Standings, fixtures, results and everything you need to know about the 3. Liga, the third tier of German football, played by 20 clubs from August to May.
Fixtures and results
Upcoming fixtures
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TSG Hoffenheim II
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Jahn Regensburg
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1. FC Saarbrucken
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Fortuna Dusseldorf
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Fortuna Cologne
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TSV Havelse
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SG Sonnenhof Grossaspach
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Alemannia Aachen
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MSV Duisburg
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SC VerlvsSV Wehen WiesbadenvsFC Ingolstadt 04vsHansa RostockvsFC Viktoria ColognevsSV Meppen 1912vsSC Preussen 06 MunstervsFC Wurzburger KickersvsSG Sonnenhof GrossaspachvsRot-Weiss EssenvsSV Waldhof Mannheim 07vsJahn RegensburgvsTSV HavelsevsAlemannia AachenvsVfB Stuttgart IIvsTSG Hoffenheim IIvsSC VerlvsFortuna DusseldorfvsMSV DuisburgvsFortuna ColognevsSV Meppen 1912vsSV Wehen WiesbadenvsFC Viktoria ColognevsRot-Weiss EssenvsHansa Rostockvs1. FC SaarbruckenvsSG Sonnenhof GrossaspachvsSC Preussen 06 MunstervsFC Ingolstadt 04vsTSV HavelsevsSV Waldhof Mannheim 07Recent results
2 - 1SC Preussen 06 Munster0 - 1Rot-Weiss Essen2 - 1SV Waldhof Mannheim 071 - 2FC Wurzburger Kickers1 - 1FC Ingolstadt 042 - 1Hansa Rostock1 - 4SV Wehen Wiesbaden3 - 3VfB Stuttgart II0 - 1FC Viktoria Cologne0 - 0SV Meppen 19124 - 1TSG Hoffenheim II1 - 0Fortuna Cologne3 - 21. FC Saarbrucken1 - 2Alemannia Aachen4 - 0FC Wurzburger Kickers2 - 1MSV Duisburg7 - 1SG Sonnenhof Grossaspach1 - 1Fortuna Dusseldorf3 - 1SC Verl1 - 0Jahn Regensburg1 - 1TSV Havelse1 - 1FC Viktoria Cologne2 - 1SC Verl2 - 0SV Waldhof Mannheim 072 - 0Hansa Rostock3 - 2SC Preussen 06 Munster0 - 0SV Wehen Wiesbaden1 - 0Rot-Weiss Essen1 - 31. FC Saarbrucken0 - 1VfB Stuttgart II2 - 2SG Sonnenhof Grossaspach0 - 3FC Ingolstadt 043 - 0Alemannia Aachen2 - 2Jahn Regensburg1 - 2Fortuna Dusseldorf2 - 2FC Wurzburger Kickers2 - 4MSV Duisburg3 - 2TSG Hoffenheim II2 - 0Fortuna Cologne0 - 2SV Meppen 19123. Liga standings
Computed from full-time results, 2026/27 season. Updated Wed 4 Nov, 05:31 UTC| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FC Viktoria Cologne | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | +16 | 26 |
| 2 | MSV Duisburg | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | +14 | 26 |
| 3 | Rot-Weiss Essen | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | +7 | 24 |
| 4 | 1. FC Saarbrucken | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | +7 | 20 |
| 5 | Alemannia Aachen | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | +1 | 20 |
| 6 | SV Wehen Wiesbaden | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | +6 | 18 |
| 7 | FC Ingolstadt 04 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 18 |
| 8 | SV Waldhof Mannheim 07 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | +2 | 16 |
| 9 | TSG Hoffenheim II | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | +1 | 16 |
| 10 | Fortuna Dusseldorf | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | -2 | 16 |
| 11 | Hansa Rostock | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | -3 | 16 |
| 12 | SV Meppen 1912 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | -1 | 15 |
| 13 | VfB Stuttgart II | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 15 |
| 14 | SC Preussen 06 Munster | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | -3 | 15 |
| 15 | FC Wurzburger Kickers | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | -7 | 14 |
| 16 | Jahn Regensburg | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | +1 | 13 |
| 17 | SC Verl | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -9 | 12 |
| 18 | SG Sonnenhof Grossaspach | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -13 | 12 |
| 19 | Fortuna Cologne | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -5 | 10 |
| 20 | TSV Havelse | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -9 | 10 |
What is the 3. Liga?
The 3. Liga is the third tier of German football, contested by 20 clubs each season from August to May. Every club plays 38 matches, home and away, and the top two are promoted to the 2. Bundesliga.
The DFB decided on the league in 2006, and it began with the 2008/09 season. The first match was played on 25 July 2008, when Dynamo Dresden beat Rot-Weiß Erfurt 1-0, and 1. FC Union Berlin were the first champions.
VfL Osnabrück are the reigning champions after winning the title in 2025/26. It was their third, the most of any club.
For 2026/27, Fortuna Köln, SV Meppen, SG Sonnenhof Großaspach and Würzburger Kickers have come up from the Regionalliga, while Fortuna Düsseldorf and Preußen Münster have dropped down from the 2. Bundesliga.
How the 3. Liga works
Season structure
20 clubs play each other home and away, 38 matches each and 380 in total. The 2026/27 season began on 7 August 2026 and finishes on 22 May 2027.
Promotion
The top two clubs are promoted automatically to the 2. Bundesliga. The third-placed club plays a two-legged play-off against the 2. Bundesliga’s 16th-placed team for a further place.
Relegation
Four clubs are relegated to the Regionalliga each season, and clubs promoted from the Regionalliga take their places. Three went down each year until 2017/18, and four have since 2018/19.
Reserve teams
Reserve sides of Bundesliga clubs can play in the league, as TSG Hoffenheim II and VfB Stuttgart II do in 2026/27, but they cannot be promoted. The place passes to the next eligible club.
History and records
Past champions
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 2025/26 | VfL Osnabrück |
| 2024/25 | Arminia Bielefeld |
| 2023/24 | SSV Ulm |
| 2022/23 | SV Elversberg |
| 2021/22 | 1. FC Magdeburg |
| 2020/21 | Dynamo Dresden |
| 2019/20 | Bayern Munich II (reserve team, not promoted) |
| 2018/19 | VfL Osnabrück |
| 2017/18 | 1. FC Magdeburg |
| 2016/17 | MSV Duisburg |
The story so far
The DFB agreed to create a new third division in September 2006 and presented its logo in April 2008. The 3. Liga then replaced the old Regionalliga as the third tier, and 1. FC Union Berlin won the first title in 2009.
The league has grown more demanding on the relegation side. It sent three clubs down each season until 2017/18 and four from 2018/19, when it also introduced its first Monday games. The 2019/20 season was cut short by COVID-19, with the final matchday played on 4 July 2020, and Bayern Munich II finished top but could not go up as a reserve side.
3. Liga clubs, 2026/27
20 clubsAlemannia AachenTivoliFC IngolstadtAudi SportparkFortuna DüsseldorfMerkur Spiel-ArenaRelegated from the 2. BundesligaFortuna KölnSüdstadionPromotedHansa RostockOstseestadionJahn RegensburgJahnstadion RegensburgMSV DuisburgSchauinsland-Reisen-ArenaPreußen MünsterLVM-PreußenstadionRelegated from the 2. Bundesliga1. FC SaarbrückenLudwigsparkstadionRot-Weiss EssenStadion an der HafenstraßeSC VerlSportclub ArenaSG Sonnenhof GroßaspachWIRmachenDRUCK ArenaPromotedSV MeppenHänsch-ArenaPromotedTSG Hoffenheim IIDietmar-Hopp-StadionTSV HavelseEilenriedestadionVfB Stuttgart IIWIRmachenDRUCK ArenaViktoria KölnSportpark HöhenbergWaldhof MannheimCarl-Benz-StadionWehen WiesbadenBRITA-ArenaWürzburger KickersAkon ArenaPromoted3. Liga FAQs
How many teams are in the 3. Liga?
There are 20 teams in the 3. Liga, who play each other home and away. The 2026/27 line-up includes four clubs promoted from the Regionalliga, Fortuna Köln, SV Meppen, SG Sonnenhof Großaspach and Würzburger Kickers, and two relegated from the 2. Bundesliga, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Preußen Münster.
How many games does each team play?
Each club plays 38 matches, 19 at home and 19 away, meeting every other club twice. That makes 380 matches per season. A win earns 3 points, a draw 1 point and a defeat none.
How does promotion to the 2. Bundesliga work?
The top two clubs in the final standings are promoted automatically. The third-placed club plays a two-legged play-off against the 2. Bundesliga’s 16th-placed team. Reserve teams cannot be promoted, so their place passes to the next eligible club.
How many teams are relegated from the 3. Liga?
Four clubs are relegated to the Regionalliga each season, a rule in place since 2018/19. Before that, three clubs went down.
When does the 3. Liga season start and end?
The season runs from August to May. The 2026/27 season began on 7 August 2026 and finishes on 22 May 2027.
Who has won the most 3. Liga titles?
VfL Osnabrück have won the most, with three titles in 2009/10, 2018/19 and 2025/26. They are the reigning champions.
Can reserve teams play in the 3. Liga?
Yes. TSG Hoffenheim II and VfB Stuttgart II are in the 2026/27 line-up. Reserve teams can play in the league but cannot be promoted to the 2. Bundesliga.
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Fixtures, results and the standings are pulled from our live match data feed, provided by Sportradar, and refreshed periodically. The standings are calculated from full-time results and may not reflect official adjustments (points deductions, etc). Team crests are hosted on this site; kickoff times follow the timezone selected above the fixtures (your browser’s timezone by default, UTC if JavaScript is off).