District, region, association: Who is responsible for what in German football

The club is a member of the state association and registers its teams there. Everything starts here: training, matches and volunteering. For parents, the club is almost always the first point of contact, even if the answer ultimately comes from another level.

The lowest level of the association structure. The Kreis organises local competitions: the lower adult leagues and a large part of children’s and youth football. The people scheduling matches and managing divisions here mostly work as volunteers.

Several local districts form a Bezirk. Bavaria has seven: Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Swabia, Upper Palatinate, Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia. The Bezirk organises leagues above the Kreis level, such as the Bezirksliga, and is also responsible for the higher youth divisions in its region.

In Bavaria, this is the Bavarian Football Association (BFV), based in Munich. Germany has 21 such state associations. The state association is responsible for the highest leagues in its state, in Bavaria including the Landesliga, Bayernliga and Regionalliga Bayern. Its remit also includes player registrations and changes of club, initial and continuing training for coaches and referees, sports tribunals and talent development through representative teams.

The state associations are grouped into five regional associations. Bavaria belongs to the South German Football Association. This level hardly plays a role in a family’s everyday life.

The German Football Association is the umbrella organisation. It is responsible for the national teams, the DFB Cup, the 3. Liga, rules and regulations, and nationwide programmes such as the talent-development training centres. The men’s Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga are organised by the DFL, the association of professional clubs.

Regionalliga Bayern, Bayernliga, Landesliga, Bezirksliga, Kreisliga, Kreisklasse, A-Klasse, B-Klasse and, in some regions, C-Klasse. As a rule of thumb: the higher the league, the higher the level organising it.

• Youth fixtures, rescheduling matches and allocation to divisions: usually the Kreis
• Player registrations and changes of club: the state association
• Coach education and courses: the state association
• Training centres and talent identification: the DFB and state association together
• Anything you are unsure about: ask the club first; the youth coordinator knows the way

Knowing the levels means asking in the right place and getting less frustrated. It also gives you respect for the work being done: amateur football in Germany is supported overwhelmingly by volunteers, from the local district right up to the association’s committees.