3. Liga (Germany)

3. Liga (Germany) (3. Liga, founded in 2008) - the third-tier professional club division in Germany between the 2. Bundesliga and the Regionalliga. Regulations: it is typically contested by 20 clubs, the season is played as a double round-robin, and each team plays 38 matches home and away against every opponent. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. If teams are level on points, positions are decided in order by goal difference, goals scored, the aggregate head-to-head result over two matches, away goals in those head-to-head matches and total away goals, if teams are still level, an additional deciding match at a neutral venue is played. At the end of the season the champions and runners-up are promoted to the 2. Bundesliga, while the third-placed team plays a two-legged relegation play-off against the third-bottom club from the 2. Bundesliga. The bottom four clubs are normally relegated to the fourth tier, but the number of relegated clubs is reduced if fewer than four clubs are promoted from the fourth tier into the 3. Liga. Up to four clubs are promoted from the fourth tier: the champions of Regionalliga Südwest and Regionalliga West, one champion from the remaining three Regionalliga competitions on a rotating basis, and one additional club determined via two-legged promotion play-offs between the champions of the two remaining Regionalliga competitions, all promotions and relegations apply subject to admission and licensing requirements.