Top game at the start, World Cup break, new rules for the clubs, exciting climbers and lots of promotion favorites – everything important for the start of the 3rd division.
The game plan
It starts on July 22nd, by May 27th, 2023 at the latest, after 38 matchdays, the champion will be determined. The two relegation games between the third in the 3rd division and the 16th in the 2nd Bundesliga are scheduled to kick off on June 2nd and 6th, 2023.
Because of the World Cup in Qatar, the 3rd division also has to pause for several weeks. The last match day before the World Cup break is scheduled for November 11-13. After a nine-week break, it won’t start again until January 13, 2023. Three English weeks are coming up and this season will see the last of the unpopular Monday games.
The start
The 1st matchday has it all. VfL Osnabrück and MSV Duisburg open the season on Friday (07/22/2022). There are also three derbies: FC Ingolstadt is expecting SpVgg Bayreuth, FSV Zwickau has to play against Hallesche FC and VfB Oldenburg is playing against SV Meppen. There is also the top game between Dynamo Dresden and TSV 1860 Munich.
Reporting in the ARD
Fans are again well looked after by the ARD. In the third programs there are at least two games to be seen live on almost every matchday. They will then also be broadcast live on sportschau.de. BR, HR, MDR, NDR, RBB, SR, SWR and WDR show a total of 86 games free of charge on free TV. The sports show shows summaries of selected games on Saturdays, which are then also offered on demand.
The NDR broadcasts the game between Oldenburg and Meppen on Saturday (07/23/2022, 2 p.m.). The top game between Dresden and 1860 Munich (07/23/2022, 2 p.m.) can be seen in the first.
Who’s new?
Dynamo Dresden, Erzgebirge Aue and FC Ingolstadt have been relegated from the 2nd division. SpVgg Bayreuth, SV Elversberg, Rot-Weiss Essen and VfB Oldenburg are new additions from the regional leagues.
Who are the favourites?
The second division relegated Dresden, Aue and Ingolstadt automatically belong to the circle of favorites. TSV 1860 Munich also has big ambitions. VfL Osnabrück and 1. FC Saarbrücken are also hoping. Waldhof Mannheim also wants to get involved at the top.
Economic situation and new rules
Since the start of the 3rd division in the 2008/09 season, clubs have repeatedly had to struggle with financial problems, which often ended in bankruptcy. Most recently it hit Türkgücü Munich. The clubs often failed because of the economic and technical-organizational requirements of the DFB.
The association has therefore set up an “Economic Stability 3rd League” task force. The first recommendations of this task force will already be implemented for the new season. The minimum capacity for stadiums was adjusted from 10,001 to 5,001 spectators for the new season. This means a significant reduction in infrastructure costs, especially for smaller clubs.
On the other hand, there are now higher hurdles. They concern, for example, floodlights and lawn heating, both of which are now mandatory. This applies, for example, to promoted VfB Oldenburg. The club has to set up a mobile floodlight system for home games and dismantle it again after the final whistle. The Marschwegstadion also has no undersoil heating. Until that is installed, VfB has to move to the Hannover 96 stadium in the frost, ice and snow. SC Verl is also familiar with these problems, which is why they initially play in the SC Paderborn stadium.