Regionalliga reform third division promotion rules, Digi Mart USA News (Germany): The German Football Association (DFB) is scheduled to vote on a fair promotion regulation into the 3. Liga at an extraordinary federal assembly on December 18.
Several questions remain open, including whether the so-called Kompass model will secure the necessary votes.
Under the DFB presidium’s motion, the five Regionalligen would be reduced to four divisions, with teams assigned according to the Kompass model. Changing the statutes would require a two-thirds majority at the federal assembly.
Some regional associations oppose the plan, and Bavaria has said it wants to put a proposal to a vote that would expand the 3. Liga to 22 teams with five relegation places.
Third-division clubs have clearly rejected that idea. At a managers’ conference, they voted unanimously against expanding the league and/or introducing additional relegation places.
The league stated that it had already contributed to a solution at the fourth tier years ago, when clubs agreed in 2017 to introduce a fourth relegation place from the 2018/2019 season.
According to the league, four relegation places have existed for eight years, yet no regulation for direct promotion from the Regionalliga has been established. The clubs welcomed the DFB presidium’s call for an extraordinary federal assembly on December 18 to finally settle the promotion rules at the fourth tier, and stressed that the opportunity to reach a solution must be used.
The clubs argued that publicly renewed calls for models providing a fifth relegation place in the 3. Liga are neither constructive nor factually correct, and are unacceptable to 3.
Liga clubs. In their view, the league has already delivered its contribution.
