Bundesliga

Bundesliga

Germany

Germany's top-flight football league.

18 teams • 306 matches • 2026/2027 season

PWDLGDGFLast 5PTS
Champions League
1FC Augsburg2200+67
WW
6
2SC Freiburg2200+45
WW
6
3Borussia Dortmund2200+35
WW
6
4SV Elversberg2200+27
WW
6
UEFA Europa League
51. FSV Mainz 052110+55
WD
4
Conference League qualification
6FC Bayern München2110+45
DW
4
7Bayer 04 Leverkusen2101+36
WL
3
8RB Leipzig2101+14
LW
3
9VfB Stuttgart2101-15
WL
3
10SV Werder Bremen2101-14
WL
3
111. FC Köln2101-24
LW
3
12SC Paderborn 072011-10
LD
1
13Eintracht Frankfurt2011-34
LD
1
14FC Schalke 042011-30
DL
1
151. FC Union Berlin2011-43
LD
1
Relegation
16TSG 1899 Hoffenheim2002-24
LL
0
17Borussia Mönchengladbach2002-43
LL
0
18Hamburger SV2002-70
LL
0
Rules and legend
  • Champions League
  • UEFA Europa League
  • Conference League qualification
  • Relegation

Players to watch

Most popular teams

About the Bundesliga

History

The Bundesliga was born in 1963 in Dortmund, aiming to professionalize and unify German football, which until then had been organized across several regional championships. FC Köln won the very first title in the 1963-64 season. The number of clubs rose from 16 to 18 from the 1965-66 season onward — the format still in use today. The Bundesliga was one of the first major European competitions to adopt Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, starting with the 2017-18 season; the very first VAR decision in the league's history came during the opening match between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen.

Trophy roll

Historic clubs

  • FC Bayern München — The most decorated and dominant club in German football history, a backbone of the national team for decades.
  • Borussia Dortmund — Bayern's historic rival, known for the "Yellow Wall" atmosphere at Signal Iduna Park.
  • Hamburger SV — The only club to have played every Bundesliga season until its relegation in 2018.
  • Borussia Mönchengladbach — A major force in the 1970s, nicknamed "the Foals."
  • Bayer Leverkusen — Long nicknamed "Neverkusen" for repeatedly falling just short of the title, before finally winning it historically in 2024.

Competition format

The Bundesliga is contested by 18 teams playing each other home and away, for a total of 34 matchdays between August and May.

The standings are determined by points earned:

  • Win: 3 points
  • Draw: 1 point
  • Loss: 0 points

At the end of the season:

  • The champion is crowned Bundesliga winner.
  • The bottom two clubs are directly relegated to 2. Bundesliga, while the 16th-placed side faces a playoff against the third-placed second-tier club.
  • The top teams qualify for UEFA's European competitions.

Qualification for UEFA competitions

The Bundesliga's best-placed clubs earn qualification for continental competitions organized by UEFA:

  • UEFA Champions League
  • UEFA Europa League
  • UEFA Europa Conference League

The exact number of Champions League spots (usually four to five) depends on Germany's UEFA coefficient, while an extra Conference League spot often goes to the DFB-Pokal winner.

Frequently asked questions

How many clubs play in the Bundesliga?

The Bundesliga features 18 professional clubs competing each season.

Which club has won the most Bundesliga titles?

Bayern Munich, with 34 German championship titles in total.

How do clubs qualify for the UEFA Champions League?

The Bundesliga's top four or five teams earn qualification, depending on Germany's UEFA coefficient.

Since when has the Bundesliga existed?

The Bundesliga was created in 1963 and has featured 18 clubs since the 1965-66 season.

How does relegation work in the Bundesliga?

The bottom two clubs drop directly to 2. Bundesliga, and the 16th-placed side faces a playoff against the third-placed second-tier club.

Where can I follow Bundesliga results?

AtlasGoal provides the standings, results, match schedule, statistics, and the latest news for Germany's top league.