Fallen traditional clubs: These former Bundesliga teams now only play in the third league or lower
They were champions, cup winners, or founding members of the Bundesliga – and today they are fighting for sporting survival in the 3rd division or even lower.
Many of the traditional clubs listed here stand for passion, fan culture, and greatness—but also for mismanagement, sporting misdeeds, and bitter relegations. We reveal which once glorious clubs have fallen far—and what has become of them.
Coach Dietmar Hirsch (middle) celebrates MSV Duisburg’s return to the third division.
Source: IMAGO/Beautiful Sports
- Current league: 3. Liga
- Last Bundesliga season: 2007/08
- Bundesliga experience: 28 seasons
- Greatest successes: Bundesliga runner-up (1963/64), DFB Cup final (4×), European Cup participations
- All-time Bundesliga table: 17th place
As a founding member of the Bundesliga with almost 30 years in the elite league, MSV was long considered a fixture. However, sporting decline and financial problems led to a relegation to the Regionalliga before achieving promotion back to the 3. Liga in 2025. The "Zebras" are now once again fighting for stability.
The "Eternal Table" is a statistical summary table that summarizes all matches of the German 1. Bundesliga since its founding in 1963. It lists all clubs that have ever played in the Bundesliga and ranks them by their total points.
By providing a kind of "historical ranking," the all-time table allows for long-term comparisons between clubs. The table currently includes 58 clubs.
In terms of sport, TSV 1860 Munich has had little to celebrate in recent years.
Source: imago/Lackovic
- Current league: 3. Liga
- Last Bundesliga season: 2003/04
- Bundesliga experience: 20 seasons
- Greatest successes: German champion (1966), DFB Cup winner (1964), European Cup Winners' Cup Final (1965)
- All-time Bundesliga table: 22nd place
FC Bayern's local rival was once a champion and a European Cup finalist, but is now relegated to the third division. After its license was revoked in 2017, the club even briefly slipped into the Regionalliga. Despite legacy issues and chaos in the club's management, the fan base remains unwaveringly loyal to "the Lions."
As recently as the 1990s, Uerdingen played first-class football – then one downfall after another followed.
Source: IMAGO/Sven Simon
- Current league: Oberliga Niederrhein
- Last Bundesliga season: 1995/96
- Bundesliga experience: 14 seasons
- Greatest successes: DFB Cup winner (1985), 3rd place Bundesliga (1985/86) “Miracle of the Grotenburg” against Dynamo Dresden (1986), UEFA Cup participations
- All-time Bundesliga table: 28th place
Despite past Bundesliga successes, the DFB Cup victory in 1985, and the spectacular European Cup comeback against Dynamo Dresden in 1986, the club's history remains marked by mismanagement, financial turmoil, and sporting decline. A sad record: With five insolvency proceedings to date, KFC Uerdingen is the most frequently insolvent club in German professional football.
Jürgen Kohler played for SV Waldhof Mannheim from 1983 to 1987. After the 1989/90 season, his Bundesliga career ended.
Source: IMAGO / Kicker/Liedel
- Current league: 3. Liga
- Last Bundesliga season: 1988/89
- Bundesliga experience: 7 seasons
- Greatest successes: 6th place in the Bundesliga (1984/85), 2nd League champions in 1983
- All-time Bundesliga table: 31st place
SV Waldhof Mannheim was a tough opponent in the Bundesliga in the 1980s and was considered a breeding ground for great players like Jürgen Kohler and Christian Wörns. After financial problems and a forced relegation in 2003, the club fought its way back. Today, Waldhof is established in the 3rd division—with ambitions for the top.
Even in the Regionalliga, Kickers Offenbach can count on the support of a loyal fan base.
Source: Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa
- Current league: Regionalliga Südwest
- Last Bundesliga season: 1983/84
- Bundesliga experience: 7 seasons
- Greatest successes: DFB Cup winner in 1970 (as a second division team), runner-up in 1950 & 1959
- All-time Bundesliga table: 33rd place
The 1970 cup victory as a second-division team was a highlight, but since then, relegations, debts, and missed promotions have dominated the club's history. The club was never able to establish itself permanently in the top divisions. Despite everything, the Kickers have a loyal fan base and a name that still carries weight.
The long-established club Rot-Weiss Essen has played in the Bundesliga for a total of seven seasons. After years in the Regionalliga, they achieved promotion to the 3. Liga in 2022.
Source: IMAGO/Werner Otto
- Current league: 3. Liga
- Last Bundesliga season: 1976/77
- Bundesliga experience: 7 seasons
- Greatest successes: German champion (1955, before the Bundesliga was founded), DFB Cup winner (1953)
- All-time Bundesliga table: 34th place
For decades, the Hafenstrasse club has dreamed of returning to the top divisions. However, the long-established club last tasted Bundesliga action in 1977. In 2022, they made the jump back to the 3rd division.
In 2003, Energie Cottbus relegated to the second division for the first time. After a brief return to the top flight, relegation followed in 2009.
Source: imago sportfotodienst
- Current league: 3. Liga
- Last Bundesliga season: 2008/09
- Bundesliga experience: 6 seasons
- Greatest successes: DFB Cup finalist (1997), 13th place Bundesliga (2000/01)
- All-time Bundesliga table: 35th place
FC Energie Cottbus was a fixture in the Bundesliga in the 2000s, and one of the few East German clubs to compete in the top flight. Relegation in 2009 was followed by a steep decline that even led the proud club to the Regionalliga at one point. Cottbus has now returned to the 3. Liga and is hoping for a return to better times.
Impressive backdrop: But fans of Alemannia Aachen were last able to see Bundesliga football at the Tivoli in the 2006/07 season.
Source: IMAGO/Fotografie73
- Current league: 3. Liga
- Last Bundesliga season: 2006/07
- Bundesliga experience: 4 seasons
- Greatest successes: DFB Cup final (2004), UEFA Cup participation (2004/05)
- All-time Bundesliga table: 36th place
The sensational cup run in 2004 and the brief return to the Bundesliga in 2006/07 seemed to be the starting signal for more – instead, a deep decline followed, including bankruptcy. Aachen played only in the Regionalliga for a time. The traditional club has since consolidated both sportingly and financially.
In the DFB Cup, the former Bundesliga club 1. FC Saarbrücken has caused a stir several times in recent years.
Source: imago
- Current league: 3. Liga
- Last Bundesliga season: 1992/93
- Bundesliga experience: 5 seasons
- Greatest successes: multiple DFB Cup semi-finals (most recently in 2024), multiple Regionalliga champions
- All-time Bundesliga table: 38th place
Once a founding member of the Bundesliga, Saarbrücken is now an established third-division team, with occasional outliers – such as in 2024 and 2020, when they reached the DFB-Pokal semifinals and beat clubs like FC Bayern. For a time, the club even languished in the fourth division. Today, it is more stable and fighting for a return to the 2. Bundesliga.
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen was a Bundesliga club between 1969 and 1973. Here, Hermann-Josef Wilbertz receives a yellow card.
Source: imago
- Current league: Regionalliga West
- Last Bundesliga season: 1972/73
- Bundesliga experience: 4 seasons
- Greatest successes: 5th place in the Bundesliga (1969/70), DFB Cup semi-final (1999)
- All-time Bundesliga table: 40th place
In the late 1960s, RWO was an established mid-table Bundesliga club; today, the club has long since relegated to the lower reaches of German football. Despite occasional cup successes, a sporting upturn has eluded it. Today, the club relies on its role as a training club and struggles for survival in professional football with modest resources.
In 1975, Wuppertaler SV withdrew from the Bundesliga. Today, the club plays in the Regionalliga West.
Source: IMAGO/Fotografie73
- Current league: Regionalliga West
- Last Bundesliga season: 1974/75
- Bundesliga experience: 3 seasons
- Greatest successes: 4th place in the Bundesliga (1972/73), UEFA Cup participation (1973), DFB Cup semi-final (1962/63)
- All-time Bundesliga table: 42nd place
In the 1970s, WSV even attracted international attention before quickly fading into obscurity. Financial difficulties and sporting setbacks prevented a return to higher leagues. Today, the club remains committed to the Regionalliga.
SpVgg Unterhaching has a dedicated fan base that has stuck with their club even in difficult sporting times.
Source: imago/foto2press
- Current league: 3. Liga
- Last Bundesliga season: 2000/01
- Bundesliga experience: 2 seasons
- Greatest successes: 10th place in the Bundesliga (1999/2000), DFB Cup quarter-finals as a third division team (2002/03)
- All-time Bundesliga table: 45th place
SpVgg Unterhaching made Bundesliga history when they indirectly helped FC Bayern Munich win the championship with a victory against Bayer Leverkusen in 2000. Today, the suburban club from Munich is a yo-yo team between the Regionalliga and the 3. Liga – with loyal fans and exemplary youth development.
Wolfgang Wolf (Stuttgarter Kickers, left) against Uwe Rahn (Borussia Mönchengladbach) on September 13, 1988 – one of the Kickers’ two Bundesliga seasons.
Source: imago sportfotodienst
- Current league: Regionalliga Südwest
- Last Bundesliga season: 1991/92
- Bundesliga experience: 2 seasons
- Greatest successes: DFB Cup finalist (1987), DFB Cup semi-finalist (2000)
- All-time Bundesliga table: 46th place
A DFB-Pokal finalist and a Bundesliga club in the 1980s, the club is now only in the fourth division. In the late 1990s, the Kickers still held their own in the 2. Bundesliga, but since relegation in the 2000/01 season, the traditional club has consistently played in the lower leagues. Nevertheless, the name continues to enjoy a high reputation – especially in southern Germany – especially as a training club for young talent.
Sixteen clubs competed in the first Bundesliga season in 1963/64. Of these, six are still represented in the top division in the current season (2025/26):
Borussia Dortmund
- Current league: Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 2nd place
Werder Bremen
- Current league: Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 3rd place
VfB Stuttgart
- Current league: Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 4th place
Hamburger SV
- Current league: Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 6th place
Eintracht Frankfurt
- Current league: Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 7th place
FC Schalke 04
- Current league: 2. Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 8th place
1. FC Cologne
- Current league: Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 10th place
1. FC Kaiserslautern
- Current league: 2. Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 11th place
Hertha BSC
- Current league: 2. Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 12th place
1. FC Nuremberg
- Current league: 2. Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 15th place
MSV Duisburg
- Current league: 3. Liga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 17th place
Karlsruher SC
- Current league: 2. Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 20th place
Eintracht Braunschweig
- Current league: 2. Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 21st place
TSV 1860 Munich
- Current league: 3. Liga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 22nd place
1. FC Saarbrücken
- Current league: 3. Liga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 38th place
Prussia Münster
- Current league: 2. Bundesliga
- All-time Bundesliga table: 54th place
As of July 2025
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