Regionalliga - Nord (Germany)

Regionalliga Nord is a German fourth-tier regional league for clubs from the northern state associations, organized under the North German Football Association (NordFV). Regulations: the competition is played as a double round-robin league with home-and-away fixtures, awarding 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss, and if teams are level on points they are ranked by goal difference and then goals scored, while ties that still remain for positions affecting the title, promotion or relegation are decided by a neutral-venue play-off match with extra time and, if required, penalties. Promotion to the 3. Liga is governed by the DFB framework for the five Regionalliga champions, where depending on the season the champion is either promoted directly or enters a two-legged promotion play-off for a place. Relegation goes to the fifth-tier feeder competitions of the northern associations, with three bottom teams as the baseline and the final number potentially adjusted due to movement to and from the 3. Liga. The league is replenished via promotion from Oberliga Niedersachsen and via the NordFV promotion round involving the eligible representatives from Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein for the remaining places, and it does not grant direct UEFA qualification.