The Regionalliga Bayern () is the highest association football league in the state of Bavaria () and the Bavarian football league system. It is one of five Regionalligas in German football, the fourth tier of the German football league system, below the 3. Liga.
The league was established at the end of the 2011–12 season and replaced the Regionalliga Süd at this level in Bavaria.DFB-Bundestag beschließt Reform der Spielklassen DFB website. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2010Untere Ligen erfahren eine Aufwertung Augsburger Allgemeine. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2011Erste Qualifikationsgrenzen bestätigt fupa.net. 5 July 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011
History
The German league system, having gone through its last adjustment in 2008, when the 3. Liga was established and the number of Regionalligas increased from two to three, required another adjustment in 2011.Geschichte DFB website - Regionalliga History. Retrieved 6 July 2011 The reason for this was the large number of insolvencies on the fourth level, caused by high cost and infrastructure requirements while, at the same time, the clubs at this level complained about low incomes and little interest from TV broadcasters. Some Regionalliga requirements were seen as causing too much of a financial strain on amateur clubs, for example stadiums had to have at least 1,000 seats, and a separate stand with separate entrance for away spectators. Many clubs also struggled to cope with the 400-pages long license application, having to rely on volunteers rather than being able draw on permanent staff.Regionalliga-Reform: Top-Amateure - Top-Talente in einer Liga! Bavarian FA website. 4 October 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2011
This led to Oberliga champions even, at times, declining their right for promotion to avoid the financial risk the Regionalliga meant to them, breaking with a basic principle of German football that league champions would almost always be promoted.Wendelsteiner Anstoß Bavarian FA website - The Wendelstein paper. Retrieved 6 July 2011
In a special conference of the German Football Association, the DFB, in October 2010, 223 of 253 delegates voted for a reform of the league system on the fourth level. The number of Regionalligas was to be expanded to five, with the reestablishment of the Regionalliga Nordost, the formation of the Regionalliga Bayern and a shift of the Regionalliga Süd to the new Regionalliga Südwest.
The suggestion for the league reform had come from Bavaria, where, in a meeting of the Bavarian top-level amateur clubs at Wendelstein, the financial survival of the leagues and clubs in the current system was questioned. It resulted in the publication of what was called the Wendelsteiner Anstoß, which demanded a clear demarcation between professional football on the first three tiers of German football and amateur football below that. For this purpose, the paper also demanded the reestablishment of the German amateur football championship as an incentive and goal for top amateur clubs who did not want to turn professional.
On 16 December 2011, the Bavarian Football Association (German abbreviation: BFV) introduced the league's logo.Chronik - Der Weg zur Regionalliga Bayern Bavarian FA website - Timeline of the Regionalliga Bayern. Retrieved 9 April 2012
In March 2012 the BFV announced that the league champions, apart from having the opportunity to compete in the promotion round to the 3. Liga, would also qualify directly for the first round of the German Cup. Due to the ban of reserve teams in the German Cup, this spot would be handed to the best placed first team should the champions be a reserve side.DFB-Pokal-Startplatz für den Amateurmeister fupa.net. 1 April 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012
With the deadline for the licence applications for the new league set for 1 April 2012, 32 clubs had applied for the new league. Of those, one came from the 3. Liga, six from the Regionalliga, eight from the Landesliga and two from leagues outside Bavaria. Of the 18 Bayernliga clubs, 15 applied for a licence, with only TSV Gersthofen, TSV Aindling and SpVgg Unterhaching II deciding not to apply. Of the Landesliga clubs, eight applied for a licence.Das sind die 32 Regionalliga-Bewerber fupa.net. 2 April 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012
The BFV planned to complete the licensing procedure by 20 April 2012 and notify all clubs of the outcome by that date, but this process was delayed.Das Kreuz mit den Regionalliga-Auflagen fupa.net. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012 On 20 April 2012 the FSV Erlangen-Bruck opted to withdraw its Regionalliga application because of ongoing financial issues.Erlangen-Bruck verzichtet auf Regionalliga fupa.net. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012 All Bayernliga and Regionalliga clubs had their licence applications approved by 27 April 2012 while the Landesliga clubs had to wait another week before being notified of a decision.Alle Bayern- und Regionalligisten zugelassen fupa.net. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012
The 2019–20 season was interrupted by the coronavirus disease pandemic in Germany that broke out in March 2020. It was later suspended until 31 August, necessitating a cancellation of the 2020–21 season as the BFV approved a resumption of the preceding one with 17 teams after 1 September and its extension to mid-2021.
League statistics The top goal scorers and spectator statistics for the league are: SeasonTeamsChampionsRunners-upOverall SpectatorsPer gameBest supported ClubSpectators per gameTop goal scorerGoalsReferences 2012–13 20 1860 Munich II Bayern Munich II 222,885 587 TSV Buchbach 1,011 Andreas Neumeyer 24 Regionalliga Bayern 2012/2013 .:. Zuschauer .:. Heimspiele Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 28 May 2013Regionalliga Bayern - Torjäger kicker.de. Retrieved 28 May 2013 2013–14 19Bayern Munich II FV Illertissen 245,499 718 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 1,865 Nicolas Görtler 21 Regionalliga Bayern 2013/2014 » Torschützenliste Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 22 May 2014Regionalliga Bayern 2013/2014 .:. Zuschauer .:. Heimspiele Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 22 May 2014 2014–15 18 Würzburger Kickers Bayern Munich II 274,711 898 Würzburger Kickers 2,482 Dominik Stolz 23 Regionalliga Bayern 2014/2015 .:. Zuschauer .:. Heimspiele Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 20 May 2015Regionalliga Bayern 2014/2015 » Torschützenliste Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 20 May 2015 2015–1618 Jahn Regensburg Wacker Burghausen 368,993 1,206 Jahn Regensburg 6,557 Markus Ziereis 19 Regionalliga Bayern 2015/2016 » Zuschauer » Heimspiele Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 4 May 2016Regionalliga Bayern 2015/2016 » Torschützenliste Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 4 May 2016 2016–17 18 SpVgg Unterhaching Bayern Munich II 234,159 765 SpVgg Unterhaching 1,935 Stephan Hain 32 Regionalliga Bayern 2016/2017 » Zuschauer » Heimspiele Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 23 May 2017Regionalliga Bayern 2016/2017 » Torschützenliste Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 23 May 2017 2017–18 19 1860 Munich Bayern Munich II 487,996 1,427 1860 Munich 11,772 Adam Jabiri 28 Regionalliga Bayern 2017/2018 » Zuschauer » Heimspiele Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 17 May 2018Regionalliga Bayern 2017/2018 » Torschützenliste Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 17 May 2018 2018–19 18 Bayern Munich II VfB Eichstätt 187,131 612 Viktoria Aschaffenburg 1,210 Kwasi Wriedt 24 Regionalliga Bayern 2018/2019 » Zuschauer » Heimspiele Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 20 May 2019Regionalliga Bayern 2018/2019 » Torschützenliste Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 20 May 2018 2019–20 18No champion or runner-up attributed; season suspended and later extended to 2021 2019–21 17 1. FC Schweinfurt Viktoria Aschaffenburg Fabian Eberle Lukas Riglewski 16 2021–22 20 SpVgg Bayreuth Bayern Munich II Patrick Hobsch 28 2022–23 20 SpVgg Unterhaching Würzburger Kickers Patrick Hobsch 27 2023–24 18 Würzburger Kickers DJK Vilzing Julian Kania 24 2024–25 18 1. FC Schweinfurt TSV Buchbach Juan Ignacio Cabrera 18 2025–26 18 1. FC Nürnberg II Würzburger Kickers
League record Promoted teams in bold.
Seasons
2012–13
The first-ever round of the new Regionalliga Bayern kicked off on 19 July 2012 with the opening game held at Bamberg, ending with a 1–0 home victory for FC Eintracht Bamberg against SpVgg Bayern Hof.Das sind die neuen Regionalligen: Bayern macht den Anfang fussball.de. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012Regionalliga-Eröffnungsspiel in Bamberg fupa.net. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012 Alexander Deptalla of Bamberg became the first ever goal scorer in the league.Bamberg feiert Auftaktsieg gegen Bayern Hof fupa.net. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012 While the league attendance in the early rounds was below 900 spectators a match an attendance record was set when the reserve teams of Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 met in front of 6,000 spectators on 5 August 2012.Die »Roten« setzen sich die Derbykrone auf fupa.net - Game report. 5 August 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012 The league was won by the reserve team of 1860 Munich, while FV Illertissen finished as the best non-reserve side and thereby earned the title of Bavarian amateur champion, which qualified the club for the first round of the German Cup. The league champions in turn qualified for the promotion round to the 3. Liga, in which it met the runners-up of the Regionalliga Südwest, SV Elversberg, and lost.So läuft die Relegation auf Verbandsebene 2013 fupa.net. Retrieved 20 May 2013FVI schafft DFB-Pokaleinzug fupa.net. 12 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013
2013–14
FC Bayern Munich II won the league title in the second season of the league but was, like the reserve of 1860 Munich the year before, unable to win promotion in the promotion round to the 3. Liga. TSV Rain am Lech, Bayern Hof and Viktoria Aschaffenburg were directly relegated while FC Schweinfurt 05 and TSV 1860 Rosenheim entered the relegation round, with the former defending its league place while the later was relegated. The FV Illertissen was, for the second consecutive season the best non reserve side in the league and thereby qualified for the first round of the German Cup again.
2014–15
The league was won by Würzburger Kickers which thereby qualified for the promotion round to the 3. Liga and also the first round of the 2015–16 DFB-Pokal. Second and third place were taken up by the reserve teams of Bayern and TSV 1860 Munich. The encounters of these two teams also attracted the most spectators per game, being seen by 12,000 spectators on each occasion.
2015–16
The 2015–16 season saw a new Regionalliga Bayern record set when 15,224 spectators attended Jahn Regensburg's home match in their new stadium against FC Bayern Munich II.15224 Zuschauer in Regensburg Sueddeutsche Zeitung. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015 Regensburg, relegated from the 3. Liga the previous season, won the league and gained promotion by defeating VfL Wolfsburg II in the promotion play-off. At the bottom of the table newly promoted FC Amberg and TSV Rain am Lech were both relegated again.
2016–17
The biggest home win in the league's history was recorded: 12–0, by FC Augsburg II against SV Seligporten. Marco Richter scored seven goals.Regionalliga: FCA II macht Dutzend voll bfv.de. 30 July 2016 Meanwhile, the biggest away win was 8–1, for SpVgg Unterhaching over VfR Garching.VfR Garching - SpVgg Unterhaching - Regionalliga Bayern 2016/17, 19. Spieltag kicker.de. 14 November 2016 Unterhaching won the league for the first time, beating SV Elversberg for promotion. 1860 Munich II were relegated due to the 1860 Munich first team not being able obtaining a licence for the 2017–18 3. Liga and subsequently being admitted to the Regionalliga Bayern for the 2017–18 season. Originally they had finished the season in second place. 18th placed Bayern Hof were also relegated.
2017–18
The league was expanded for the 2017–18 season to admit TSV 1860 Munich. This meant that this year's league was held with 19 teams instead of 18.