Country | Germany |
---|---|
State | Thuringia |
Founded | 1990 |
Number of teams | 16 |
Level on pyramid | Level 6 |
Promotion to | NOFV-Oberliga Süd |
Relegation to |
|
Domestic cup(s) | Thuringia Cup |
Current champions |
FC Blau-Weiß Dachwig/Döllstädt (2015–16) |
The Thüringenliga is the sixth tier (VI) of the German football league system and the highest league in the German state of Thuringia (German: Thüringen). Until the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008 it was the fifth tier of the league system, until the introduction of the Regionalligas in 1994 the fourth tier.
The Thüringenliga was established in 1990 as the Landesliga Thüringen from fourteen clubs as a highest league for the German state of Thüringen, which was established after the league in October 1990, and the Thuringia Football Association, TFV (German: Thüringer Fußball-Verband). It comprised the area of the three Bezirksligen of Erfurt, Gera and Suhl. Each of those three leagues contributed a number of clubs to the new league while one club also got relegated from the DDR-Liga, then the second division. The Thüringenliga was established within the East German football league system and incorporated in the league system of the united Germany after the end of its first season, in 1991.
The league has been a feeder league, together with the Sachsenliga and Verbandsliga Sachsen-Anhalt, to the NOFV-Oberliga Süd, which its champion is directly promoted to. As such, it was the fourth tier of the German league system.
After having fourteen clubs in the league in its first season, the number went to seventeen the year after and was then set at sixteen, which it maintained for most seasons. It some years the number does however vary to balance out promotion and relegation.
In 1994, with the establishment of the Regionalliga Nordost as the new third tier of the league system, the Thüringenliga fell to tier five in the system but remained unchanged otherwise.