Regionalliga West (1963–74)
 |
|
| Country |
 Germany
|
|---|---|
| State |
 Nordrhein-Westfalen
|
| Founded | 1963 |
| Folded | 1974 (11 seasons) |
| Replaced by | 2nd Bundesliga Nord |
| Level on pyramid | Level 2 |
| Promotion to | Bundesliga |
| Relegation to | |
| Last champions |
SG Wattenscheid 09 (1973-74) |
The Regionalliga West was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the west of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2nd Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, the most populous state of Germany.
The league started out in 1963 with 20 teams in the league, which was reduced to 18 the year after.
It was formed from the eleven clubs of the Oberliga West which were not admitted to the new Bundesliga, from the top eight clubs of the 2. Oberliga West and one club from the Verbandsliga Westfalen, the Lüner SV. The Regionalliga West was as such a continuation of the Oberliga West under a different name and a tier lower.
Along with the Regionalliga West 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 populous areas while Nord and Süd covered large areas. Südwest was something of an anomaly, neither large nor populous.
The winners and runners-up of this league were admitted to the promotion play-off to the Bundesliga, which was staged in two groups of originally four, later five teams each with the winner of each group going up.
The bottom teams in a varying amount were relegated to the Verbandsligas. Below the Regionalliga West were the following Verbandsligas:
The Schwarz-Weiß Essen is the only club to have played in all eleven seasons of the Regionalliga West.
The league was dissolved in 1974. According to their performance of the last couple of seasons, 11 clubs of the Regionalliga went to the new 2nd Bundesliga Nord. The seven remaining clubs were relegated to the Amateurligas.
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