Austrian Regionalliga Explained

Regionalliga
Country:Austria
Confed:UEFA
Teams:48 (in 3 groups)
Organiser:ÖFB
Relegation:Landesliga
Levels:3
Domest Cup:Austrian Cup
Confed Cup:Europa League (via Austrian Cup)
Champions:SV Stripfing (Ost)
DSV Leoben (Mitte)
SW Bregenz (West)
Current:2024–25 Austrian Regionalliga

The Austrian Regionalliga (German: Regionalliga or plural German: Regionalligen, means Regional League) is the third-highest division in Austrian football, after the Austrian Bundesliga and the Second League. It is divided into 3 groups: East (German: Ost), covering the states of Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland; Central (German: Mitte), covering the states of Styria, Carinthia, Upper Austria and the exclave of East Tyrol; West (German: West), covering the state of Salzburg; Regionalliga Tirol, covering the state of Tyrol (with the exception of East Tyrol) and the Eliteliga Vorarlberg, covering the state of Vorarlberg.

History

Tauernliga and Arlbergliga

With introduction of the Staatsliga A as the first division and the Staatsliga B as the second division of Austrian football in the 1949–50 season, also the teams from the Austrian states were allowed to play for the first time again in the highest leagues since the end of the second world war. This entailed also a change of the categorization in the amateur football. While Central and Eastern Austrian football teams played in the respective national leagues, from which the champions got promoted either directly or by play-offs (Relegationsspiele) to the Staatsliga B, the Western states did not participate in the Staatsliga B.

In 1949–50 the teams from Carinthia state (German: Kärnten) and Salzburg already played in the again-created Tauernliga and from 1955–56 to 1958–59 season in the Tauernliga South (Carinthia) and Tauernliga North (Salzburg). Besides the Arlbergliga consisted from 1950–51 to 1959–60 the clubs from Tyrol state (German: Tirol) and Vorarlberg state. These leagues can be regarded as second divisions (apart from the Staatsliga B) since their champions played in direct duels for promotion to the Staatsliga A.

Champions

YearTauernligaTauernliga SouthTauernliga NorthArlbergliga
1950 Villacher SV---------
1951 Klagenfurter AC------SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
1952 Salzburger AK 1914------SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
1953 SV Austria Salzburg------Innsbrucker AC
1954 WSG Radenthein------SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
1955 SK Austria Klagenfurt------FC Dornbirn 1913
1956 ---WSG RadentheinSK BischofshofenSC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
1957 ---WSG RadentheinSK BischofshofenSC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
1958 ---WSG RadentheinSV Austria SalzburgFC Lustenau 07
1959 ---WSG RadentheinSV Austria SalzburgFC Lustenau 07
1960 ------Salzburger AK 1914FC Dornbirn 1913

The Regionalliga and the Alpenliga

In the season of 1959–60, the Eastern and Central Regionalligen were established and one year later the Western Regionalliga. The Regionalligen counted up to the season of 1973–74 as football's second division in Austria. The respective champions were allowed to get promoted directly to the top level. In 1974–75 the introduction of the first and second Austrian Bundesliga happened, with in each case 10 clubs and to the abolish of the Western and Central Regionalligen. For the promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga, the champion of the Eastern Regionalliga, which was allowed to move upwards directly, and which the champions of the State Leagues (German: Landesligen) of Salzburg, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Carinthia, Upper Austria (German: Oberösterreich) and Styria (German: Steiermark) those Play Offs (German: Relegationsspiele) had to complete in each case. In the 1977–78 season, the states of Salzburg, Tirol and Vorarlberg merged their Landesligen to Alpenliga as the 3rd division. In the 1980–81 season, the Western Regionalliga was once again introduced as the third division. The Eastern Regionalliga championship was not held from 1980–81 to 1983–84 and it would not be until the 1984–85 season that it would be reintroduced. Up until the 1995–96 season, the champions of the Western and Eastern Regionalligen earned a direct promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga. The Central Regionalliga, however, would not be reintroduced until the 1994–95 season. The champions of the regional organizations, the state football associations (German: Landesverbände) of Upper Austria, Carinthia (with East Tyrol (German: Osttirol)) and Styria had their only promotional spot to the 2nd division decided in play off matches.

Between the 1996–97 and 2003–04 seasons, the three champions of the Regionalligen together with the last one of the First Division (since the renaming of the First Division as Erste Liga the second highest division in Austria) played those Play Off matches to accomplish the two remaining promotional/relegation spots. After an expansion of the First Division to twelve clubs it was decided that - from the 2005–06 season - due to deprivation of pro league licenses (German: Lizenzentzügen) (at the time there were 10 slots), the winners of the regional leagues went up directly again. The First Division contracted back to ten teams in 2009–10, thus the number of promotions to and relegations from the second tier were reduced to two. Until 2013–14 one conference winner played the bottom First Division team, while the other conference winners contested the other promotion spot.

Until 2014–15 two teams are relegated from and promoted to the First Division. In 2014–15 the Western champions were directly promoted while those from the East and Central contested the other promotion place. In 2015–16 all three division winners were promoted to fill vacancies in the second tier[1] and 2016–17 only the Central winners were promoted as the Eastern and Western champions declined promotion.[2] At the end of 2017–18 all three Regionalliga champions and six other licensed teams went up when the second division, now the Second League, expanded from 10 to 16 clubs.

Champions (1960–present)

YearRegionalliga EastRegionalliga CentralRegionalliga West
German: (Jahr)German: (Regionalliga Ost)German: (Regionalliga Mitte)German: (Regionalliga West)
1960 1. Schwechater SCSV Stickstoff Linz---
1961SK Admira WienKapfenberger SVSalzburger AK 1914
1962SC Wacker WienSK Austria KlagenfurtSV Austria Salzburg
19631. Wiener Neustädter SCKapfenberger SVFC Dornbirn 1913
1964SC Wacker WienSK Sturm GrazFC Wacker Innsbruck
19651. Simmeringer SC WienSK Austria KlagenfurtSV Austria Salzburg
1966SC Wacker WienSK Sturm GrazSC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
1967SC EisenstadtWSG RadentheinSV Austria Salzburg
1968SC Wacker WienWSV DonawitzWSG Wattens
1969First Vienna FC 1894 WienSK VÖEST LinzFC Dornbirn 1913
19701. Simmeringer SC WienWSG RadentheinSC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
1971SC EisenstadtWSV DonawitzSK Bischofshofen
1972ESV Admira Wiener NeustadtSK Austria KlagenfurtSC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
19731. Simmeringer SC WienWSG RadentheinFC Rätia Bludenz
1974SV Heid StockerauKapfenberger SVFC Dornbirn 191
1975SC Tulln------
1976Kremser SC------
1977ASV Kittsee------
1978Favoritner AC Wien---USK Anif
1979SV Heid Stockerau---SpG Innsbruck
1980SC Neusiedl 1919---Salzburger AK 1914
1981------ASK Salzburg
1982------IG Bregenz/Dornbirn
1983------SC Kufstein
1984------USV Salzburg
19851. Schwechater SC---IG Bregenz/Dornbirn II
1986VfB Union Mödling---SC Kufstein
1987VSE St. Pölten---USV Salzburg
1988SV Stockerau---FC Dornbirn 1913
1989ASV Austria Vösendorf---WSG Wattens
1990SR Donaufeld Wien---FC Salzburg
1991Favoritner AC Wien---SC Rheindorf Altach
1992SV Oberwart---ASVÖ FC Puch bei Hallein
19931. Wiener Neustädter SC---FC Kufstein
1994ASK Klingenbach---SC Austria Lustenau
1995Favoritner AC WienSAK KlagenfurtWSG Wattens
1996SV StockerauTSV HartbergSC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
1997ASK KottingbrunnSK Eintracht WelsSC Rheindorf Altach
1998SC UntersiebenbrunnSK Austria Klagenfurt/VSVSV Wörgl
1999SC UntersiebenbrunnTSV HartbergWSG Wattens
2000SV MattersburgBSV Bad BleibergFC Lustenau 07
2001ASK KottingbrunnASKÖ PaschingFC Lustenau 07
2002Wiener SportklubKapfenberger SVFC Hard
2003SV SchwechatFC Blau-Weiß LinzSPG WSG Wattens/FC Wacker Tirol
2004SC-ESV Parndorf 1919FC GratkornSC Rheindorf Altach
2005FK Austria Wien AmateureSC SchwanenstadtFC Kufstein
2006SC-ESV Parndorf 1919TSV HartbergFC Lustenau 07
2007ASK SchwadorfSV Bad AusseeRed Bull Salzburg Amateure
2008SKN St. Pölten1. FC VöcklabruckSV Grödig
2009First Vienna FCTSV HartbergFC Dornbirn 1913
2010FC Waidhofen/YbbsWolfsberger ACSV Grödig
2011SC-ESV Parndorf 1919LASK JuniorsRed Bull Juniors
2012SV HornGrazer AKWSG Wattens
2013SC-ESV Parndorf 1919LASK LinzFC Liefering
2014FAC Team für WienLASK LinzSV Austria Salzburg
2015SC RitzingSK Austria KlagenfurtSV Austria Salzburg
2016SV HornFC Blau-Weiß LinzWSG Wattens
2017First Vienna FCTSV HartbergUSK Anif
2018SV HornSV LafnitzUSK Anif
2019ASK EbreichsdorfGrazer AKFC Dornbirn 1913
2020No champions, season curtailed and voided due to COVID-19 pandemic in Austria
2021Season curtailed in Ost and Mitte, no championship in West
2022First Vienna FCSK Sturm Graz IINo club applied for second division admission
2023SV StripfingDSV LeobenSC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
2024SK Rapid Wien IIASK VoitsbergSV Austria Salzburg

Notes and References

  1. News: Lizenz: Entscheidung bei Austria Klagenfurt gefallen. sportnet.at. 30 May 2016. German.
  2. Web site: Lizensierungsverfahren 2017/18 – 22 Lizenzanträge eingegangen . 16 March 2017 . Sky Sports Austria . German.