For the first time the Fußball-Bundesliga was organized in 1963, before that it had existed at the amateur level. It’s considered to be one of the top world football championships. 18 clubs represent the Fußball-Bundesliga. Köln FC became the first champion. Many fans are used to call this competition just the Bundesliga.
The football leagues system includes 7 levels, and only three of them are professional: the Bundesliga (18 clubs), the 2. Bundesliga (18 clubs) and the 3. Liga (20 clubs).
The Bundesliga, aka the 1. Bundesliga, is the highest German league with 18 teams competing for the Champion title. The competition takes two laps, 34 matches in total. At the end of each season the teams taking the 17th and 18th places leave the Bundesliga to be replaced by top 2. Bundesliga clubs. The team ranked 16th takes part in the play-off with the team placed third in the 2. Bundesliga. The Fußball-Bundesliga has no luck to lead in the world leagues rating because of the constant FC Bayern München dominating. In some years it met rivals, thus, Borussia Dortmund performed well last years, but in general, FC Bayern continues to be the main contender for the champion’s title, depriving the Bundesliga of audience appeal. The team from Munich became a champion 23 times.
FC Bayern is the most award-winning club of Germany (23 champion’s titles), followed by Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach, each possessing 5 titles. Upon that the team from Dortmund was a champion not so long ago – in 2011 and 2012. Mönchengladbach won back in 1977.
Fast facts:
Karl-Heinz Körbel (Eintracht Frankfurt) has played the largest number of matches in the Bundesliga – 603 games (1972–1991).
The Fußball-Bundesliga top scorer is Gerd Müller (FC Bayern), having 365 goals to his name.
FC Bayern was the quickest to become the Bundesliga champion. They managed to achieve this seven rounds before finish in the 2013/14 season.
FC Bayern features the longest winning streak in the Championship: 19 matches (2013/14 season).
The greatest amount of matches without defeat (52) belongs to FC Bayern, too.
FC Bayern features the top score (91 points) in one season
Most victories (29 matches) also pertain to FC Bayern.
The Championship blowout took place in the 1977/78 season – Borussia Mönchengladbach 12:0 Borussia Dortmund.
Сhampionship streak: FC Bayern and Borussia Mönchengladbach – each 3 titles in a row.
The least number of losses during the season – FC Bayern lost only 1 match in 1986/1987 and 2012/2013 seasons.
