the encyclopedic entry of Fußball-Bundesliga

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Overview

The Bundesliga is composed of two divisions: the 1. Bundesliga (although it is rarely referred to with the First prefix), and, below that, the 2. Bundesliga (Second Bundesliga), which has been the second tier of German football since 1974. The Bundesligen (pl.) are professional leagues. Since 2008, the 3rd League in Germany is also a professional league, but may not be called Bundesliga because the league is run by the German Football Association (DFB) and not, as are the 2 Bundesligen, by the German Football League (DFL).

Below the level of the 3rd league, leagues are generally often subdivided on a regional basis. For example, the Regionalligen are currently made up of Nord (North), Süd (South) and West divisions, and the Oberligen (upper leagues) are composed of nine divisions representing federal states or large urban and geographical areas. The levels below the Oberligen differ between the local areas. The league structure has changed frequently and typically reflects the degree of participation in the sport in various parts of the country. In the early 1990s, changes were driven by the reunification of Germany and the subsequent integration of the national leagues of East and West Germany.

Every team in the Bundesligen must have a licence to play in the league, or else they are relegated into the regional leagues. To obtain a licence, teams must be financially healthy and meet certain standards of conduct as organisations.

As in other national leagues, there are significant benefits to being in the top division:

A greater share of television broadcast licence revenues goes to Bundesliga sides.
Bundesliga teams draw significantly greater levels of fan support. Average attendance in the first league is 40,000 per game — more than twice the average of the 2. Bundesliga.
Greater exposure through television and higher attendance levels helps Bundesliga teams attract the most lucrative sponsorships.
Bundesliga teams develop substantial financial muscle through the combination of television and gate revenues, sponsorships and marketing of their team brands. This allows them to attract and retain skilled players from domestic and international sources and to construct first-class stadium facilities.

The Bundesliga is financially strong, and the 2. Bundesliga has begun to evolve in a similar direction, becoming more stable organisationally and financially, and reflecting an increasingly higher standard of professional play.

Internationally, the most well-known German clubs include Bayern Munich, Hamburger SV, Borussia Dortmund, FC Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen. Hamburger SV can lay claim to being the only club that has played continuously in the Bundesliga since its foundation.

Effective from the 2008-09 season, the Bundesliga will reinstate the traditional German system of promotion and relegation:

The bottom two finishers in the Bundesliga are automatically relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, with the top two finishers in the 2. Bundesliga taking their place.
The third-from-bottom club in the Bundesliga will play a two-legged match with the third-place team from the 2. Bundesliga, with the winner taking up the final place in the following season's Bundesliga.

For several years, a different system had been used in which the bottom three finishers of the Bundesliga had been automatically relegated, to be replaced by the top three finishers in the 2. Bundesliga.

The season starts in early August and lasts until late May, with a winter break of six weeks (mid-December through to the end of January). In recent years, games have been played on Saturdays (seven games beginning at 3:30 pm) and Sundays (two games beginning at 5:00 pm). A new television deal in 2006 reintroduced a Friday game (beginning at 8:30 pm) in place of one of the Saturday matches.

History

Origins

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

Prior to the formation of the Bundesliga, German football was played at an amateur level in a large number of sub-regional leagues until, in 1949, part time (semi-) professionalism was introduced and only five regional Oberligen (Premier Leagues) remained. Regional champions and runners-up played a series of playoff matches for the right to compete in a final game for the national championship. On January 28, 1900, a national association, the Deutscher Fußball Bund (DFB) had been founded in Leipzig with 86 member clubs. The first recognised national championship team was VfB Leipzig, who beat DFC Prague 7-2 in a game played at Altona on May 31, 1903.

Through the 1950s, there were continued calls for the formation of a central professional league, especially as professional leagues in other countries began to draw Germany's best players away from the semi-professional domestic leagues. At the international level the German game began to falter as German teams often fared poorly against professional teams from other countries. A key supporter of the central league concept was national team head coach Sepp Herberger who said, “If we want to remain competitive internationally, we have to raise our expectations at the national level.”

Meanwhile, in East Germany, a separate league was established with the formation of the DS-Oberliga (Deutscher Sportausschuss Oberliga) in 1950. The league was re-named the Football Oberliga DFV in 1958 and was generally referred to simply as the DDR-Liga or DDR-Oberliga. The league fielded 14 teams with two relegation spots.

Establishment

The defeat of the national team by Yugoslavia (0–1) in a 1962 World Cup quarter final game in Chile was one impetus (of many) to the formation of a national league. Under new DFB president Hermann Gösmann (elected that very day) the Bundesliga was created in Dortmund on July 28 1962 to begin play starting with the 1963–64 season. The new German professional league was modelled on the long-established English league, which had been set up in 1888.

At the time, there were five Oberligen (Premier Leagues) in place representing West Germany's North, South, West, Southwest, and Berlin. East Germany, under Soviet occupation, maintained its separate league structure. Forty-six clubs applied for admission to the new league. Sixteen teams were selected based on their success on the field, economic criteria and representation of the various Oberligen.

From Oberliga Nord: Eintracht Braunschweig, Werder Bremen, Hamburger SV
From Oberliga West: Borussia Dortmund, 1. FC Köln, Meidericher SV (now MSV Duisburg), Preußen Münster, FC Schalke 04
From Oberliga Südwest: 1. FC Kaiserslautern, 1. FC Saarbrücken
From Oberliga Süd: Eintracht Frankfurt, Karlsruher SC, 1. FC Nuremberg, TSV 1860 München, VfB Stuttgart
From Oberliga Berlin: Hertha BSC Berlin

The first Bundesliga games were played on August 24 1963. Early favorite 1. FC Köln was the first Bundesliga champion (with 45:19 points) over second place clubs Meidericher SV and Eintracht Frankfurt (both 39:25).

Structure and competition

The German football champion is decided strictly by play in the Bundesliga. Each club plays every other club once at home and once away. Originally, a victory was worth 2 points, with a draw worth 1 point and a loss no points. Since the 1995/96 season, a victory has been worth 3 points, with no change in the value of a draw or loss. The club with the most points at the end of the season becomes the German champion. Currently, the top two clubs in the table qualify automatically for the group phase of the UEFA Champions League, while the third-place team enters the Champions League at the third qualifying round (see overview). The two teams at the bottom of the table are relegated into the 2nd Bundesliga, while the top two teams in the 2nd Bundesliga are promoted. The sixteenth place team (third last), and the third place team in the 2nd Bundesliga play a two-leg play-off match. The winner of this match plays the next season in the Bundesliga, and the loser in the 2nd Bundesliga.

If teams are level on points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

Goal difference for the entire season.
Total goals scored for the entire season.
Head-to-head results (total points).
Head-to-head goal difference.
Head-to-head away goals scored.
Total away goals scored for the entire season.

If two clubs are still tied after all of these tiebreakers have been applied, a single match is held at a neutral site to determine the placement. However, this has never been necessary in the history of the Bundesliga.

In terms of team selection, 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.

Changes in league structure

Number of teams:

1963/64–1964/65: 16
1965/66–1990/91: 18
1991/92: 20, while East and West German leagues were being combined after German reunification
Since 1992/93: 18

Number of teams relegated (automatic relegation except as noted):

1963/64–1973/74: 2
1974/75–1980/81: 3
1981/82–1990/91: 2 automatic plus the 16th-place team in the First Bundesliga played a two-leg test match against the third-place team of the Second Bundesliga for the final spot in the First Bundesliga
1991/92: 4
1992/93-2007/08: 3
From 2008/09 on: 2 automatic plus the 16th-place team in the First Bundesliga playing a two-leg test match against the third-place team of the Second Bundesliga for the final spot in the First Bundesliga

European qualification (as of 2008–09)

1st and 2nd place: Group phase of UEFA Champions League
3rd place: Third qualifying round of Champions League for Non-Champions. Winners at this stage enter the group phase; losers enter the UEFA Cup.
DFB-Pokal (German Cup) winner: Qualifies for 4th qualifying round of UEFA Cup, regardless of league position.

If the Cup winner has qualified for the Champions League, the losing finalist will enter the UEFA Cup. For example, although the Second Bundesliga side Alemannia Aachen lost to Werder Bremen in the 2004 DFB-Pokal final, Alemannia secured an entry in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup, because Werder qualified for the Champions League as First Bundesliga champions.
If both Cup finalists have qualified for the Champions League, an extra UEFA Cup place is granted on the basis of First Bundesliga position. Since the 2005 DFB-Pokal final pitted champions Bayern Munich against runners-up Schalke 04 (with Bayern winning), sixth-place Bayer Leverkusen received a berth in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup.

4th place: Qualifies for 4th qualifying round of UEFA Cup.
5th place: Qualifies for 3rd qualifying round of UEFA Cup.
16th place: Plays a two-leg relegation match (home and away) against the 3rd placed team of the 2nd Bundesliga.
17th and 18th place: Directly relegated to 2nd Bundesliga.

The number of German clubs which may participate in UEFA competitions is determined by UEFA coefficients, which take into account the results of a particular nation's clubs in UEFA competitions over the preceding five years.

History of European qualification

European Cup/Champions League:

Up to and including 1996/97: German champion only
1997–99: Top two teams
1999–present: Top two teams automatically into first group phase (only one group phase starting in 2003/04). Depending on the DFB's UEFA coefficients standing, either one or two other clubs (currently one) enter at the third qualifying round; winners at this level enter the group phase.

UEFA Cup:

Starting with the 1999/2000 season, the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) winner automatically qualifies. Depending on the DFB's UEFA coefficients standing, anywhere from 0 to 3 extra participants can enter. Since the Cup Winners' Cup was folded into the UEFA Cup after 1999, the DFB has always been entitled to enter a minimum of three clubs in the UEFA Cup, and has been able to enter as many as four (the maximum for any European federation). Teams that enter via UEFA's Fair Play mechanism, or those that entered through the now-defunct Intertoto Cup, do not count against the national quota. From 2006 through the final Intertoto Cup in 2008, only one First Bundesliga side was eligible to enter the Intertoto Cup and possibly earn a UEFA Cup berth. For the 2005/06 season, the DFB earned an extra UEFA Cup place via the Fair Play draw; this place went to Mainz 05 as the highest-ranked club in the Fair Play table of the First Bundesliga not already qualified for Europe.

Cup Winners' Cup (abolished after 1999):

DFB-Pokal winner entered the Cup Winners' Cup. Today, that club enters the UEFA Cup.

Current members of the Bundesliga (2008/2009 season)

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

In the above list, Borussia Mönchengladbach, 1. FC Köln and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim have just moved into the First Bundesliga, replacing 1. FC Nuremberg, FC Hansa Rostock and MSV Duisburg, who finished at the bottom three spots of the table at the end of the 2007/08 season and thus were relegated to the Second Bundesliga.

Verdiente Meistervereine

In 2004, the honor of “Verdiente Meistervereine” (roughly “distinguished champion clubs”) was introduced, following a custom first practised by the Italian club Juventus, to recognize sides that have won multiple championships or other honours by the display of gold stars on their team crests and jerseys. Each country's usage is unique and in Germany the practice is to award one star for three titles, two stars for five titles, three stars for ten titles, and four stars for twenty titles.

The former East German side Berliner FC Dynamo laid claim to the three stars of a ten-time champion. They petitioned the league to have their DDR-Oberliga titles recognized, but received no reply. Dynamo eventually took matters into their own hands and emblazoned their jerseys with three stars. This caused some debate given what may be the tainted nature of their championships under the patronage of East Germany's secret police, the Stasi. The issue also affects other former East German and pre-Bundesliga champions. In November 2005, the DFB allowed all former champions to display a single star inscribed with the number of titles, including all German men's titles since 1903, women's titles since 1974 and East German titles.

The DFB format only applies to teams playing below the Bundesliga (the top two divisions), since there the DFL conventions remain in force. BFC Dynamo Berlin have not followed this guideline and continue to wear three stars, rather than a single star inscribed with the number 10. Greuther Fürth unofficially display three (silver) stars for pre-war titles in spite of being in the Bundesliga second division.

As of May 2008 the following clubs are allowed to wear stars while playing in the Bundesliga. The number in parentheses is for Bundesliga titles won.

Bayern Munich (20) (four stars beginning 2008-09)
Borussia Mönchengladbach (5)
SV Werder Bremen (4)
Borussia Dortmund (3)
Hamburger SV (3)
VfB Stuttgart (3)

As of May 2008 the following clubs are allowed to wear one star while playing outside the Bundesliga. The number in parentheses is for total league championships won over the course of German football history, and would be included within the star.

Media coverage

Premiere holds the rights to broadcast both first and second division matches on a pay-per-view basis. Only two matches, the season opener and the opener after the winter-break, are broadcast on free television, on ARD. GOL TV has exclusive U.S. and Canadian rights to broadcast the Bundesliga. In Australia the Bundesliga is broadcast by Setanta Sports Australia. In UK the Bundesliga is currently available on Setanta Sports. The rights to broadcast the Bundesliga are generally marketed by the DFL.

Champions

In total, 43 clubs have won the German championship. FC Bayern Munich have 21 titles, more than any other club. The clubs with the next most titles are BFC Dynamo Berlin (10; all accomplished in the GDR Oberliga) and 1. FC Nuremberg (9).
The clubs with the most Bundesliga titles besides FC Bayern (20 titles) are Borussia Mönchengladbach (5) and Werder Bremen (4).

Season	Bundesliga-Champion	Season	Bundesliga-Champion	Season	Bundesliga-Champion	Season	Bundesliga-Champion
1963-64	1. FC Köln	1975-76	Borussia Mönchengladbach	1987-88	SV Werder Bremen	1999-00	FC Bayern Munich
1964-65	SV Werder Bremen	1976-77	Borussia Mönchengladbach	1988-89	FC Bayern Munich	2000-01	FC Bayern Munich
1965-66	TSV 1860 München	1977-78	1. FC Köln	1989-90	FC Bayern Munich	2001-02	Borussia Dortmund
1966-67	Eintracht Braunschweig	1978-79	Hamburger SV	1990-91	1. FC Kaiserslautern	2002-03	FC Bayern Munich
1967-68	1. FC Nuremberg	1979-80	FC Bayern Munich	1991-92	VfB Stuttgart	2003-04	SV Werder Bremen
1968-69	FC Bayern Munich	1980-81	FC Bayern Munich	1992-93	SV Werder Bremen	2004-05	FC Bayern Munich
1969-70	Borussia Mönchengladbach	1981-82	Hamburger SV	1993-94	FC Bayern Munich	2005-06	FC Bayern Munich
1970-71	Borussia Mönchengladbach	1982-83	Hamburger SV	1994-95	Borussia Dortmund	2006-07	VfB Stuttgart
1971-72	FC Bayern Munich	1983-84	VfB Stuttgart	1995-96	Borussia Dortmund	2007-08	FC Bayern Munich
1972-73	FC Bayern Munich	1984-85	FC Bayern Munich	1996-97	FC Bayern Munich
1973-74	FC Bayern Munich	1985-86	FC Bayern Munich	1997-98	1. FC Kaiserslautern
1974-75	Borussia Mönchengladbach	1986-87	FC Bayern Munich	1998-99	FC Bayern Munich

FC Bayern Munich are the current title-holders.

Records

Top Ten Players With Most Appearances
Player		Period	Club	Games
1	Karl-Heinz Körbel	1972–1991	Eintracht Frankfurt	602
2	Manfred Kaltz	1971–1991	Hamburger SV	581
3	Oliver Kahn	1987–2008	FC Bayern Munich	557
4	Klaus Fichtel	1965–1988	FC Schalke 04	552
5	Miroslav Votava	1976–1996	SV Werder Bremen	546
6	Klaus Fischer	1968–1988	FC Schalke 04	535
7	Eike Immel	1978–1995	VfB Stuttgart	534
8	Willi Neuberger	1966–1983	Eintracht Frankfurt	520
9	Michael Lameck	1972–1988	VfL Bochum	518
10	Uli Stein	1978–1997	Hamburger SV	512

Top Ten Highest Goalscorers
Player		Period	Club	Goals
1	Gerd Müller	1965–1979	FC Bayern Munich	365 (Ø 0,85)
2	Klaus Fischer	1968–1988	FC Schalke 04	268 (Ø 0,50)
3	Jupp Heynckes	1965–1978	Borussia Mönchengladbach	220 (Ø 0,60)
4	Manfred Burgsmüller	1969–1990	Borussia Dortmund	213 (Ø 0,48)
5	Ulf Kirsten	1990–2003	Bayer 04 Leverkusen	181 (Ø 0,52)
6	Stefan Kuntz	1983–1999	1. FC Kaiserslautern	179 (Ø 0,40)
7	Dieter Müller	1973–1986	1. FC Köln	177 (Ø 0,58)
8	Klaus Allofs	1975–1993	1. FC Köln	177 (Ø 0,42)
9	Hannes Löhr	1964–1977	1. FC Köln	166 (Ø 0,44)
10	Karl-Heinz Rummenigge	1974–1984	FC Bayern Munich	162 (Ø 0,52)

Other records

Most own goals scored: 6 by Manfred Kaltz of Hamburger SV.
The oldest player was Klaus Fichtel of Werder Bremen (43 years old).
The youngest player to score was Nuri Şahin of Borussia Dortmund (16 years and 335 days).
Most red cards received: Jens Nowotny (8), Stefan Effenberg, Sergej Barbarez and Torsten Kracht (7 each).
Most goals scored by penalties: Manfred Kaltz (53 with 7 missed penalties).
Most goals conceded by a goalkeeper: 829 by Eike Immel (in 534 games).
Most clean sheets by a goalkeeper: 196 by Oliver Kahn (in 557 games).
Most championships won as player: 8 by Mehmet Scholl and Oliver Kahn
Most championships won as coach: 8 by Udo Lattek.
The longest period of time as coach, is Volker Finke by over 16 years.
Worst team: Tasmania 1900 Berlin (1965–66) holders of an extraordinary list of “worst-of” records
Fastest Goal: Ulf Kirsten (Bayer Leverkusen) after 11 seconds (against Kaiserslautern in 2002.)