There is a broad consensus that all masters from the regional leagues should rise to the 3rd division. But the way to the goal is rocky. A working group at the DFB should be decided today.
So far, the “promotion reform” has only been as a requirement, also known for the slogan: “Master have to climb!”. In the regional leagues, however, this fails because there are five classes of them, but only four promoters to the 3rd league.
Lok Leipzig has met twice in the past five years. The three -time German champion failed in 2020 and 2025 in the relegation games. For these duels, the masters from the north, northeast and Bavaria alternate. The masters of the regional west and southwest, on the other hand, get on safely.
Frustration with many clubs
These constellations ensure frustration with many clubs that have a similarly successful story as Lok Leipzig, but also at FC Eilenburg, Kickers Emden and SC Wiedenbrück.
They belong to the “Advice Reform 2025” initiative, which can count on support from clubs, which will probably hardly have anything to do with the promotion regulation from the regional leagues in the coming years. Bundesliga club 1. FC Union Berlin is part of it, just like the second division club FC Schalke 04, 1. FC Magdeburg and Dynamo Dresden.
“A championship title in the regional league should automatically mean promotion to the 3rd league. Everything else undermines the integrity of the competition and makes the long -term development of sporting perspectives” difficult “says Schalke’s sports director Frank Baumann.
The goal is defined by a majority, the way to the goal is at most vague outlined. Soon there could be at least a task force that takes care of the topic.
“Wish me as soon as possible A working group “
“I would still like to found a working group as soon as possible”said Hermann Winkler on Monday (18.08.2025) of the sports show. The President of the Northeast German Football Association (NOFV) was on the way to Frankfurt am Main for a conference at the German Football Association (DFB) with all other presidents of the regional and state associations.
Winkler’s goal is “No time to lose” So that during the DFB Bundestag on November 6th, possible suggestions can be discussed and not only then be started.
Hermann Winkler, President of the NOFV
DFB President: Reform yes, but no further climber
As President of the DFB, Bernd Neuendorf supports the demand that masters have to rise, but he advocates that it will stay with four promoters. “I consider the concern to be justified. Master have to ascend. But when it comes to implementation, it becomes more complicated”, told Neuendorf to the broadcaster “Sky”.
There is no explicit aging point for the conference in Frankfurt “Reform of climbing” intended that there should be an update to the opinion that has arisen in the conferences of the different seasons.
The support for a reform should find a partially outstanding majority in four out of five leagues. On the other hand, the regional league Südwest, which is organized as a GmbH and enjoys the advantage of a guaranteed ascent. Only the KSV Hessen Kassel previously joined the “Advice Reform” initiative.
Bavaria enjoys the only state of owning its own regional league. To dissolve this special position is likely to be one of the problems that need to be discussed.
What happens to the second teams of professional clubs?
A possible working group should also be about how the second teams deal with professional clubs. In the current season, 19 teams are distributed over the five leagues, seven of them in the west. Although they are not allowed to climb, they are a thorn in the side of many other clubs because they have hardly any spectators and bring them to away games, and they also get reinforcements from the expanded professional squad from time to time.
The idea of a closed league for second teams should be discussed in the working group as well as the opportunity to drive the regional league in two tracks and to divide it in north and south or west and east.
In the course of the afternoon, the first results of the conference in Frankfurt are expected.