The Nemzeti Bajnokság II also known as NB II or Merkantil Bank Liga after its title sponsor, OTP Bank's subsidiary, is a professional association football league in Hungary and the second division level of the Hungarian football league system. Since the 2026–27 season, the champion is promoted directly, while the second-placed team has the opportunity to be promoted to the first division in a play-off against the eleventh-placed team from the Nemzeti Bajnokság I, while the two lowest teams in second league are relegated to Nemzeti Bajnokság III.

From the 2024–25 season, only 16 teams will participate in the league.

History Nemzeti Bajnokság II was founded in 1901, having 8 teams. The first champions were 33FC having won the 1901 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season. The first two teams would participate in a promotion playoff with the last 2 teams from the first league (1901 Nemzeti Bajnokság I). The early decades were characterized by a strong Budapest-centric model; the core of the league consisted of clubs from the capital, while regional football developed independently within separate district championships. A major turning point came in 1926 with the introduction of professionalism and the establishment of the nationwide Professional II Division. This step not only bridged the gap between capital and regional clubs but also sustained the competitiveness of the league through the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II, during which the league's geographical reach temporarily expanded from Upper Hungary to Transylvania due to border shifts also competed in the league such as Ungvári AC and Nagyvárad AC.

The post-WWII nationalization and socialist sports management fundamentally reshaped the landscape. Clubs were reorganized around factories, trade unions, or armed forces, sparking the rise of industrial towns in the countryside. During this era, the structure of the NB II (or occasionally NB B) constantly fluctuated between a single nationwide group and multiple regional groups. This period marked the true golden age of the second division in terms of match attendance. In traditional football bastions like Fehérvár, Szeged, Diósgyőr, Szombathely and Pécs, crowds of tens of thousands regularly gathered to support their teams. Stability was finally achieved in 1978 with the introduction of a unified, 20-team national championship, which guaranteed a high standard of sporting competition.

The economic shock of the regime change in 1989 did not spare football. With the collapse of factory sponsorships, dozens of clubs went bankrupt or merged. The 1990s and 2000s were defined by organizational instability; the name of the championship (NB I/B, NB II) and its format changed frequently, and between 2005 and 2013, the league was split into Eastern and Western groups. While this solution reduced travel costs for clubs, it diluted the quality of the competition and led to frequent licensing issues and mid-season bankruptcies.

The modern era was established by a radical reform initiated by the MLSZ in 2013, which returned the competition to a single, nationwide group. To boost competitiveness and economic stability, the federation gradually streamlined the league, reducing the number of teams to the current 16-club format. Today's NB II is characterized by strict professional infrastructure requirements—including mandatory stadium floodlights and modern pitches—as well as regulations that financially incentivize clubs to field young Hungarian talent. As a result, the second division now offers a competitive environment where historic clubs fight to return to the top flight clash with ambitious, rising teams, all while serving as the most vital talent pipeline for the future of Hungarian football.

Current clubs

TeamLocationStadiumCapacityAqvital FC CsákvárCsákvárTersztyánszky Ödön Sportközpont2,020BVSC-ZuglóBudapest (Zugló)Szőnyi úti Stadion12,000Diósgyőri VTKMiskolc DVTK Stadion15,325FC AjkaAjkaVárosi Szabadidő- és Sportcentrum5,000Gyirmót FC Győr Győr (Gyirmót)Ménfői úti Stadion4,500HR-Rent KozármislenyKozármislenyKozármislenyi Stadion2,000Karcagi SEKarcagLiget úti Sporttelep2,500Kecskeméti TEKecskemétSzéktói Stadion6,300Kolorcity Kazincbarcikai SCKazincbarcikaKolorcity Aréna1,080Mezőkövesd Zsóry FCMezőkövesdMezőkövesdi Városi Stadion4,183Nagykanizsa FCNagykanizsa Olajbányász Sporttelep7,000Soroksár SCBudapest (Soroksár)Szamosi Mihály Sporttelep5,000Szeged-Csanád Grosics AkadémiaSzegedSzent Gellért Fórum8,136Szentlőrinc SESzentlőrincSzentlőrinc SE Sporttelep1,020Tiszakécskei LCTiszakécskeTiszakécske Városi Sportcentrum4,500Videoton FC FehérvárSzékesfehérvárSóstói Stadion14,201 Format On 2 March 2017, the Hungarian Football Federation announced that the number of the teams in the Nemzeti Bajnokság II will not be reduced to 12.

From 2024 onwards, the league was reduced to 16 teams from 20 and 18 teams in 2022–2024, respectively.

Number of groupsSeasons1between 1901 and 1913–14, in 1915, between 1916–17 and 1918–19, between 1921–22 and 1937–38, between 1963 and 1969, between 1970–71 and 1977–78, between 1982–83 and 1987–88, between 1997–98 and 1999–00, between 2002–03 and 2004–05, between 2013–14 and present2between 1919–20 and 1920–21, between 1937–38 and 1938–39, between 1955 and 1956, between 1958–59 and 1962–63, in 1970, between 1988–89 and 1996–97, between 2000–01 and 2001–02, between 2005–06 and 2012–133in 1914, in 1939–40, In 1941–42, in 1957–58, between 1978–79 and 1981–824in 1943–44, between 1946–47 and 1954, in 19575in 1940–41, in 1942–439in 194516in 1944–45

List of champions

1901: 33 FC 1902: Postás 1903: Főváros 1904: Újpest 1905: BAK 1906: Tisztviselők 1906–07: Törekvés 1907–08: 33 FC 1908–09: Nemzeti 1909–10: 33 FC 1910–11: III. Kerület 1911–12: Újpest 1912–13: III. Kerület 1913–14: MAFC 1914: Főváros, Újpest-Rákospalotai AK 1915: Vasas 1916–17: MÁV Gépgyári SK 1917–18: Terézváros 1918–19: Testvériség 1919–20: Erzsébetfalva, VII. Kerület 1920–21: BSE, VAC 1921–22: MAFC 1922–23: Újpesti Törekvés 1923–24: BEAC 1924–25: 33 FC 1925–26: Főváros 1926–27: Miskolci AK 1927–28: Somogy 1928–29: Pécs-Baranya 1929–30: Sabaria 1930–31: Somogy 1931–32: Soroksár 1932–33: Phöbus 1933–34: Soroksár 1934–35: Budafok FC 1935–36: Nemzeti 1936–37: Szürketaxi 1937–38: Zuglói SE, Szolnok 1938–39: Szombathely, Törekvés 1939–40: Tokod, Csepel, Salgótarján 1940–41: Szegedi VSE, Lampart, Nagyvárad, Marosvásárhely, Sepsiszentgyörgyi Textil 1941–42: Szombathely, Vasas, Törekvés 1942–43: Győr, Szegedi VSE, BSzKRT, BVSC, Debrecen 1943–44: MÁVAG SK, Ungvár, Szentlőrinc, Szegedi AK 1944–45: suspended due to World War II 1945: Békéscsaba, Elektromos, Soproni VSE, Dorog, Diósgyőr, PVSK, Kecskemét, Szeged AK 1946–47: MOGÜRT SC, Erzsébeti MTK, MATEOSz, Elektromos 1947–48: Tatabánya, Soroksár, Kistext, Goldberger 1948–49: Nagykanizsa, Dorog, Debrecen, BKV Előre 1949–50: Tatabánya, Bőripari, Diósgyőr, Szegedi AK 1950: Tatabányai Építők SK, Soroksár, Sajószentpéteri Tárna, Szegedi Honvéd SE 1951: PVSK, Budafok, Postás, Keltex 1952: Vörös Lobogó Sor Tex, Sztálin Vasmű Építők, Miskolci Honvéd SE, Vasas Izzó 1953: PVSK, Szikra Gázművek, Diósgyőr, Vasas Izzó 1954: Kőbányai Dózsa, Budapesti Vörös Meteor, Ózd, Szolnoki Légierő 1955: Tatabánya, Szegedi Haladás 1956: Komló, Diósgyőr 1957: Videoton, Nyíregyháza, Szegedi VSE, Oroszlány 1957–58: Győr, BVSC, Miskolc 1958–59: Pécs, Szegedi EAC 1959–60: Győr, Debrecen 1960–61: Komló, Ózd 1961–62: Szombathely, Debrecen 1962–63: Csepel, Diósgyőr

1963: VM Egyetértés 1964: Salgótarján 1965: Dunaújváros 1966: Szegedi EAC 1967: Egyetértés 1968: Eger 1969: Videoton 1970: Pécsi Bányász SC 1970: FŐSPED Szállítók SE 1970–71: Vörös Meteor 1971–72: Szegedi EOL 1972–73: Szombathely 1973–74: Diósgyőr 1974–75: Szegedi EOL 1975–76: Dunaújváros 1976–77: Pécsi MFC 1977–78: Salgótarján 1978–79: PVSK, Volán, Debrecen 1979–80: Kaposvár, Csepel, Nyíregyháza 1980–81: Szombathely, Szegedi EOL, Ózd 1981–82: Nagykanizsa, MTK, Kazincbarcika 1982–83: Volán 1983–84: Eger 1984–85: Volán 1985–86: Dunaújváros 1986–87: Kaposvár 1987–88: Veszprém 1988–89: Csepel 1988–89: Debrecen 1989–90: Volán, Szeged SC 1990–91: Szombathely, BVSC 1991–92: Csepel, Békéscsaba 1992–93: Szombathely, Debrecen 1993–94: Nagykanizsa, Stadler 1994–95: Szombathely, MTK 1995–96: Siófoki Bányász FC, III. Kerület 1996–97: Gázszer, Tiszakécske 1997–98: Nyíregyháza 1998–09: Tatabánya 1999–00: Videoton 2000–01: Szombathely, BKV Előre 2001–02: Siófok, Békéscsaba 2002–03: Pécsi MFC 2003–04: Budapest Honvéd 2004–05: Tatabánya 2005–06: Paks, Vác 2006–07: Siófok, Nyíregyháza 2007–08: Szombathely, Kecskemét 2008–09: Gyirmót, Ferencváros 2009–10: Siófok, Szolnok 2010–11: Pécs, Diósgyőr 2011–12: MTK, Eger 2012–13: Puskás Akadémia, Mezőkövesd 2013–14: Nyíregyháza 2014–15: Vasas 2015–16: Gyirmót 2016–17: Puskás Akadémia 2017–18: MTK 2018–19: Zalaegerszeg 2019–20: MTK 2020–21: Debrecen 2021–22: Vasas 2022–23: Diósgyőr 2023–24: Nyíregyháza 2024–25: Kisvárda 2025–26: Vasas

Note winning the Nemzeti Bajnokság II did not mean automatic promotion to Nemzeti Bajnokság I. Between 1963 and 1973–74, the name of the second division was Nemzeti Bajnokság I/B.

Statistics

Most titles Below is a ranking of the clubs by most titles won.

Club Titles Winning seasonsSzombathelyi Haladás101938–39, 1941–42, 1944–45, 1961–62, 1972–73, 1980–81, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1994–95, 2007–08 Debrecen8 1942–43 1948–49, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1978–79, 1988–89, 1992–93, 2020–21 Diósgyőr8 1945, 1949–50, 1953, 1956, 1962–63, 1973–74, 2010–11, 2022–23Szegedi EAC61958–59, 1966, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1980–81, 1989–90Csepel51939–40, 1962–63, 1979–80, 1988–89, 1991–92MTK51981–82, 1994–95, 2011–12, 2017–18, 2019–20Nyíregyháza51979–80, 1997–98, 2006–07, 2013–14, 2023–24Vasas51915, 1941–42, 2014–15, 2021–22, 2025–2633 FC41901, 1907–08, 1909–10, 1924–25Dunaújváros41952 (as Sztálin Vasmű Építők), 1965, 1975–76, 1985–86Pécsi MFC41958–59, 1976–77, 2002–03, 2010–11Pécsi Vasutas41945, 1951, 1953, 1978–79Siófok41995–96, 2001–02, 2006–07, 2009–10Soroksár41931–32, 1933–34, 1947–48, 1950Tatabánya41947–48, 1949–50, 1955, 2004–05VM Egyetértés41954, 1963, 1967, 1970–71Volán41978–79, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1989–90Békéscsaba31945, 1991–92, 2001–02BKV Előre31942–43, 1948–49, 2000–01BVSC31942–43, 1957–58, 1990–91Eger31968, 1983–84, 2011–12Győr31942–43, 1957–58, 1959–60Ózd31954, 1960–61, 1980–81Nagykanizsa31948–49, 1981–82, 1993–94Salgótarján31939–40, 1964, 1977–78Szegedi AK3 1943–44, 1945, 1949–50Szegedi VSE31940–41, 1942–43, 1957Törekvés31906–07, 1938–39, 1941–42Videoton31957, 1969, 1999–2000Budapesti Postás21902, 1951Budapesti Vörös Meteor21954, 1967Dorog21945, 1948–49Elektromos21945, 1946–47Kaposvár21979–80, 1986–87Kecskemét21945, 2007–08Komló21956, 1960–61MAFC21913–14, 1921–22Nemzeti21908–09, 1935–36Puskás Akadémia22012–13, 2016–17Somogy21927–28, 1930–31Szolnok21937–38, 2009–10Terézváros21903, 1917–18Újpest2 1904, 1911–12Vasas Izzó21952, 1953Vörös Lobogó Keltex21947–48, 1951BAK11905BEAC11923–24Bőripari Dolgozók11949–50Budafok FC11934–35Budapest Honvéd12003–04BSE11920–21Erzsébetfalva11919–20ESMTK11946–47Ferencváros12008–09FŐSPED11970Gázművek11953Kazincbarcika11981–82Kiskőrös11993–94Kisvárda12024–25Kőbányai Dózsa11954Mezőkövesd12012–13Miskolci AK11926–27Miskolci VSC11957–58Nagykanizsai MAORT11948–49Nagyvárad11940–41Nyíregyházi Építők11957Oroszlány11957Paks12005–06Pécs-Baranya11928–29Pécsi Bányász11970Phöbus11932–33Sabaria11929–30Sajószentpéteri Tárna11950Sepsiszentgyörgyi Textil11940–41Soproni VSE11945Szentlőrinc11943–44Szürketaxi11936–37Testvériség11918–19Tiszakécske11996–97Tisztviselők11906Tokod11939–40Újpest-Rákospalota11914Újpesti Törekvés11922–23Ungvár11943–44VAC11920–21Vác FC12005–06Veszprém11987–88VII. Kerület11919–20Zalaegerszeg12018–19Zuglói SE11937–38

Name changes BKV Előre – BSzKRT, Előre SC Budafoki MTE – Budapesti Gyárépítők (in 1951) Budafok FC – Gamma FC (Please note that Budafok FC and Budafok MTE are two distinct teams) Budapesti Vörös Meteor – Egyetértés