The Austrian Regionalliga (, plural , meaning Regional League) is the third level of Austrian football, below the Bundesliga and the 2. Liga. It is organised by the Austrian Football Association rather than by the Bundesliga, and it sits above the state leagues run by the nine regional associations.
Since the 2026–27 season the level has been divided into four parallel divisions. These are the Regionalliga East, the Regionalliga North, the Regionalliga South and the Regionalliga West.
The competition was founded in 1959 as the second tier of the Austrian league system and became the third tier in 1974. Its structure has changed repeatedly since. The Regionalliga Central was dissolved in 2026 after 32 seasons in its second spell, and clubs from Salzburg left the West at the same time to form the new North with Upper Austria.
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 () 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 () 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 (1950–1960) Year Tauernliga Tauernliga South Tauernliga North Arlbergliga 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 Radenthein SK Bischofshofen SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz 1957 --- WSG Radenthein SK Bischofshofen SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz 1958 --- WSG Radenthein SV Austria Salzburg FC Lustenau 07 1959 --- WSG Radenthein SV Austria Salzburg FC Lustenau 07 1960 --- --- Salzburger AK 1914* FC Dornbirn 1913
In 1960, the Carinthian teams already played in the Central Regionalliga and the Tyrolean and Vorarlberg clubs were still in the Arlbergliga. For this reason the champion of the Salzburger Landesliga was entitled to deny the qualification matches against the champion of the Arlbergliga.
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 () of Salzburg, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Carinthia, Upper Austria () and Styria () those Play Offs () 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 () of Upper Austria, Carinthia (with East Tyrol ()) 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 () (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 and 2016–17 only the Central winners were promoted as the Eastern and Western champions declined promotion. 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 (1960–2026) Year Regionalliga East Regionalliga Central Regionalliga West 1960 1. Schwechater SC SV Stickstoff Linz --- 1961 SK Admira Wien Kapfenberger SV Salzburger AK 1914 1962 SC Wacker Wien SK Austria Klagenfurt SV Austria Salzburg 1963 1. Wiener Neustädter SC Kapfenberger SV FC Dornbirn 1913 1964 SC Wacker Wien SK Sturm Graz FC Wacker Innsbruck 1965 1. Simmeringer SC Wien SK Austria Klagenfurt SV Austria Salzburg 1966 SC Wacker Wien SK Sturm Graz SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz 1967 SC Eisenstadt WSG Radenthein SV Austria Salzburg 1968 SC Wacker Wien WSV Donawitz WSG Wattens 1969 First Vienna FC 1894 Wien SK VÖEST Linz FC Dornbirn 1913 1970 1. Simmeringer SC Wien WSG Radenthein SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz 1971 SC Eisenstadt WSV Donawitz SK Bischofshofen 1972 ESV Admira Wiener Neustadt SK Austria Klagenfurt SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz 1973 1. Simmeringer SC Wien WSG Radenthein FC Rätia Bludenz 1974 SV Heid Stockerau Kapfenberger SV FC Dornbirn 191 1975 SC Tulln --- --- 1976 Kremser SC --- --- 1977 ASV Kittsee --- --- 1978 Favoritner AC Wien --- USK Anif 1979 SV Heid Stockerau --- SpG Innsbruck 1980 SC Neusiedl 1919 --- Salzburger AK 1914 1981 --- --- ASK Salzburg 1982 --- --- IG Bregenz/Dornbirn 1983 --- --- SC Kufstein 1984 --- --- USV Salzburg 1985 1. Schwechater SC --- IG Bregenz/Dornbirn II 1986 VfB Union Mödling --- SC Kufstein 1987 VSE St. Pölten --- USV Salzburg 1988 SV Stockerau --- FC Dornbirn 1913 1989 ASV Austria Vösendorf --- WSG Wattens 1990 SR Donaufeld Wien --- FC Salzburg 1991 Favoritner AC Wien --- SC Rheindorf Altach 1992 SV Oberwart --- ASVÖ FC Puch bei Hallein 1993 1. Wiener Neustädter SC --- FC Kufstein 1994 ASK Klingenbach --- SC Austria Lustenau 1995 Favoritner AC Wien SAK Klagenfurt WSG Wattens 1996 SV Stockerau TSV Hartberg SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz 1997 ASK Kottingbrunn SK Eintracht Wels SC Rheindorf Altach 1998 SC Untersiebenbrunn SK Austria Klagenfurt/VSV SV Wörgl 1999 SC Untersiebenbrunn TSV Hartberg WSG Wattens 2000 SV Mattersburg BSV Bad Bleiberg FC Lustenau 07 2001 ASK Kottingbrunn ASKÖ Pasching FC Lustenau 07 2002 Wiener Sportklub Kapfenberger SV FC Hard 2003 SV Schwechat FC Blau-Weiß Linz SPG WSG Wattens/FC Wacker Tirol 2004 SC-ESV Parndorf 1919 FC Gratkorn SC Rheindorf Altach 2005 FK Austria Wien Amateure SC Schwanenstadt FC Kufstein 2006 SC-ESV Parndorf 1919 TSV Hartberg FC Lustenau 07 2007 ASK Schwadorf SV Bad Aussee Red Bull Salzburg Amateure 2008 SKN St. Pölten 1. FC Vöcklabruck SV Grödig 2009 First Vienna FC TSV Hartberg FC Dornbirn 1913 2010 FC Waidhofen/Ybbs Wolfsberger AC SV Grödig 2011 SC-ESV Parndorf 1919 LASK Juniors Red Bull Juniors 2012 SV Horn Grazer AK WSG Wattens 2013 SC-ESV Parndorf 1919 LASK Linz FC Liefering 2014 FAC Team für Wien LASK Linz SV Austria Salzburg 2015 SC Ritzing SK Austria Klagenfurt SV Austria Salzburg 2016 SV Horn FC Blau-Weiß Linz WSG Wattens 2017 First Vienna FC TSV Hartberg USK Anif 2018 SV Horn SV Lafnitz USK Anif 2019 ASK Ebreichsdorf Grazer AK FC 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 2022 First Vienna FC SK Sturm Graz II No club applied for second division admission 2023 SV Stripfing DSV Leoben SC Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz 2024 SK Rapid Wien II ASK Voitsberg SV Austria Salzburg 2025 SR Donaufeld Hertha Wels SV Austria Salzburg 2026 SV Gloggnitz ASK Voitsberg Wacker Innsbruck
Four Regionalliga groups (2026–present)
The ÖFB presidium ordered a review of the third level in May 2024. A working group weighed several models and consulted clubs from across the country, and in June 2025 the presidium settled on four divisions in place of three from the 2026–27 season. Travel costs were the main argument for the change. Clubs in south east Styria had faced round trips of some 330 kilometres to opponents in Upper Austria.
The Regionalliga Central was dissolved at the end of the 2025–26 season after 32 seasons in its second spell. Its clubs from Upper Austria were joined by clubs from Salzburg, who left the Regionalliga West, to form the new Regionalliga North. The remaining Central clubs, from Styria and Carinthia together with the East Tyrol exclave, formed the new Regionalliga South. The Regionalliga West was left with Tyrol and Vorarlberg, and the Regionalliga East was unchanged.
Each division was designed for sixteen clubs, giving 64 in total. Upper Austria filled its eight places in the North for the first season but Salzburg supplied only seven, leaving that division one short.
The East, North and West are each played as a single table over 30 matchdays, and the club top of the table at the end is champion. The South uses a split format. Eight clubs from Styria and eight from Carinthia play a double round within their own state in the autumn. The top four from each group then contest a spring championship play-off for the title, and the bottom four of each play a qualification play-off against relegation.
Direct promotion was abolished at the same time. One eligible club from each division enters a two-legged tie, and the two winners go up to the 2. Liga. A club must be both sporting qualified and in possession of a licence for the second tier, so the place can pass down the table if the champion does not apply or is refused. ASK Voitsberg of the Regionalliga Central were the last club promoted directly. The pairings for the play-off are drawn each season. For 2026–27 the East was drawn against the South and the West against the North, with the first legs on 1 and 2 June 2027 and the return matches on 4 and 5 June.
Champions (2027–present) Year Regionalliga East Regionalliga North Regionalliga South Regionalliga West 2027
References
External links