Regionalliga Nordost


The Regionalliga Nordost is the fourth tier of German football in the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia. These comprise the states of former East Germany as well as West Berlin.
It is one of five leagues at the fourth tier, together with the Regionalliga Bayern, Regionalliga Südwest, Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga West. From 1994 to 2000 it was part of the third tier, until the first of many re-structurings of the league system. The last of these occurred in 2012, which saw the Regionalliga Nordost reinstated.

Overview

The Regionalliga Nordost was formed in 1994 to form a regional third level of play between the 2nd Bundesliga and the NOFV-Oberligas Nord, Mitte and Süd. The league was made up of 18 clubs, with two coming from the 2nd Bundesliga and six each from Mitte and Nord while the south only sent four. It was formed alongside three other Regionalligas, the Regionalliga Nord, West/Südwest and Süd. With the introduction of the Regionalliga also went the disbanding of the central division of the NOFV-Oberligas. Its clubs were spread between the remaining two.
The founding members of the Regionalliga Nordost were:
From the 2. Bundesliga:
From the NOFV-Oberliga Nord:
From the NOFV-Oberliga Mitte:
From the NOFV-Oberliga Süd:
The league contained 18 teams throughout its original six years.
The league winner was not always promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga. The champions of the Regionalligas Nord and Nordost 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.
In 1997, Energie Cottbus became the first club from the Regionalliga to reach a German Cup final, losing 2-0 to VfB Stuttgart.
The league was disbanded after six seasons. In 2000, the number of Regionalligas was reduced from four to two. Most clubs from the league went to the Regionalliga Nord, some clubs from the south went to the Regionalliga Süd.
s from 2012 onwards.
With the changes in the German league system in 2008, the number of Regionalligas was extended to three, with the formation of the Regionalliga West, a league which essentially is a reformation of the Regionalliga West/Südwest. The Regionalliga Nordost was not recreated, however. Instead, its clubs remained in the Regionalliga Nord. Teams from its region playing in the Regionalliga Süd moved to the northern group as well, unless they qualified for the 2nd Bundesliga or 3rd Liga.

Disbanding

When the league was discontinued in 2000, the top seven clubs in the league went to the two remaining Regionalligas, five to the north and two to the south, these being the two clubs from the state of Thuringia. The other eleven league teams were relegated to the NOFV-Oberligas.
To the Regionalliga Nord:
To the Regionalliga Süd:
In October 2010, another reform of the Regionalligas was agreed. The number of leagues was again expanded to five. The defunct Regionalliga Nordost was reestablished and a Regionalliga Bayern was established. Also, the Regionalliga West lost the clubs from the south west to a new league, formed out of those clubs and clubs from Regionalliga Süd outside Bavaria. The new system came into operation at the beginning of the 2012–13 season. The number of reserve teams per Regionalliga was limited to seven.
The five league champions, plus the runner-up of the Regionalliga Süd/Südwest, entered play-offs for the three promotion spots. The new leagues consisted of up to 22 clubs in their inaugural season, but were then reduced to between 16 and 18 clubs. The Regionalligas are not administrated by the DFB, but rather by the regional football associations. The reorganisation of the Regionalligas, so soon after the last changes in 2008, became necessary because of a large number of insolvencies. These were caused by a lack of media interest in the leagues, large expenses and infrastructure demands.
As four teams were relegated from the 3rd Liga starting at the end of the 2018–19 season, the champions of the Regionalliga Nordost, the Regionalliga Südwest and the Regionalliga West were promoted directly to the 3. Liga. The remaining two champions, from the Regionalliga Bayern and Nord, played a two-legged promotion play-off for the last promotion spot. In 2020, the three direct promotion spots will go to the champions of the Regionalliga Südwest, Regionalliga Bayern and Regionalliga Nord, and the champions of the Regionalliga Nordost and Regionalliga West will participate in the play-off. This format was installed initially as a temporary solution until the DFB-Bundestag was unsuccessful on a format that could have enabled all Regionalliga champions to be promoted. In September 2019, the Bundestag delegates voted to grant the Südwest and West champions two direct promotions indefinitely starting in 2021. A third direct promotion place will be assigned according to a rotation principle among the Regionalliga Nord, Nordost and Bavarian champions. The representatives from the two remaining Regionalligen will determine the fourth promoted club in two-legged playoffs.

Overview of football in the Nordost region

Winners and runners-up of the Regionalliga Nordost

The winners and runners-up of the league:
SeasonWinnerRunner-Up
1994–95FC Carl Zeiss JenaFC Sachsen Leipzig
1995–96Tennis Borussia Berlin1. FC Union Berlin
1996–97FC Energie CottbusFC Erzgebirge Aue
1997–98Tennis Borussia BerlinDynamo Dresden
1998–99Chemnitzer FCVfB Leipzig
1999–20001. FC Union BerlinDresdner SC
2012–13RB LeipzigFC Carl Zeiss Jena
2013–14TSG Neustrelitz1. FC Magdeburg
2014–151. FC MagdeburgFSV Zwickau
2015–16FSV ZwickauBerliner AK 07
2016–17FC Carl Zeiss JenaFC Energie Cottbus
2017–18FC Energie CottbusFSV Wacker 90 Nordhausen
2018–19Chemnitzer FCBerliner AK 07
2019–201. FC Lokomotive LeipzigVSG Altglienicke

The top goalscorers and spectator statistics for the league since it reformed in 2012:
SeasonTotal
attendance		Average
attendance		Best supported clubAverage
attendance		Top goalscorerGoals
2012-13434,2721,809RB Leipzig7,563Daniel Frahn 20
2013–14369,8411,5411. FC Magdeburg5,482Christian Beck 22
2014–15404,9201,6941. FC Magdeburg8,576Christian Beck 20
2015–16296,828970Carl Zeiss Jena3,531Jonas Nietfeld Andis Shala Marc Zimmermann 15
2016–17393,3751,286Energie Cottbus5,433Federico Palacios Martínez 22
2017–18363,4721,188Energie Cottbus5,263Rufat Dadashov 26
2018–19355,1211,161Chemnitzer FC4,885Daniel Frahn 24
2019–20305,4211,468Energie Cottbus6,218Felix Brügmann 16

Placings in the Regionalliga Nordost

The following clubs have played in the league and achieved the following final positions:
Club959697989900131415161718192021
RB Leipzig13L2B2BBBBBB
1. FC Union Berlin3256612B2B2B2B2B2B2BBB
Erzgebirge Aue9527732B2B2B3L2B2B2B2B2B
Dynamo DresdenB4721182B2B3L3L2B2B2B2B3L
1. FC Magdeburg123106213L3L3L2B3L3L
FSV Zwickau2B2B2B2B41836213L3L3L3L3L
Carl Zeiss Jena12B2B2B94234713L3L3Lx
Chemnitzer FC2B2B4812B3L3L3L3L3L3L13Lx
1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig2B2B2B2B29101510661x
VSG Altglienicke15142x
Energie Cottbus7312B2B2B2B2B3L3L213L3x
FSV Union Fürstenwalde139134x
Hertha BSC II1318115126109845x
BFC Dynamo1113131181754154126x
Berliner AK 07411726327x
FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin81512413118x
VfB Auerbach147129121199x
ZFC Meuselwitz710141414101010x
FSV Wacker 90 Nordhausen111121753372313
SV Lichtenberg11x
BSG Chemie Leipzig1612x
FSV Optik Rathenow15171116181714x
Germania Halberstadt9139177815x
SV Babelsberg 03141553L1411655716x
Bischofswerdaer FV 0812161617x
Rot-Weiß Erfurt257351073L3L3L3L3L3L518
FC Oberlausitz Neugersdorf581215
FSV Budissa Bautzen1313171418
TSG Neustrelitz81881817
FSV 63 Luckenwalde161618x
RB Leipzig II3113
FC Schönberg 9541511
Union Berlin II512410
VFC Plauen6101051313916
Energie Cottbus II15
Torgelower SV Greif16
Tennis Borussia Berlin41612B2Bx
Dresdner SC132
Sachsen Leipzig2694146
Eisenhüttenstädter FC Stahl814831712
VfL Halle 189614
Tennis Borussia Berlin II15
Lok Altmark Stendal1681191216
Spandauer SV1410161316
SD Croatia Berlin18
Hertha Zehlendorf10121515
Reinickendorfer Füchse691416
Hansa Rostock II18
SC Charlottenburg17
FSV Velten1518
BSV Stahl Brandeburg17
Türkiyemspor Berlin18