Regionalliga (women)
| Country | Germany |
|---|---|
| Confederation | UEFA (Europe) |
| Number of teams | 62 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | 2. Bundesliga |
| Relegation to | Verbandsliga (Nord, Südwest, West) Landesliga (Nordost) Oberliga (Nord, Süd) |
| Domestic cup(s) | DFB-Pokal |
| Current champions |
Bramfelder SV (Nord) 1. FC Union Berlin (Nordost) Arminia Bielefeld (West) 1. FFC 08 Niederkirchen (Südwest) SC Sand II (Süd) |
| Most championships |
1. FFC 08 Niederkirchen (6 times) |
 2016–17 Regionalliga
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The five Regionalligas are the third-tier leagues in German women's association football. In each division the champion will be promoted to the 2. Bundesliga in the next season.
In all divisions a season consists of two rounds. A club meets every other club one time in each round, once at home and once away. The number of games thus depends on the number of teams in the division, ranging from ten in the south to fourteen in the west. The season typically starts in August or September, with the first round finishing in December. The second round then starts in February and ends in May or June. Occasionally the first games of the second round are held in December, though.
The final standings are determined by points a club has gained during a season. A win is worth 3 points, a draw 1, and a loss 0. The tiebreakers are in descending order goal difference, goals for, and head-to-head results. If the tie cannot be broken a tiebreaking game is held.
At the end of the season the divisional champions are promoted the 2nd Bundesliga. There is no rule to which division of the 2nd Bundesliga a team is allocated and the German Football Association decides that from season to season. The number of teams relegated to the fourth tier depends on the clubs relegated from the 2nd Bundesliga. In a season no club might be relegated to a specific division of the Regionalliga while another division receives three new teams due to relegation. Promotion and relegation between the Regionalliga and the league beneath serves as a cushion to keep the divisions of the Regionalliga at the size they are supposed to have.
The Regionalliga Nord is the highest regional division in North Germany. Teams belonging to one of the regional football associations of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, or Bremen compete in the league. The division comprises twelve teams.
Until 1986 the highest leagues in North Germany were the Landesligas, one each for Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein. The champions of these divisions automatically qualified for the national championship. When in 1986 the Oberliga Nord was established the best teams from each regional association were admitted to the new league. Although the best team from each association still qualified for the national championship this was determined by the final standings of the Oberliga Nord.
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