Regionalliga Südwest (1963–74)
 |
|
| Country |
 Germany
|
|---|---|
| State | |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Folded | 1974 (11 seasons) |
| Replaced by | 2nd Bundesliga Süd |
| Level on pyramid | Level 2 |
| Promotion to | Bundesliga |
| Relegation to | |
| Last champions |
Borussia Neunkirchen (1973-74) |
The Regionalliga Südwest was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the southwest of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2nd Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the states of Saarland and Rheinland-Pfalz.
Along with the Regionalliga Südwest 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. It was basically a remainder of the former French occupation zone.
Originally only the winners, later also 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 three teams were relegated to the Amateurligas. Below the Regionalliga Südwest were the following Amateurligas:
The FSV Mainz 05, VfR Wormatia Worms, FK Pirmasens, SV Röchling Völklingen, Südwest Ludwigshafen and TuS Neuendorf all played every one of the eleven seasons of the Regionalliga Südwest.
The league was dissolved in 1974. According to their performance of the last couple of seasons, seven clubs of the Regionalliga went to the new 2nd Bundesliga Süd. The nine remaining clubs were relegated to the Amateurligas.
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