History of Bundesliga in Timeline

The Bundesliga is Germany's premier professional football league, featuring 18 teams competing from August to May. Operating on a promotion and relegation system with the 2. Bundesliga, matches primarily occur on weekends. All Bundesliga teams participate in the DFB-Pokal cup, and the Bundesliga champion earns a spot in the DFL-Supercup.

January 1900: Foundation of the Deutscher Fußball Bund (DFB)

On 28 January 1900, the Deutscher Fußball Bund (DFB), a national football association, was founded in Leipzig with 86 member clubs, marking a significant step in organizing German football.

May 1903: VfB Leipzig Wins First National Championship

On 31 May 1903, VfB Leipzig became the first recognized national championship team by defeating DFC Prague 7–2 in a game played at Altona.

1903: Recognition of German Men's Titles

In November 2005, the DFB decided to allow all former champions to display a single star inscribed with the number of titles, including all German men's titles since 1903, women's titles since 1974, and East German titles.

1949: Introduction of Semi-Professionalism

In 1949, part-time (semi-) professionalism was introduced in German football.

1950: Establishment of the DS-Oberliga in East Germany

In 1950, a separate league was established in East Germany with the formation of the DS-Oberliga (Deutscher Sportausschuss Oberliga), marking a division in German football during the Cold War era.

1958: Renaming of the DS-Oberliga

In 1958, the DS-Oberliga was renamed the Football Oberliga DFV, though it was commonly referred to as DDR-Liga or DDR-Oberliga.

July 1962: Bundesliga Created at DFB Convention

On 28 July 1962, at the annual DFB convention in Dortmund, the Bundesliga was created to begin play starting with the 1963–64 season, marking a key decision in German football history.

1962: Bundesliga founded in Dortmund

In 1962, the Bundesliga was founded in Dortmund. It was created to establish a national league for German football clubs.

August 1963: First Bundesliga Games Played

In August 1963, the first Bundesliga games were played, with 1. FC Köln becoming the first Bundesliga champion.

1963: Start of Automatic Relegation System

From 1963, two or three teams were automatically relegated from Bundesliga.

1963: Beginning of Bundesliga Championships

In 1963, the Bundesliga championships began, marking the start of organized national league football in Germany.

1963: Start of Bundesliga Play

In 1963, the Bundesliga play started following the creation of the Bundesliga in 1962.

1963: Recognizing Sides that Have Won Championships

In 1963, the custom was practiced in Italy to recognize sides that have won three or more championships since 1963.

1963: Special Logo Featuring 1963-2013

In 2012, a special logo was developed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Bundesliga, featuring a "50" and "1963–2013".

1963: Start of the Modern Bundesliga Era

Since 1963, FC Bayern Munich has won 32 titles (of 59 available) in the modern Bundesliga era.

1974: Introduction of the 2. Bundesliga

In 1974, the 2. Bundesliga (2nd Bundesliga) was introduced as the second tier of German football, creating a more structured league system.

1974: Recognition of German Women's Titles

1976: Bundesliga Leads UEFA Ranking

In 1976, the Bundesliga started leading the UEFA ranking, a position it held until 1984.

1981: Implementation of Promotion and Relegation System

In 1981, a system of promotion and relegation was implemented in the Bundesliga.

1981: Automatic Relegation System Ended

In 1981, the automatic relegation system was replaced in Bundesliga.

1984: End of Bundesliga's UEFA Ranking Lead

In 1984, the Bundesliga's run of leading the UEFA ranking ended, concluding a period of dominance in European football.

1990: German Reunification and League Merging

In 1990, following German reunification, the East German leagues were merged into the West German system, integrating football from both regions.

1990: Bundesliga Leads UEFA Ranking

In 1990, the Bundesliga led the UEFA ranking.

1991: Seeding of East German Clubs into Bundesliga

In 1991, Dynamo Dresden and FC Hansa Rostock were seeded into the top-tier Bundesliga division ahead of the 1991–92 season, integrating East German clubs into the unified league system.

1991: End of Promotion and Relegation System

In 1991, the original promotion and relegation system used since 1981 in the Bundesliga was replaced.

1992: Introduction of a New Promotion and Relegation System

In 1992, a different system for promotion and relegation was introduced, where the bottom three finishers were automatically relegated and replaced by the top three from the 2. Bundesliga.

1992: Founding of J.League of Japan

In 1992, the J.League of Japan was founded, strongly influenced by the philosophy of the Bundesliga.

1995: Introduction of Three Points for a Win

Since the 1995–96 season, a victory has been worth three points in the Bundesliga, changing from the previous system of two points for a win.

1996: Bundesliga Given Its Own Logo

In 1996, the Bundesliga was given its own logo to distinguish itself.

1997: Borussia Dortmund Wins Champions League

In 1997, Borussia Dortmund had won the Champions League.

2000: Requirement for Youth Academies

After 2000, the German Football Association and the Bundesliga required every club to run a youth academy, aiming to develop local talent for the club and the national team.

2002: Introduction of Opening Matches Featuring Defending Champions

Starting with the 2002-03 season, opening matches were introduced to feature the defending champions on Friday nights of the first match day, creating a tradition for the league.

2004: Borussia Dortmund's Financial Difficulties

In 2004, Borussia Dortmund reported a debt of €118.8 million (£83 million), highlighting financial challenges despite previous successes.

2004: Introduction of "Verdiente Meistervereine"

In 2004, the honor of "Verdiente Meistervereine" was introduced to recognize teams with three or more championships since 1963 with gold stars on their badges and jerseys.

November 2005: DFB Allows All Former Champions to Display a Star

In November 2005, the DFB decided to allow all former champions to display a single star inscribed with the number of titles, including German men's titles since 1903, women's titles since 1974, and East German titles.

2006: Dortmund Narrowly Escapes Liquidation

In 2006, Borussia Dortmund narrowly escaped liquidation, following financial difficulties in 2004.

2006: Gazprom Becomes Major Bundesliga Sponsor

In 2006, Gazprom became a major sponsor of Bundesliga football, marking a significant financial partnership for the league.

2008: Profitability of Bundesliga Clubs

After the 2008–09 season, 11 of the 18 Bundesliga clubs were profitable due to regulations such as the 50+1 rule and tight restrictions on debt.

2008: Establishment of the 3. Liga

In 2008, the 3. Liga (3rd League) was established as a professional league in Germany, though not under the Bundesliga umbrella.

2008: Bundesliga Reinstates Promotion and Relegation System

In 2008, the Bundesliga reinstated a previous German system of promotion and relegation, mirroring the system used from 1981 until 1991.

2008: Reversion to an Earlier Promotion and Relegation System

In 2008, the Bundesliga reverted to an earlier German system of promotion and relegation after using a different one since 1992.

2008: Bayern Munich's Net Profit

In the 2008–09 season, the leading German club Bayern Munich made a net profit of just €2.5 million (group accounts).

September 2009: Financial Fair Play Regulations

In September 2009, the clubs in the Bundesliga became subject to regulations not unlike the UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations.

2009: Financial Results for Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund

In the 2009 financial year, Schalke 04 made a net loss of €30.4 million, and in the 2008–09 season, Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA made a net loss of just €2.9 million.

2009: Bundesliga Turnover and Financial Standing

In the 2009–10 season, the Bundesliga's turnover was €1.7bn, and it was the only European football league where clubs collectively made a profit. Bundesliga clubs also paid less than 50% of revenue in players' wages.

June 2010: Clubs Officially Allowed to Wear Stars in Bundesliga

Since June 2010, specific clubs have been officially permitted to wear stars while playing in the Bundesliga, based on the number of Bundesliga titles won.

2010: Increase in Under-23 Players

By 2010, the percentage of under-23-year-olds in the Bundesliga had increased from 6% in 2000 to 15% due to investments in youth academies.

2010: Bundesliga Logo Revamped

In 2010, the Bundesliga logo was revamped into a portrait orientation, which was used until 2010 and restored after the 2012-13 season.

2012: Bayern Munich's Consecutive Titles

Between the 2012–13 season and the 2022–23 season, Bayern Munich won 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles.

2012: Special Logo Developed

In 2012, a special logo was developed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Bundesliga.

2013: Restoration of the 2010 Logo

Following the 2012–13 season, the 2010 logo was restored.

2013: Bayern Munich's Dominance Begins

From 2013, Bayern Munich began a period of dominance in the Bundesliga, winning the title each year.

July 2014: One Star Designation System Adopted

As of July 2014, a system of one-star designation was adopted, taking into account both Bundesliga titles and other national championships for clubs playing outside the Bundesliga.

2015: StarTimes Acquires Bundesliga Television Rights

In 2015, StarTimes acquired exclusive television rights for Bundesliga in Sub-Saharan Africa for five years, starting from the 2015–16 season.

December 2016: New Bundesliga Logo Announced

In December 2016, it was announced that a new Bundesliga logo would be used for the 2017–18 season, modified slightly for digitisation requirements, featuring a matte look.

2017: Bundesliga Broadcast on Sky Deutschland and Eurosport

From 2017 to 2018 to 2018–19, Bundesliga matches were broadcast on TV in Germany on Sky Deutschland and Eurosport.

2017: New Bundesliga Logo Used

In 2017, a new Bundesliga logo would be used for the 2017–18 season, modified slightly for digitisation requirements, featuring a matte look.

2017: Bernd Heynemann's Interview

In 2017, former East German referee Bernd Heynemann stated in an interview that BFC Dynamo's championships were not solely due to referee bias, emphasizing their strength as a team.

2017: Bundesliga Outperforms Premier League in Online Influence

In 2017, the Bundesliga outperformed the English Premier League in online influence in China, attributed to its embrace of live-streaming and innovative visions.

May 2018: Hamburger SV Relegated for the First Time

In May 2018, Hamburger SV, a founding club of the Bundesliga, was relegated for the first time in its history, marking the end of their continuous presence in the league.

2018: Bundesliga Broadcast on Sky Deutschland and Eurosport

From 2017 to 2018 to 2018–19, Bundesliga matches were broadcast on TV in Germany on Sky Deutschland and Eurosport.

2018: Sky Begins Simulcasts of High-Profile Games

Starting with the 2018–19 season, Sky began arranging simulcasts of high-profile Saturday games on free TV to promote its coverage of the league.

April 2019: Revierderby Broadcast on Das Erste

In April 2019, the Revierderby was broadcast on Das Erste, as part of Sky's simulcasts of high-profile Saturday games on free TV to promote its coverage of the league.

2019: Eurosport Sublicenses Broadcast Rights to DAZN

Prior to the 2019–20 season, Eurosport sublicensed its Bundesliga broadcast rights to sports streaming service DAZN, which will broadcast games previously allocated to Eurosport until the conclusion of the 2020–21 season.

2020: Bundesliga Aired on Taiwanese Television

In 2020, Bundesliga was aired on Taiwanese television before it stopped airing before 2024.

2020: ESPN Holds Bundesliga Rights in the United States

Since the beginning of the 2020–21 season, ESPN has held the rights to broadcast the Bundesliga in the United States, marking a new media partnership for the league.

2020: DAZN to Broadcast Eurosport's Bundesliga Games

Until the conclusion of the 2020–21 season, DAZN broadcast games previously allocated to Eurosport.

2021: Changes to Bundesliga Kick-off Times

In 2021, starting with the 2021–22 season, kick-off times were changed in the Bundesliga, with Friday matches starting at 8:30 pm, Saturdays at 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm, and Sundays at 3:30 pm, 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm.

2022: Bayern Munich's Consecutive Titles

Between the 2012–13 season and the 2022–23 season, Bayern Munich won 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles.

2023: Bayern Munich Continues Title Streak

In 2023, Bayern Munich had won the Bundesliga each year since 2013.

2023: End of Bayern Munich's 11 consecutive titles

In 2023, Bayern Munich won its eleventh consecutive title.

2024: Bundesliga Ranks Fourth in UEFA Coefficient

As of 2024, the Bundesliga ranks fourth in UEFA’s league coefficient, reflecting its performance in European competitions over the past five seasons.

2024: Bundesliga Attendance

During the 2024–25 season, the Bundesliga had an average attendance of 38,657 spectators per game, making it the second-highest attended association football league globally.

2024: Bayern Munich Secures Bundesliga Title

In 2024, Bayern Munich secured the Bundesliga title with two games to spare, reaffirming their dominance in German football.

2024: Bundesliga Aired on MNC Group

In 2024, Bundesliga began airing on MNC Group's television channels, pay TV, and OTT in Indonesia.

2024: Bundesliga Returns to Taiwanese Television

In 2024, ELTA TV in Taiwan expected to air Bundesliga for the 2024–25 season, marking the first time Bundesliga returned to Taiwanese television since the 2020–21 season.

August 2025: MBC Group and Mark Goldbridge Secure Bundesliga Broadcast Rights

In August 2025, MBC Group signed a three-year deal to broadcast all Bundesliga games on Shahid and three matches a week on MBC Action across MENA. Additionally, Mark Goldbridge secured rights to stream the 2025–26 season on his "That's Football" YouTube channel, along with "The Overlap", BBC, Sky Sports, Amazon Prime Video and Bundesliga's official YouTube channel who also acquired UK and Ireland broadcast rights.

August 2025: BBC to Broadcast Bundesliga Matches

Starting in August 2025, the BBC will have the rights to broadcast one Bundesliga match a week in the United Kingdom until 2027.

2025: 63 Bundesliga Championships Played

By the 2025–26 season, a total of 63 Bundesliga championships have been played, highlighting the league's long history.

2025: Bundesliga Broadcasting Rights Extended

In 2025, the broadcasting rights contract for Bundesliga were extended, and Bundesliga began airing on TV360 in Vietnam for the 2025-26 season.

2025: Defending Champions Maintain Undefeated Streak in Opening Matches

Up to the 2025-26 season, defending champions in the Bundesliga have remained undefeated in opening matches since the tradition began, winning 19 of 24 matches.