The Bavarian football federation carried out drastic changes to the league system at the end of the 2011–12 season. With the already decided introduction of the Regionalliga Bayern from 2012–13, it also placed two Bayernligas below the new league as the new fifth tier of the German league system, splitting the previously single division league into a northern and a southern group. Below those, five Landesligas instead of the existing three were set, which were geographically divided to limit travel and increase the number of local derbies. Clubs from three different league tiers were able to qualify for the new league. From the Landesliga level, the clubs placed ninth to 15th had the opportunity to qualify for the Bayernliga through play-offs. Those clubs who failed to qualify for the Bayernliga were grouped in the Landesliga. The Landesliga clubs placed 16th, 17th and 18th automatically went to the Landesliga. The Bezirksoberliga champions also had the chance to qualify for the Bayernliga. Those clubs who failed went to the Landesliga, alongside the BOL teams placed second to sixth. The teams placed seventh in Upper Palatinate, seventh to twelfth in Lower Franconia and seventh to thirteens in Upper Franconia entered a play-off with the Bezirksliga champions for the remaining Landesliga spots. The league, in its inaugural season, plays with 20 clubs instead of 18, like the other four, because of a successful protest by 1. FC Burgkunstadt which saw a minor realignement of the leagues. The league started out with 20 clubs in its inaugural season, the clubs coming from the following leagues:
From the Landesliga Bayern-Nord : TSV Neudrossenfeld, 1. FC Burgkunstadt
The opening game of the new league took place on 17 July 2012 when SpVgg Oberkotzau hosted TSV Thiersheim in a 0-0 draw. At the end of the 2012–13 season, league champions SpVgg SV Weiden were directly promoted while runners-up SV Friesen failed to earn promotion via the promotion round. The league champions SpVgg SV Weiden had an outstanding season, winning the league by 30 points, losing only one game all season, and earning 103 points out of 36 games. At the other end of the table, FSV Erlangen-Bruck II, TSV Thiersheim and ASV Zirndorf were directly relegated, while FSV Bayreuth, ASV Vach and 1. FC Burgkunstadt had to enter the promotion/relegation round with the Bezirksliga runners-up.Both ASV Vach and 1. FC Burgkunstadt managed to hold the league while FSV Bayreuth was relegated after losing to TuS Feuchtwangen. For the 2013–14 season two clubs were promoted to the league, TSV Kirchenlaibach-Speichersdorf and ASV Veitsbronn-Siegelsdorf. Apart from these two sides the league also received 1. FC Strullendorf and SV Pettstadt who moved to the Nordost division from the Nordwest after the 2012–13 season while, in turn, SV Etzenricht and SV Mitterteich were moved to the Mitte division. The 2019–20 season was interrupted by the coronavirus disease pandemic in Germany that began in March 2020. It was later suspended until 31 August, forcing a cancellation of the 2020–21 season as the BFV approved a resumption of the preceding one, which concludes in mid-2021.
Modus
The league is played in a home-and-away format with the league champion being directly promoted to the Bayernliga. The runners-up enters a promotion round with the other four Landesliga runners-up and the Bayernliga teams placed just above the direct relegation ranks, 15th and 16th in the south and 15th in the north, for additional spots in this league. The bottom three teams from the Landesliga are directly relegated to the Bezirksligas. The teams placed 15th, 16th and 17th have to play-off with the Bezirksliga runners-up for their place in the Landesliga.
Top-three of the Landesliga
The following teams have finished in the top-three in the league:
Promoted teams in bold.
League statistics
The top goal scorers and spectator statistics for the league are:
Placings for 2020 were based on the table at the point of suspension during the coronavirus pandemic. Final placings will be at the end of the resumed 2019–20 season in 2021.