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What is Bundesliga?
Germany’s premier football league is called the Bundesliga. The literal translation of the word Bundesliga is federal league. The league consists of 18 teams and they play in the home and away match format. The league operates on a system of promotion and relegation. Since the league began in 1963, 56 clubs have participated in it. Bayern Munich has won the Bundesliga title 29 times, which is the most among German clubs. Other prominent clubs to have won the title are Borussia Dortmund, Hamburger SV, Werder Bremen, Borussia Mönchengladbach, and VfB Stuttgart.
Bundesliga displays one of the highest quality of football played anywhere in the world. Teams such as Bayern Munich, Dortmund are considered among Europe's elite. Bayern Munich has won Europe’s top club competition, UEFA Champions League 6 times. Only Liverpool, AC Milan or Real Madrid have matched or exceeded Bayern’s record till date. The league is ranked 3rd in Europe, according to UEFA’s league coefficient ranking for the 2019-20 season. In terms of matchday attendance at the stadium, Bundesliga is the most attended football league in the world. Out of all the sports, the German league is the most attended league in the world after America’s National Football League.
How did the Bundesliga start?
The Bundesliga started in 1963. It was founded in 1962 in Dortmund and has gone through many changes over the years. The league was founded by Deutscher Fußball-Bund or the German Football Association. Now, Deutsche Fußball Liga or the German Football League, manages the Bundesliga and all the other league divisions in Germany.
Prior to 1963, Germany had four regional leagues as well as Vertragsliga Berlin, but no national league. Vertragsliga Berlin was the highest level of German football league in the city of West Berlin.
The reason for the different regional league was World War II and the division of Germany into West and East Germany.
Till 1963, the Champion of Germany was decided with a final after a season-ending tournament among the winners of regional leagues.
Many in Germany wanted to bring the country’s football league in line with other European countries and thus the demand for a national league grew.
Finally in 1962, the German Football Association voted for a national league and the name Bundesliga was chosen. The term, however, does not exactly mean German league and the literal translation is federal league.