Regionalliga - West (Germany)

Regionalliga West - a German fourth-tier regional league for clubs from North Rhine-Westphalia, administered by the West German Football Association (WDFV). Regulations: the competition is played as a league, typically with 18 teams in a double round-robin home-and-away format, awarding 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss, and if teams are level on points the ranking criteria apply in order via goal difference, goals scored, aggregate head-to-head result, away goals in the head-to-head, and if equality still remains and the title or relegation places must be decided a neutral-venue deciding match is staged. The champion is entitled to direct promotion to the German 3rd division (3. Liga) subject to meeting DFB admission and licensing requirements, and the league does not provide direct UEFA qualification. Relegation goes into the main fifth-tier feeder leagues in North Rhine-Westphalia, with the number of relegated teams and any play-offs set by the season’s official promotion and relegation framework and influenced, among other factors, by the number of clubs relegated from the 3. Liga into the Regionalliga West allocation.