2. Bundesliga (Germany)

The 2. Bundesliga (Germany) (first played in the 1974/75 season) is the second tier of German professional club football, directly below the Bundesliga. Tournament regulations: 18 clubs take part in a double round-robin season, each team plays 34 matches, home and away against every other side, with 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then by overall goal difference and then by goals scored. If clubs are still level after these criteria and the position is decisive for promotion, relegation or the promotion and relegation play-off, an additional play-off match at a neutral venue is used to determine the final placing. At the end of the season the clubs finishing first and second are promoted directly to the Bundesliga, while the team in third place plays a two-legged promotion play-off against the side finishing 16th in the Bundesliga. The teams finishing 17th and 18th are relegated to the 3. Liga and the club in 16th place plays a two-legged relegation play-off against the third-placed team from the 3. Liga for the right to remain in the 2. Bundesliga.