Country Germany Number of teams 18 Date founded 1994 | ||
Confederation Northeastern German Football Association Teams | ||
The Regionalliga Nordost is the fourth tier of the German football league system in the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia. These comprise the states of former East Germany as well as West-Berlin. As such, its territorial cover is almost identical to the old DDR-Oberliga.
Contents
- Overview
- Disbanding of the Regionalliga Nordost
- Reestablishing the Regionalliga Nordost
- Winners and runners up of the Regionalliga Nordost
- League statistics
- Placings in the Regionalliga Nordost
- References
It is one of five leagues at the fourth tier, together with the Regionalliga Bayern, Regionalliga Südwest, Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga West. From 1994 to 2000 it was part of the third tier, until the first of many re-structurings of the league system. The last of these occurred in 2012, which saw the Regionalliga Nordost reinstated.
Overview
The Regionalliga Nordost was formed in 1994 to form a regional third level of play between the 2. Bundesliga and the NOFV-Oberligas Nord, Mitte and Süd. The league was made up of 18 clubs, with two coming from the 2nd Bundesliga and six each from Mitte and Nord while the south only sent four. It was formed alongside three other Regionalligas, the Regionalliga Nord, West/Südwest and Süd. With the introduction of the Regionalliga also went the disbanding of the central division of the NOFV-Oberligas. Its clubs were spread between the remaining two.
The founding members of the Regionalliga Nordost were:
From the 2. Bundesliga:
From the NOFV-Oberliga Nord:
From the NOFV-Oberliga Mitte:
From the NOFV-Oberliga Süd:
The league always contained 18 teams throughout its original six years.
The league winner was not always promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga. The champions of the Regionalligas Nord and Nordost had to play-off for a spot in the 2nd Bundesliga from 1996 to 2000. The winner of this contest was promoted, the loser faced the runners-ups of the Regionalligas Süd and West/Südwest for another spot in the second division.
In 1997, Energie Cottbus became the first club from the Regionalliga to reach a German Cup final, losing 2-0 to VfB Stuttgart.
The league was disbanded after six seasons. In 2000, the number of Regionalligas was reduced from four to two. Most clubs from the league went to the Regionalliga Nord, some clubs from the south went to the Regionalliga Süd.
With the changes in the German league system in 2008, the number of Regionalligas was extended to three, with the formation of the Regionalliga West, a league which essentially is a reformation of the Regionalliga West/Südwest. The Regionalliga Nordost was not recreated, however. Instead, its clubs remained in the Regionalliga Nord. Teams from its region playing in the Regionalliga Süd moved to the northern group as well, unless they qualified for the 2nd or 3rd Bundesliga.
Disbanding of the Regionalliga Nordost
When the league was discontinued in 2000, the top seven clubs in the league went to the two remaining Regionalligas, five to the north and two to the south, these being the two clubs from the state of Thüringen. The other eleven league teams were relegated to the NOFV-Oberligas.
To the Regionalliga Nord:
To the Regionalliga Süd:
Reestablishing the Regionalliga Nordost
In October 2010, another reform of the Regionalligas was agreed. The number of leagues was again expanded to five. The defunct Regionalliga Nordost was reestablished and a Regionalliga Bayern was established. Also, the Regionalliga West lost the clubs from the south west to a new league, formed out of those clubs and clubs from Regionalliga Süd outside Bavaria. The new system came into operation at the beginning of the 2012–13 season. The number of reserve teams per Regionalliga was limited to seven.
The five league champions, plus the runner-up of the Regionalliga Süd/Südwest, will then play-off for the three promotion spots, in a home-and-away series. The new leagues will consist of up to 22 clubs in their inaugural season, but will then have to be reduced to between 16 and 18 clubs. The Regionalligas will not be administrated by the DFB, but rather by the regional football associations. With regard to reserve teams, initially only seven are permitted per league, however, this rule may be subject to change under certain circumstances. Reserve sides of 3rd Liga teams are not permitted in the Regionalliga.
The reorganisation of the Regionalligas, so soon after the last changes in 2008, became necessary because of a large number of insolvencies. These were caused by a lack of media interest in the leagues combined with large expenses and infrastructure demands.
Winners and runners-up of the Regionalliga Nordost
The winners and runners-up of the league:
Source: "Regionalliga Nordost". Das deutsche Fussball-Archiv. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
League statistics
The top goal scorers and spectator statistics for the league since its reforming in 2012 are:
Placings in the Regionalliga Nordost
The following clubs have played in the league and achieved the following final positions: