Country | Germany |
---|---|
Founded | 1963 |
Folded | 1974 (11 seasons) |
Replaced by | 2nd Bundesliga Nord |
Level on pyramid | Level 2 |
Promotion to | Bundesliga |
Relegation to | |
Last champions |
Tennis Borussia Berlin (1973–74) |
The Regionalliga Berlin was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the city of West-Berlin in Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2. Bundesliga in 1974. It was by far the smallest of the five Regionalligen.
The Regionalliga Berlin started out in 1963 with 10 teams in the league. From 1965 the league was expanded to 16 clubs. In 1969-70 the league played with 14 clubs and after that always with 12.
It was formed from the clubs of the Oberliga Berlin which finished second to eights and the first three clubs of the Amateurliga Berlin. The last winner of the Oberliga Berlin, Hertha BSC Berlin, was promoted to the new Bundesliga and the bottom two teams of the Oberliga were relegated to the Amateurliga. The Regionalliga Berlin was as such a continuation of the Oberliga Berlin under a different name and a tier lower.
Along with the Regionalliga Berlin went another four Regionalligas, these five formed the second tier of German football until 1974:
The new Regionalligas were formed along the borders of the old post-World War II Oberligas, not after a balanced regional system. Therefore, the Oberligas Berlin and West covered small but populos areas while Nord and Süd covered large areas. Südwest was something of an anachronism, neither large nor populos.
The winners and runners-up of this league were admitted to the promotion play-off to the new Bundesliga, which was staged in two groups of originally four, later five teams each with the winner of each group going up.
The bottom team was relegated to the Amateurliga. Below the Regionalliga Berlin was the Amateurliga Berlin.
Tennis Borussia Berlin, SpVgg Blau-Weiß 1890 Berlin, Wacker 04 Berlin, Spandauer SV and Hertha Zehlendorf all played every season of the Regionalliga Berlin.