Union Berlin starts Revolution: Reform of promotion for regional league!

Union Berlin starts Revolution: Reform of promotion for regional league!

Berlin, Deutschland - The 1st FC Union Berlin has joined the "Cancellation Reform 2025" initiative, which calls for a fundamental reform of the regional league. This claim was already made in 2018 and has now been taken up again. President Dirk Zingler emphasizes the urgency of adequately rewarding sporting success and at the same time creating planning security for the clubs. This initiative was launched in March by several fourth league clubs of the north-east relay and learns support from other parts of Germany, including third division clubs such as Energie Cottbus. rbb24 reports that the main objective in a change in the promotion to the 3. League.

At the moment, the regulation is that only the masters of the Regionalliga West and Southwest rise directly. The first places of the regional north, Bavaria and northeast provide a direct promoted team in the rotation system, while the masters of the other two leagues fight in playoffs for the fourth promotion place. This season, TSV Havelse from the Regionalliga Nord was able to successfully prevail against Lok Leipzig. The reform movement questions the fairness of this regulation, since only four promotion places of five regional victories are available.

The support for the reform does not come without challenges. A decision at the DFB Bundestag in November this year is unlikely. An extraordinary DFB Bundestag in the first half of 2026 is considered more realistic to find solutions. Zingler sharply criticizes the currently existing structure, because it does not reward the sporting performance of the masters sufficiently and thus leads to resentment in football. Kicker added that some skepticism under regional associations, especially Hessian clubs in the regional league Southwest, gift.

It is assumed that the reform could amount to a new regional cut and that a reduction to four regional leagues is considered. The DFB has also agreed to act as an intermediary in the ongoing consultations. However, there are different interests in the five regional regulations, since traditional clubs hope for the ascent to the 2nd league on the one hand, while smaller clubs often appreciate the regional bond. ZDF emphasizes that since the introduction of the 3. League in the 2008/09 season, 20 clubs have already submitted insolvency, which the tensions within the leagues reinforced.

The current ascent regulation is generally considered unfair, which makes the discussion about a reform appear more and more urgent. Union Berlin's commitment not only symbolizes significant support for the regional league, but also emphasizes solidarity across league boundaries.