3. Liga

The 3. Liga[lower-alpha 1] is a professional association football league and the third division in Germany. In the German football league system, it is positioned between the 2. Bundesliga and the fourth-tier Regionalliga.

3. Liga
Founded2008 (2008)
CountryGermany
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams20
Level on pyramid3
Promotion to2. Bundesliga
Relegation to
Domestic cup(s)DFB-Pokal
Current championsBayern Munich II (1st title)
(2019–20)
Most championshipsVfL Osnabrück (2 titles)
2020–21 3. Liga

The modern 3. Liga was formed for the 2008–09 season, replacing the Regionalliga, which had previously served as the third-tier in the country.[1] In Germany, the 3. Liga is also the highest division that a club's reserve team can play in.

History

On 8 September 2006, the German Football Association, the DFB, announced the formation of the 3. Liga. It was originally anticipated that the league's name would be 3. Bundesliga, but the DFB chose 3. Liga instead, as the league will be directly administered by the DFB, not by the German Football League DFL (Deutsche Fußball Liga) who runs both Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga.[2]

The first match of the 3. Liga was played on 25 July 2008 between 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.

Financial situation

From its foundation in 2008 to 2013, the league operated at a financial loss, with a record deficit of €20.9 million in 2012–13. The 2013–14 season saw the league make a profit for the first time, of €4.9 million. The league earned €164.5 million, well behind the two Bundesligas above it, but also well ahead of other professional sports leagues in Germany. The Deutsche Eishockey Liga followed with €106.1 million and the Basketball Bundesliga and Handball-Bundesliga were each around the €90 million mark.[3] This makes it the third-most economically successful professional league in all German sports.[4]

Clubs

Members of the 2020–21 3. Liga.

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Dynamo Dresden Dresden Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion 32,066
MSV Duisburg Duisburg Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena 31,500
Hallescher FC Halle Erdgas Sportpark 15,057
FC Ingolstadt Ingolstadt Audi Sportpark 15,000
1. FC Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern Fritz-Walter-Stadion 49,780
Viktoria Köln Cologne Sportpark Höhenberg 10,001
VfB Lübeck Lübeck Stadion Lohmühle 17,849
1. FC Magdeburg Magdeburg MDCC-Arena 27,500
Waldhof Mannheim Mannheim Carl-Benz-Stadion 25,667
SV Meppen Meppen Hänsch-Arena 16,500
1860 Munich Munich Grünwalder Stadion 15,000
Bayern Munich II Munich Grünwalder Stadion 15,000
Türkgücü München Munich Olympiastadion
Grünwalder Stadion
69,250
15,000
Hansa Rostock Rostock Ostseestadion 29,000
1. FC Saarbrücken Saarbrücken Ludwigsparkstadion 16,003
KFC Uerdingen Düsseldorf Merkur Spiel-Arena 54,600
SpVgg Unterhaching Unterhaching Sportpark Unterhaching 15,053
SC Verl Paderborn Benteler-Arena 15,000
Wehen Wiesbaden Wiesbaden BRITA-Arena 12,250
FSV Zwickau Zwickau GGZ-Arena Zwickau 10,049

Structure

The teams which are not reserve teams of Bundesliga teams among the 20 teams in the league compete for promotion to the 2. Bundesliga, while the four bottom teams are relegated to one of the five Regionalligen: Regionalliga Nord, Regionalliga Nordost, Regionalliga West, Regionalliga Südwest, and Regionalliga Bayern. Until 2018, three were relegated. If, however, a reserve team is playing in the 3. Liga and the respective first team is relegated to the 3. Liga, the reserve team will be demoted to the fifth-level Oberliga regardless of its league position, because reserve teams of 3. Liga clubs are ineligible to play in the Regionalliga.

Qualifying for the 3. Liga

At the end of the 2007–08 season, the two best non-reserve teams from each of the two divisions of the Regionalliga were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga. The teams ranked third to tenth 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, Erzgebirge Aue, SC Paderborn and FC Carl Zeiss Jena.

On 31 May 2008, at the end of the 2007–08 Regionalliga seasons, clubs placing third through tenth in the Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga Süd also qualified for the new 3. Liga.

From the Regionalliga Nord:

From the Regionalliga Süd:

Promotion and relegation

The winner and runner-up in a given season are automatically promoted to the 2. Bundesliga. The third place team enters a home/away playoff against the 16th placed team of the 2. Bundesliga for the right to enter/stay in the 2. Bundesliga. Teams placing in the bottom four (three prior to 2019) are automatically sent to the Regionalliga.

Season Champions Runners-up Third place Standings
2008–09 Union Berlin Fortuna Düsseldorf SC Paderborn Table
2009–10 VfL Osnabrück Erzgebirge Aue FC Ingolstadt Table
2010–11 Eintracht Braunschweig Hansa Rostock Dynamo Dresden Table
2011–12 SV Sandhausen VfR Aalen Jahn Regensburg Table
2012–13 Karlsruher SC Arminia Bielefeld VfL Osnabrück Table
2013–14 1. FC Heidenheim RB Leipzig Darmstadt 98 Table
2014–15 Arminia Bielefeld MSV Duisburg Holstein Kiel Table
2015–16 Dynamo Dresden Erzgebirge Aue Würzburger Kickers Table
2016–17 MSV Duisburg Holstein Kiel Jahn Regensburg Table
2017–18 1. FC Magdeburg SC Paderborn Karlsruher SC Table
2018–19 VfL Osnabrück Karlsruher SC Wehen Wiesbaden Table
2019–20 Bayern Munich II Würzburger Kickers Eintracht Braunschweig Table
  • Bold denotes team earned promotion.

League statistics

Up to and including the 2018–19 season the top goal scorers, attendance statistics and records for the league are:

Attendance

Season League total
attendance
League average
attendance
Best supported club Average
attendance
2008–09[5] 2,134,425 5,617 Fortuna Düsseldorf 14,875
2009–10[6] 1,949,392 5,130 Dynamo Dresden 14,440
2010–11[7] 2,122,025 5,584 Eintracht Braunschweig 17,425
2011–12[8] 1,736,392 4,569 Arminia Bielefeld 8,935
2012–13[9] 2,341,685 6,162 Karlsruher SC 11,974
2013–14[10] 2,306,918 6,071 RB Leipzig 16,734
2014–15[11] 2,563,078 6,745 Dynamo Dresden 22,748
2015–16[12] 2,665,994 7,068 Dynamo Dresden 27,554
2016–17[13] 2,265,088 5,976 1. FC Magdeburg 17,101
2017–18[14] 2,348,630 6,181 1. FC Magdeburg 18,231
2018–19[15] 3,089,354 8,130 1. FC Kaiserslautern 21,156
2019–20[16][17] 2,350,190 6,185 Eintracht Braunschweig 13,600

Top scorers

Season Player Goals Club
2008–09 [18] Anton Fink 21 SpVgg Unterhaching
2009–10[19] Régis Dorn 22 SV Sandhausen
2010–11[20] Domi Kumbela
Patrick Mayer
19 Eintracht Braunschweig
1. FC Heidenheim
2011–12[21] Marcel Reichwein 17 Rot-Weiß Erfurt
2012–13[22] Anton Fink
Fabian Klos
20 Chemnitzer FC
Arminia Bielefeld
2013–14[23] Dominik Stroh-Engel 27 Darmstadt 98
2014–15[24] Fabian Klos 23 Arminia Bielefeld
2015–16[25] Justin Eilers 23 Dynamo Dresden
2016–17[26] Christian Beck 17 1. FC Magdeburg
2017–18[27] Manuel Schäffler 22 Wehen Wiesbaden
2018–19[28] Marvin Pourié 22 Karlsruher SC
2019–20[29] Kwasi Okyere Wriedt 24 Bayern Munich II

Records

As of 29 May 2019

Highest win7–0FC Carl Zeiss Jena 07 1. FC Saarbrücken (11 August 2010)[30]
Most goals in a game10Eintracht Braunschweig 55 Fortuna Düsseldorf (10 May 2009)[31]
Most league appearances332Tim Danneberg (Eintracht Braunschweig, Chemnitzer FC, VfL Osnabrück, Holstein Kiel, SV Sandhausen)[32]
Most goals scored136Anton Fink (Karlsruher SC, SpVgg Unterhaching, Chemnitzer FC, VfR Aalen)[33]

Placings in the 3. Liga

Map showing the champions of 3. Liga

The following clubs have played in the league and achieved the following final positions:[34]

Club 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Union Berlin 1 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B B B
Fortuna Düsseldorf 2 2B 2B 2B B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B B B 2B
SV Sandhausen 8 14 12 1 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B
1. FC Heidenheim 6 9 4 5 1 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B
RB Leipzig 2 2B 2B B B B B B
Darmstadt 981 14 18 3 2B B B 2B 2B 2B 2B
Arminia Bielefeld B 2B 2B 13 2 2B 1 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B B
Dynamo Dresden 9 12 3 2B 2B 2B 6 1 2B 2B 2B 2B x
Erzgebirge Aue 12 2 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B
Holstein Kiel 19 16 3 14 2 2B 2B 2B 2B
Jahn Regensburg 15 16 8 3 2B 11 20 3 2B 2B 2B 2B
SC Paderborn 3 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B B 2B 18 2 2B B 2B
VfL Osnabrück 2B 1 2B 7 3 5 11 5 6 17 1 2B 2B
Karlsruher SC B 2B 2B 2B 1 2B 2B 2B 2B 3 2 2B 2B
Wehen Wiesbaden 2B 15 4 16 7 4 9 16 7 4 3 2B x
FC Ingolstadt 2B 3 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B B B 2B 2B 4 x
1. FC Magdeburg 4 4 1 2B 14 x
MSV Duisburg 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 7 2 2B 1 2B 2B 5 x
Hallescher FC 10 9 10 13 13 13 4 15 x
Würzburger Kickers 3 2B 5 5 2 2B
Hansa Rostock 2B 2B 2 2B 12 13 17 10 15 6 6 6 x
FSV Zwickau 5 15 7 16 x
Preußen Münster 12 4 6 8 9 9 10 8 18
1. FC Kaiserslautern 2B 2B B B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 9 10 x
SpVgg Unterhaching 4 11 14 15 9 17 19 9 10 11 x
KFC Uerdingen 11 13 x
TSV 1860 Munich 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 12 8 x
SV Meppen 7 13 7 x
FC Carl Zeiss Jena 16 5 15 18 11 14 20
Sonnenhof Großaspach 15 7 10 14 15 19
Eintracht Braunschweig 13 4 1 2B 2B B 2B 2B 2B 2B 16 3 2B
Chemnitzer FC 9 6 12 5 6 8 19 17 x
Bayern Munich II 5 8 19 1 x
FC Viktoria Köln 12 x
SV Waldhof Mannheim 9 x
Energie Cottbus B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 7 19 17
Sportfreunde Lotte 12 16 18
Fortuna Köln 14 11 16 8 19
VfR Aalen 19 16 2 2B 2B 2B 15 11 12 20
Werder Bremen II 17 13 18 20 17 17 18
Rot-Weiß Erfurt 10 9 5 5 13 10 12 8 14 20
Mainz 05 II 16 12 19
FSV Frankfurt 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 2B 20
Stuttgarter Kickers 20 17 8 4 18
VfB Stuttgart II 11 10 10 11 14 15 13 20
Borussia Dortmund II 18 16 14 18
SV Elversberg 18
Wacker Burghausen 18 17 17 6 8 19
1. FC Saarbrücken 6 10 11 20 x
VfB Lübeck x
SC Verl x
Türkgücü München x
Kickers Offenbach1 7 7 7 8 15
SV Babelsberg 03 13 17 19
Alemannia Aachen 2B 2B 2B 2B 20
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen 2B 2B 2B 19
TuS Koblenz3 2B 2B 11
Rot Weiss Ahlen4 2B 2B 20
Wuppertaler SV 14 20
Kickers Emden5 6

Notes

Symbol Key
B Bundesliga
2B 2. Bundesliga
1 League champions
# League place
Blank not in 3. Liga, Bundesliga or 2. Bundesliga
  • 1 Kickers Offenbach were refused a 3. Liga licence at the end of the 2012–13 season and relegated to the Regionalliga. SV Darmstadt 98, placed 18th originally, were instead placed in 17th position and were not relegated.[35]
  • 2 TSV 1860 Munich were unable to obtain a 3. Liga licence at the end of the 2016–17 season and relegated to the Regionalliga. SC Paderborn 07, placed 18th originally and who submitted a 3. Liga licence application, remained in the league for the 2017–18 season.[36][37]
  • 3 TuS Koblenz withdrew from the league after the 2011–12 season; Bremen II, placed 18th originally, were instead placed in 17th position and were not relegated.
  • 4 RW Ahlen did not receive a licence for the 2011–12 season, originally finishing 17th after 2010–11. The club was placed in 20th position and relegated. Burghausen, placed 18th originally, were instead placed in 17th position and were not relegated. Ahlen did not request a licence in the Regionalliga and started the new season in the Oberliga.
  • 5 Kickers Emden withdrew from the league after the 2008–09 season; Burghausen, placed 18th originally, were instead placed in 17th position and were not relegated. Emden became insolvent in 2012.

Promotion rounds

To the 2. Bundesliga

At the end of the regular season the third placed team in the 3. Liga play the 16th placed team in the 2. Bundesliga over two matches. The overall winner plays in the 2. Bundesliga in the following season, and the loser in the 3. Liga.

2008–09[38]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
SC Paderborn (3L) 2–0 VfL Osnabrück (2B) 1–0 1–0
2009–10[39]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
FC Ingolstadt (3L) 3–0 Hansa Rostock (2B) 1–0 2–0
2010–11[40]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Dynamo Dresden (3L) 4–2 VfL Osnabrück (2B) 1–1 3–1 (a.e.t.)
2011–12[41]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Jahn Regensburg (3L) 3–3 (a) Karlsruher SC (2B) 1–1 2–2
2012–13[42]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
VfL Osnabrück (3L) 1–2 Dynamo Dresden (2B) 1–0 0–2
2013–14[43]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Darmstadt 98 (3L) 5–5 (a) Arminia Bielefeld (2B) 1–3 4–2 (a.e.t.)
2014–15[44]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Holstein Kiel (3L) 1–2 1860 Munich (2B) 0–0 1–2
2015–16[45]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Würzburger Kickers (3L) 4–1 MSV Duisburg (2B) 2–0 2–1
2016–17[46]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Jahn Regensburg (3L) 3–1 1860 Munich (2B) 1–1 2–0
2017–18[47]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Karlsruher SC (3L) 1–3 Erzgebirge Aue (2B) 0–0 1–3
2018–19[48]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Wehen Wiesbaden (3L) 4–4 (a) FC Ingolstadt (2B) 1–2 3–2
2019–20[49]
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
1. FC Nürnberg (2B) 3–3 (a) FC Ingolstadt (3L) 2–0 1–3

To the 3. Liga

From the 2012–13 to 2017–18 seasons, the champions of the five Regionalligas and the runners-up of the Regionalliga Südwest entered an end-of-the season play-off to determine the three teams promoted to the 3. Liga. From the 2018–19 season, three out of those five champions take direct promotion, leaving the remaining two to contest the play-off for the fourth promotion.

Key

  • Winner in bold.
Symbol Key
(2B) 2. Bundesliga — 16th placed team
(3L) 3. Liga — 3rd placed team
(B) Regionalliga Bayern
(N) Regionalliga Nord
(NO) Regionalliga Nordost
(S1) Regionalliga Südwest — Champions
(S2) Regionalliga Südwest — Runners-up
(W) Regionalliga West

Notes

  1. It is fully written as Dritte Liga and is more explicitly called 3. Fußball-Liga.

References

  1. "3. Liga: Germany's Newest Professional League". pitchinvasion.net. 20 July 2008. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  2. "3. Liga Qualifikation Modus" (PDF) (in German). Deutscher Fußball Bund. Archived from the original (pdf) on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  3. "3. Liga erstmals in der Gewinnzone" [Third League in the Winning Zone for the First Time]. weltfussball.de (in German). 1 December 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  4. "Helmut Sandrock: "Die 3. Liga ist europaweit führend"" [Helmut Sandrock: "The 3rd Liga is the European leader"] (in German). German Football Association. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  5. "3. Liga 2008/2009 .:. Zuschauer .:. Heimspiele" (in German). Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
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  17. The last eleven matchdays were played behind closed doors, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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  32. "3. Liga .:. Rekordspieler" (in German). Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  33. "3. Liga .:. Ewige Torjäger" (in German). Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  34. "3. Liga - Spieltag / Tabele". kicker.de (in German). Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  35. "Ruhl: "Ein bitterer Tag für den OFC"". kicker.de (in German). 3 June 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  36. "TSV 1860 München erhält keine Zulassung für die 3. Liga" [TSV 1860 Munich does not receive approval for the 3. Liga]. DFB.de (in German). German Football Association. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  37. "Teilnehmerfeld der 3. Liga für Saison 2017/2018 komplett". DFB.de (in German). German Football Association. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
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