Verbandsliga Sachsen-Anhalt


The Verbandsliga Sachsen-Anhalt is the sixth tier of the German football league system and the highest league in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Until the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008 it was the fifth tier of the league system, until the introduction of the Regionalligas in 1994 the fourth tier.

Overview

The Verbandsliga Sachsen-Anhalt was established in 1990 from fourteen clubs as the highest league for the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, which was established after the league in October 1990, and the Sachsen-Anhalt Football Association, SFV. It compromised the area of the two Bezirksligen of Magdeburg and Halle. Each of those two Bezirke contributed seven clubs to the new league, with one club each coming from the 2nd Division. The Verbandsliga was established within the East German football league system and incorporated in the league system of the united Germany at the end of its first season, in 1991.
The league expanded to sixteen clubs in its second season with two teams relegated. In the 1994-95 season it briefly returned to fourteen clubs, then expanded to eighteen with three relegated teams. In the 2005–06 season the league contracted to 16 clubs, a setup it retained for most seasons since.
Originally, the league was positioned below the NOFV-Oberliga Mitte, together with some of the clubs from the two halves of Berlin. As such, it was the fourth tier of the German league system. Upon the disbanding of this Oberliga in 1994, the Verbandsliga became a feeder league to the NOFV-Oberliga Süd, together with the Thüringenliga and Sachsenliga, which its champion is directly promoted to. With this change in the league system in 1994 went the introduction of the Regionalliga Nordost as third tier of the league system which meant the Verbandsligen slipped to fifth tier.
In 2008, the league again was demoted one level when the 3. Liga was established. However, this changed nothing in the league's status as a feeder league to the NOFV-Oberliga.
While the majority of clubs from the Verbandsliga Sachsen-Anhalt play in the NOFV-Oberliga Süd, some clubs from the very north of the state are occasionally entered in the northern division, the NOFV-Oberliga Nord, for geographical reasons. Three clubs so far have spent time in "exile":
Due to changes in the German league system, the 2007-08 runners-up 1. FC Magdeburg II also had the chance to gain promotion, having to play the runners-up of the Berlin-Liga, SV Lichtenberg. Two drawn games, 1-1 at home and 0-0 away meant promotion for Magdeburg's reserve team on the away-goal rule.

League champions

The league champions:
SeasonChampions
1990–91SV Merseburg
1991–92Einheit Wernigerode
1992–93SV Merseburg
1993–941. FC Aschersleben
1994–95VfL Halle 1896
1995–96SV Fortuna Magdeburg
1996–97Hallescher FC
1997–981. FC Aschersleben
1998–99FC Anhalt Dessau
1999–00Hallescher FC
2000–01SV Braunsbedra
2001–02FC Anhalt Dessau
2002–03Germania Halberstadt
2003–04SV Dessau 05
2004–05TSV Völpke
2005–06SV Dessau 05
2006–07VfB Sangerhausen
2007–08FC Grün-Weiß Wolfen
2008–09VfL Halle 96
2009–101. FC Magdeburg II
2010–11FC Grün-Weiß Piesteritz
2011–12Hallescher FC II
2012–13Haldensleber SC
2013–14BSV Halle-Ammendorf
2014–15FSV Barleben
2015–16SV Merseburg
2016–171. FC Lok Stendal
2017–18BSV Halle-Ammendorf
2018–191. FC Romonta Amsdorf
2019–20No champion

The league was established from fourteen clubs from four leagues in 1990. Most of the East German clubs changed their names in the years after the reunion, some reverting to their old ones after a brief period. Current names, when different, are listed in addition to the name in 1990. The clubs are:
From the 2nd Division-Group A:
From the 2nd Division-Group B:
From the Bezirksliga Magdeburg:
From the Bezirksliga Halle: