Oberliga - Schleswig-Holstein (Germany)

Oberliga Schleswig-Holstein (officially Flens-Oberliga) is the top state league of Schleswig-Holstein and the fifth tier of the German men’s league system, organized by the Schleswig-Holstein Football Association (SHFV). Regulations: the competition is run as a league, typically with 16 clubs playing a double round-robin home and away, teams receive 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss, and if teams are level on points for the championship or relegation places the ranking is decided by goal difference, then goals scored, and if still level by a play-off match at a neutral venue, with a draw used to determine the initial pairing if more than two teams are involved. The league winner, or the next best eligible and admitted club if the champion does not apply or fails admission, can enter the NordFV promotion procedure for Regionalliga Nord, where additional promotion places are allocated according to NordFV regulations involving the eligible representatives from Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein plus the next eligible admitted club from Oberliga Niedersachsen. Relegation goes to the Landesligen, a baseline of three relegation spots applies, but the final number can vary due to team movements between Regionalliga Nord and the Oberligen and is set out in SHFV season-specific regulations; there is no direct route to UEFA competitions via league placing, and DFB-Pokal access is typically achieved via the state cup route.