Drama for a traditional club
The last newcomer in German professional football has been determined
Updated June 2, 2026 – 4:00 a.mReading time: 1 min.
After the first two leagues, the field of participants in the 3rd league is now complete. The promotion games bring with them drama.
The Würzburger Kickers return to the 3rd league. The team from the Regionalliga Bayern prevailed in the promotion games against the Northeast representative 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig. After the 1-0 win in the first leg, Bayern also won the second leg 2-1 (1-0) on Monday evening.
Jermain Nischalke gave Würzburg the lead (30th minute), Djamal Ziane only briefly raised Leipzig’s hopes (71st). Because practically in return, Cherif Cisse scored the winning goal for the Kickers (72nd).
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The Würzburgers are returning to the 3rd league four years after being relegated. They only finished their season in second place. The team was only allowed to take part in the promotion games because the second representative of 1. FC Nürnberg decided not to apply for a license for the 3rd league.
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For Lok Leipzig, the defeat continues a dramatic development. The Saxons had already won their season in the previous season, but failed in the subsequent promotion games against TSV Havelse. Instead, Leipzig are now entering their eleventh regional league season in a row. Lok last competed above the regional league in the 1997/98 season, when the team played in the 2nd Bundesliga.
The traditional club from Saxony is considered the legitimate successor club to VfB Leipzig, which became German champions in 1903, 1906 and 1913.
