Regionalliga Süd (1994–2012)
 |
|
| Founded | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2012 |
| Country | Germany |
| State |
|
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | Level 4 |
| Promotion to | 3. Liga |
| Relegation to | |
| Last champions |
Stuttgarter Kickers (2011–12) |
The Regionalliga Süd (English: Regional League South) was the fourth tier of the German football league system from 2008 to 2012. Until the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008, it was the third tier. It was the highest regional league for the southern part of Germany. It covered the states of Bavaria, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg and was one of three leagues at this level, together with the Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga West.
The league was disbanded at the end of the 2011–12 season, with the Bavarian clubs joining the new Regionalliga Bayern while the others joined the clubs from the southwest of Germany to form the new Regionalliga Südwest.
From 1963 to 1974, a Regionalliga Süd existed as the second tier of the German football league system, but this league is not directly related to the current one.
The Regionalliga Süd 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 south 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, below the second division were ten Oberligas. Those ten Oberliga champions had to go through a promotion play-off rather than being directly promoted.
The Regionalliga Süd originally was made up from clubs from the three southern states of Bavaria, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg. In 2000, with the reduction of the number of Regionalligas to two, the league also covered the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Thuringia. It also incorporated one club from Northrhine-Westphalia, the Sportfreunde Siegen.
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