheduling used by the Bundesliga, the 2. Bundesliga, and the 3. Liga, with seasonal calendars coordinated around competitions like the DFB-Pokal and international breaks defined by FIFA windows. Promotion and play-off structures evolved, involving direct promotion or playoff matches against champions from Regionalliga Nord, Regionalliga West, Regionalliga Nordost, and, after 2000 reforms, against teams from Regionalliga Südwest and Regionalliga Bayern. Licensing and financial oversight were enforced by the Deutscher Fußball-Bund and regional associations, with criteria influenced by rulings and precedents involving clubs such as Hertha BSC II, Bayer 04 Leverkusen II, Borussia Dortmund II, Hamburger SV II, and FC Schalke 04 II.
Teams in Regionalliga Süd represented urban centres and footballing regions including Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt am Main, Karlsruhe, Augsburg, Regensburg, Nuremberg, Heidenheim, Ingolstadt, Würzburg, Offenbach am Main, Mannheim, and Darmstadt. Notable member clubs comprised senior sides and reserve teams like FC Bayern Munich II, TSV 1860 Munich II, VfB Stuttgart II, Eintracht Frankfurt II, Karlsruher SC, SSV Ulm 1846, SV Waldhof Mannheim, FC Augsburg, SpVgg Unterhaching, Jahn Regensburg, FC Ingolstadt 04, 1. FC Heidenheim 1846, Würzburger Kickers, Kickers Offenbach, SV Darmstadt 98, VfR Aalen, and SV Sandhausen. Home stadia ranged from historic venues like the Stadion an der Grünwalder Straße and the Scharrena Stuttgart to municipal grounds such as the Carl-Benz-Stadion, Wildparkstadion, Augsburg Arena, Merkur Spiel-Arena and Dollinger Stadion.
Promotion from Regionalliga Süd changed over time, initially granting access to the 2. Bundesliga either directly or via promotion playoffs against champions of Regionalliga West and Regionalliga Nord, while after 2008 the primary pathway led to the 3. Liga with play-offs involving champions of Regionalliga Nord, Regionalliga West, Regionalliga Nordost, and regional champions from Regionalliga Bayern and Regionalliga Südwest. Relegation targeted the top divisions of the regional associations: the Oberliga Bayern, the Oberliga Hessen, and the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg, involving clubs such as FC Memmingen, VfB Eichstätt, SV Elversberg, Borussia Fulda, TSV Großbardorf, SpVgg Bayreuth, and FC 08 Homburg. Administrative relegations and licensing denials affected teams like SSV Ulm 1846 and Kickers Offenbach in high-profile cases adjudicated by the DFB and regional federations.
Seasonal tables recorded champions, runners-up and top scorers across campaigns involving clubs such as SpVgg Unterhaching, SV Waldhof Mannheim, Karlsruher SC II, 1. FC Kaiserslautern II, Eintracht Frankfurt II, FC Augsburg, Stuttgarter Kickers, VfR Aalen, SV Darmstadt 98, SSV Jahn Regensburg, and FC Ingolstadt 04. Individual seasons featured promotion playoffs, cup runs into the DFB-Pokal by Regionalliga Süd clubs facing Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, FC Schalke 04, Hamburger SV, and Werder Bremen, and statistical leaders including forwards who later joined Germany national football team or moved to Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, and Ligue 1 clubs. Archival records are maintained by regional associations including the Bayerischer Fußball-Verband and historians tracking results against opponents like SV Sandhausen, Kickers Offenbach, Waldhof Mannheim, Jahn Regensburg, and FC Augsburg.
Regionalliga Süd served as a development ground for players and coaches who later achieved prominence: alumni included players who progressed to Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Müller, Mario Götze, Kevin Kurányi, Timo Werner, Andreas Beck, and Sebastian Rudy-level careers, as well as managers who later operated at Bundesliga and international level such as Jürgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, Ralf Rangnick, Felix Magath, Huub Stevens, Thomas Schaaf, Klaus Toppmöller, Armin Veh, and Dieter Hecking. Reserve teams and academies affiliated with Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, and Borussia Dortmund contributed coaching talent and youth prospects who later featured at UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League clubs.
Statistical highlights include highest points totals, biggest margin title wins, longest unbeaten runs, and leading goalscorers across seasons featuring clubs like SpVgg Unterhaching, Karlsruher SC, VfB Stuttgart II, FC Augsburg, SSV Jahn Regensburg, SV Waldhof Mannheim, VfR Aalen, and Kickers Offenbach; records also note attendances at fixtures involving rivalry matches such as Derby of Bavaria contests, fixtures with FC Bayern Munich II and 1860 Munich II, and cup ties against Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt. Individual match records, managerial win percentages, and promotion success rates were tracked by the Deutscher Fußball-Bund and published by regional federations and sports statisticians documenting interactions with national competitions like the DFB-Pokal, continental competitions, and the professional tiers of German football.