Regionalliga

The Regionalliga is Germany’s fourth-division men's football league. Founded in 1963, this competition began as the nation’s second division and was most recently the third tier until the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008. The Regionalliga currently holds non-professional status and is thus run by regional football administrations, not the German Football Association (DFB).

The Regionalliga consists of five regional divisions: Regionalliga Nord, Regionalliga Nordost, Regionalliga West, Regionalliga Südwest, and Regionalliga Bayern. Each division follows a double round-robin format, where teams play each other twice per season, culminating in each division crowning a champion.

The German fourth division allows for both promotion to the third-tier 3. Liga and relegation to the fifth division (Oberliga). However, not all regional champions earn automatic promotion; there are five divisions but only four promotion slots available. Four teams are promoted each season: two spots go to the winners of Regionalliga West and Südwest, while one champion from the remaining divisions gets automatic promotion, alternating each season. The other two winners compete in a two-legged playoff to determine the final promotion spot.

Conversely, the bottom two or more teams in each division face relegation, depending on the number of teams promoted from the Oberliga and relegated from the 3. Liga. Additionally, reserve teams are automatically demoted to the Oberliga if their first team is relegated to the 3. Liga, regardless of their position.

Several well-known German clubs have successful reserve teams in the Regionalliga, including VfL Wolfsburg II, Bayern Munich II, Borussia Dortmund II, and VfB Stuttgart II. When the Regionalliga was relegated to the fourth division, three divisions existed, with Holstein Kiel, Borussia Dortmund II, and 1. FC Heidenheim winning those divisions.