2. Fußball-Bundesliga

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2. Fußball-Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga 2008-09
Logo of Fußball-Bundesliga
Founded
1974
Nation
Flag of Germany Germany
Promotion To
Bundesliga
Relegation To
3. Liga (from 2007-08)
Number of Teams
18
Level on Pyramid
Level 2
Domestic Cups
DFB-Pokal
Current Champions (2007-08)
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Website
Official

The 2nd Bundesliga is the Second Division of professional football in Germany. It is below the Bundesliga in the German football league system.

Contents

[edit] History

For more details on this topic, see History of German football

1974 marked the introduction of the second tier of the Bundesliga. 40 clubs, divided into two leagues (North and South), competed for promotion into the Bundesliga. 1981 saw the introduction of a single 2nd Bundesliga of 20 teams. In the 1991-92 season, the former DDR's clubs participated as well. This was managed by returning to a two-tier system (with 12 teams in each league). 1992-93 was a momentous season, with 24 teams competing in a single league. Since 1994-95, there have been 18 teams in the second division. The most successful team was Fortuna Köln (1,376 points from a possible 2,910).

During the 2004-2005 season, it was revealed during the Bundesliga scandal of 2005 that several matches in the 2nd Bundesliga and the Regionalliga were manipulated by referee Robert Hoyzer. The match between LR Ahlen and SV Wacker Burghausen in the 2nd Bundesliga had to be replayed on April 27, 2005.

[edit] Members of the current 2. Bundesliga (2008-09 season)

1. Fußball-Bundesliga (Red) and 2. Fußball-Bundesliga (Blue) Seson 2007-08

For more details on the 2. Bundesliga 2008-09 season, see here.

[edit] Division set-up

[edit] Changes in division set-up

  • Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981-91 it had 20. The 1991-92 season was played in two groups of 12 teams each; 1992-93 again in one group with 24 teams, 1993-94 with 20 teams.
  • Teams promoted to the higher league: 3; 1981-91 there was a relegation round, in 1991-92 there was 1 promotion per group.
  • Number of relegations into the regional league (until 1994: Upper league): 4; 1991-92: 2-3 per group (inclusive relegation); 1992-93: 7.

[edit] Promotion and relegation

  • The top three teams gain promotion into the Bundesliga. Starting 2008-09, only the top two teams are promoted automatically, and the third placed team plays a two-leg playoff against the Bundesliga 16th.
  • The bottom four teams are relegated into the Regional leagues. Starting 2007-08, the bottom teams will be relegated to the 3rd Liga, which will play its inaugural season in 2008-09.
  • Starting 2008-09, only the bottom two teams are relegated into the 3rd Liga automatically. The third last team can avoid relegation through a two-leg playoff against the 3rd Liga third.

[edit] League rules

Matchday squads must have no more than five non-EU representatives. Seven substitutes are permitted to be selected, from which three can be used in the duration of the game.

[edit] Champions since 1975

[edit] Second Bundesliga North

[edit] Second Bundesliga South

[edit] Second Bundesliga

Season Champion Runner Up Third Place
1981-82 Schalke 04 Hertha BSC Kickers Offenbach
1982-83 Mannheim Kickers Offenbach Uerdingen
1983-84 Karlsruhe Schalke 04 Duisburg
1984-85 Nuremberg Hannover 96 Saarbrücken
1985-86 Homburg BW Berlin Fortuna Köln
1986-87 Hannover 96 Karlsruhe St. Pauli
1987-88 Stuttgarter Kickers Düsseldorf Darmstadt
1988-89 Düsseldorf Homburg Saarbrücken
1989-90 Hertha BSC Wattenscheid Saarbrücken
1990-91 Schalke 04 Duisburg Stuttgarter Kickers

[edit] Second Bundesliga North

[edit] Second Bundesliga South

[edit] Second Bundesliga

Season Champion Runner Up Third Place
1992-93 Freiburg Duisburg VfB Leipzig
1993-94 Bochum Uerdingen 1860 München
1994-95 Rostock St. Pauli Düsseldorf
1995-96 Bochum Bielefeld Duisburg
1996-97 Kaiserslautern Wolfsburg Hertha BSC
1997-98 Frankfurt SC Freiburg Nuremberg
1998-99 Bielefeld Unterhaching Ulm
1999-00 1. FC Köln Bochum Cottbus
2000-01 Nuremberg Gladbach St. Pauli
2001-02 Hannover Bielefeld Bochum
2002-03 SC Freiburg 1. FC Köln Frankfurt
2003-04 Nuremberg Bielefeld Mainz
2004-05 1. FC Köln Duisburg Frankfurt
2005-06 Bochum Aachen Cottbus
2006-07 Karlsruhe Rostock Duisburg
2007-08 Gladbach Hoffenheim 1. FC Köln

From 1974 to 1994, promotions were decided in relegation rounds. Since 1995 there have been four teams promoted from the regional leagues.

[edit] Teams promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga since 1992

SC Fortuna Köln was the team most consistently in the 2nd Bundesliga. Up to 2000 it spent 26 consecutive years in the 2nd Bundesliga.

[edit] Teams relegated to the Regionalliga - Oberliga - 3. Liga since 1990

[edit] Teams relegated to the Oberliga (1990-1993)

[edit] Teams relegated to the Regionalliga (1994-2007)

[edit] Teams relegated to the 3. Liga (since 2008)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links (sites in German)