The Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Süd is the seventh tier of the German football league system and the third-highest league in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, together with three other leagues at this level in the state. The league was formed at the end of the 2007-08 season, to replace the previously existing Bezirksoberligas at this level.
Overview
With the changes to the Germanfootball leaguesystem in 2008 that went alongside the introduction of the 3. Liga, four new Verbandsligas were formed in Schleswig-Holstein as the sixth tier of the league system, these being:
Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Ost
Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-West
Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Nord
Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Ost
Previous to that, from 1978 to 2008, a single-division Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein existed which was now renamed Oberliga Schleswig-Holstein and received the status of an Oberliga. These four new Verbandsligas replaced the previously existing four Bezirksoberligas, who were, until then, divided into northern, southern, eastern and western divisions. The Bezirksoberligas themselves were formed in 1999. Other changes in the league system were the abolishment of the four Bezirksoberligas and the five Bezirksligas below them. Additionally, the regional alignment of the four new Verbandsligas differed from the Bezirksoberligas they replaced, making the change from one to the other more than just a renaming of leagues. The new Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Süd was formed from five clubs of the Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein, ten clubs from the former Bezirksoberliga Schleswig-Holstein-Süd and two clubs from the Bezirksliga Schleswig-Holstein-Süd, one from the northern division and one from the southern division. The league champions of each of the four Verbandsligas will earn promotion to the Landesliga Schleswig-Holstein. Below the four Verbandsligas, eight regional Kreisligas are placed. The bottom teams in the Verbandsligas will be relegated to the Kreisligas while the champions of those will earn promotion to the Verbandsligas. The Verbandsliga Süd covers the following three Kreise:
From the 2017-18 season onwards, the Verbandsligas were contracted to 16 teams each and downgraded to seventh tier with the introduction of the new Landesliga Schleswig-Holstein. For the 2020–21 season, however, relegation was suspended after the previous one and there is a temporary expansion to 18 teams.
League champions
In 2019 Breitenfelder SV was also promoted as runner-up.
In 2020 the season was abandoned due to the coronavirus pandemic in Germany and table placings were determined by points per game averages. Sereetzer SV was also promoted as runner-up.
Founding members
The league was formed from 18 clubs, which had played in the following leagues in 2007-08:
