Overview
With the changes to the German football league system in 2008 that went alongside the introduction of the 3rd Liga, four new Verbandsligas were formed in Schleswig-Holstein as the sixth tier of the league system, these being:
- Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Nord-West
- Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Nord-Ost
- Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Süd-Ost
- Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Süd-West
Previous to that, from 1978 to 2008, a single-division Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein had existed which was now renamed Schleswig-Holstein-Liga and received the status of an Oberliga.
These four new Verbandsligas replaced the previously existing four Bezirksoberligas (BOL), who were, until then, divided into a northern, southern, eastern and western division. The Bezirksoberligas themselves had been formed in 1999. Other changes in the league system were the abolishing of the four Bezirksoberligas and the five Bezirksligas below them. Additionally, the regional alignment of the four new Verbandsligas differs 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-Nord-West was formed from one club of the Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein (V), ten clubs from the former Bezirksoberliga Schleswig-Holstein-Nord (VI), five clubs from the Bezirksoberliga Schleswig-Holstein-West (VI), one club from the Bezirksliga Schleswig-Holstein-Nord (VII) and one club from the Kreisliga Schleswig (VIII).
The league champions of each of the four Verbandsligas will earn promotion to the Schleswig-Holstein-Liga. Below the four Verbandsligas, 13 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 Nord-West covers the following four Kreise:
- Dithmarschen
- Flensburg
- Nordfriesland
- Schleswig
With DGF Flensborg and IF Stjernen Flensborg, the league has two clubs of the Danish minority in Germany in its ranks.
Read more about this topic: Verbandsliga Schleswig-Holstein-Nord-West