Regionalliga Nord
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| Country | Germany |
|---|---|
| State | |
| Confederation | Northern German Football Association |
| Founded | 1994 (reformed in 2012) |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | Level 4 |
| Promotion to | 3. Liga |
| Relegation to | |
| Current champions |
VfL Wolfsburg II (2015–16) |
 2015–16 Regionalliga
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The Regionalliga Nord (English: Regional League North) is the fourth tier of the German football league system in the states of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Bremen and Hamburg. It is one of five leagues at this level, together with the Regionalliga Bayern, Regionalliga Nordost, Regionalliga Südwest and the Regionalliga West. Until the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008 it was the third tier.
From 1963 to 1974, a Regionalliga Nord existed as the second tier of the German football league system, but this league is not directly related to the current one.
The Regionalliga Nord was introduced in 1994 along with three other Regionalligas, those being:
The reason for its introduction was to create a highest regional league for the north of Germany and to allow its champions, and some years the runners-up too, to be directly promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga. Previous to the introduction of the four Regionalligas, the leagues below the second division were the Oberligas, which there was ten of. Those ten Oberliga champions had to go through a promotion play-off rather than being directly promoted. The champions of the Regionalligas Nord and Nordost however had to play-off for a spot in the 2nd Bundesliga from 1996 to 2000. The winner of this contest was promoted, the loser faced the runners-ups of the Regionalligas Süd and West/Südwest for another spot in the second division.
The Regionalliga Nord was direct continuation of the Oberliga Nord, which was disbanded in 1994 in favour of the Regionalliga. Fourteen out of sixteen Oberliga Nord clubs qualified for the new league, only the bottom two teams were relegated to the two new Oberligas.
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