The Bayernliga, the fifth tier of the German football league system and highest football league in the state of Bavaria, has had four teams annually promoted to the league, the champions of the three Landesligas, and a fourth club, determined by an annual promotion round. It involved the runners-up from the three Landesligas and the team in the Oberliga placed right above the relegation ranks.

The Bavarian football federation decided on drastic changes to the league system from 2012 onwards. With the introduction of the Regionalliga Bayern from 2012 to 2013, it placed two Bayernligas, north and south, below the new league as the new fifth tier of the German league system. Below those, five Landesligas instead of the existing three were set, which would be geographically divided to limit travel and increase the number of local derbies.Attraktive Gegner, regionale Einteilung, weniger Fahrtkosten BFV.de. 12 February 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011

History and modus In 1963, alongside the establishment of the Bundesliga, a single-division, highest league for the state of Bavaria, the Amateurliga Bayern was established, too. Below this league, three regional Landesligas were formed to replace the previously existing 2. Amateurligas: Landesliga Bayern-Nord, covering the Regierungsbezirke of Upper Franconia and Lower Franconia Landesliga Bayern-Mitte, covering Middle Franconia, Upper Palatinate and Lower Bavaria Landesliga Bayern-Süd, covering Upper Bavaria and Swabia

From the 1963–64 season onwards, the champions of each of these three leagues were directly promoted to the Amateurliga Bayern, or, as it is commonly called, the Bayernliga. In turn, the bottom three teams in the Bayernliga were relegated to the Landesliga, according to their region of origin.

In 1978, the Amateurliga Bayern was renamed Amateur Oberliga Bayern.

In 1981, this modus changed as the Bavarian football association wanted each runners-up team in the Bavarian leagues to have a chance for promotion, too. Nowadays, the statutes of the BFV actually specify that every runners-up in Bavaria has the right to take part in promotion round, providing the league it can earn promotion to is part of the Bavarian football league system.BFV Spielordnung - § 16 Allgemeine Vorschriften (2) BFV regulations. Retrieved 12 November 2008

A system was established whereby the three Landesliga runners-up and the Bayernliga team placed right above the relegation ranks determined one more team to enter the league for the next season. A draw would establish which two teams met each other in the first round in an on-off game, with all games to be played on neutral grounds, preferably at a location half-way between the two clubs. The winners of those two games would then advance to a final to determine the team that would play in the Bayernliga next season.

Exceptions existed in regards to the number of teams promoted. If the Bayernliga champion managed to win promotion to the 2. Bundesliga and no team from that league was relegated to the Bayernliga, an extra team was promoted from the Landesliga. Also, in 1994, due to the formation of the Regionalligas, eight teams from the Landesligas earned promotion to the Bayernliga with the promotion round being played between the third placed teams.Die Bayernliga 1945 - 1997 DSFS. 1996. p. 129. Retrieved 12 November 2008 A similar situation existed in 2008, when the 3. Liga was established. Generally, after 1994 in a most seasons more than one club was promoted.

In 1994, the Amateur Oberliga Bayern was renamed Oberliga Bayern.

Because of the establishment of the Regionalliga Bayern in 2012 and the expansion of the Bayernliga from one to two regional divisions a large number of clubs earned promotion to the league in 2012. Additionally, the number of Landesligas was expanded from three to five.So läuft die Relegation auf Verbandsebene fupa.net. Retrieved 23 May 2012

As the 2019–20 season was interrupted by the coronavirus disease pandemic in Germany that broke out in March 2020, it was later suspended until 31 August, forcing a cancellation of the 2020–21 season as the Bavarian Football Association approved a resumption of the preceding one, which concludes in mid-2021, thus postponing the play-offs.

Clubs directly promoted The champions of the three Landesligas who earned direct promotion to the Bayernliga where:

Three divisions: from 1963 to 2012 Season Landesliga Süd Landesliga Mitte Landesliga Nord 1963–64 TSG Augsburg SpVgg Weiden FV Würzburg 04 1964–65 SpVgg Kaufbeuren 1. FC Nürnberg II FC Bayreuth 1965–66 MTV Ingolstadt SSV Jahn Regensburg SpVgg Hof 1966–67 FC Bayern Munich II ESV Nürnberg-West VfB Coburg 1967–68 SpVgg Kaufbeuren FC Passau FC Münchberg 1968–69 MTV Ingolstadt SpVgg Vohenstrauss FC Bayreuth 1969–70 FC Memmingen FC Herzogenaurach FV Würzburg 04 1970–71 SC Fürstenfeldbruck ASV Neumarkt FC Kronach 1971–72 BSC Sendling ASV Herzogenaurach FC Bayreuth 1972–73 FC Bayern Munich II TSV Roth VfB Coburg 1973–74 SpVgg Kaufbeuren ASV Neumarkt ATS Kulmbach 1974–75 VfR Neuburg FC Amberg 1. FC Bamberg 1975–76 TSV 1860 Rosenheim SpVgg Plattling 1. FC Haßfurt 1976–77 MTV Ingolstadt FC Herzogenaurach TSV Trebgast 1977–78 SB/DJK Rosenheim FC Vilshofen TSV Hirschaid 1978–79 TSV Ampfing FC Herzogenaurach VfB Helmbrechts 1979–80 SC Fürstenfeldbruck 1. FC Nürnberg II VfL Frohnlach 1980–81 SpVgg Unterhaching FC Vilshofen 1. FC Bamberg 1981–82 FC Wacker München TSV Straubing VfB Coburg 1982–83 TSV Eching SSV Jahn Regensburg FC Bayern Hof 1983–84 ESV Ingolstadt 1. FC Nürnberg II FC Schweinfurt 05 1984–85 SC Fürstenfeldbruck SpVgg Weiden SV Heidingsfeld 1985–86 TSV Großhadern FC Amberg 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 1986–87 FC Wacker München TSV Vestenbergsgreuth FC Kronach 1987–88 SV Türk Gücü München SpVgg Weiden FC Bayern Hof 1988–89 SpVgg Starnberg SpVgg Plattling VfB Helmbrechts 1989–90 TSV Eching SSV Jahn Regensburg Kickers Würzburg 1990–91 TSV Schwaben Augsburg SpVgg Fürth SC 08 Bamberg 1991–92 SpVgg Starnberg FC Passau VfL Frohnlach 1992–93 Wacker Burghausen SpVgg Plattling VfB Helmbrechts 1993–94 SV Türk Gücü München Jahn Forchheim FC Bayern Hof 1994–95 TSV 1860 Rosenheim SG Quelle Fürth SC Weismain 1995–96 TSV 1860 Munich II SG Post/Süd Regensburg SpVgg Stegaurach 1996–97 TSV 1860 Rosenheim 1. SC Feucht Kickers Würzburg 1997–98 TSV Schwaben Augsburg SC 04 Schwabach SpVgg Bayreuth 1998–99 FC Kempten SSV Jahn Regensburg FV Würzburg 04 1999–2000 FC Ismaning ASV Neumarkt 1. FC Sand 2000–01 Falke Markt Schwaben SpVgg Greuther Fürth II SpVgg Bayreuth 2001–02 SC Fürstenfeldbruck SG Post/Süd Regensburg TSV Gerbrunn 2002–03 FC Memmingen SpVgg Landshut FV Würzburg 04 2003–04 MTV Ingolstadt 1. FC Bad Kötzting VfL Frohnlach 2004–05 Wacker Burghausen II SG Quelle Fürth FV Würzburg 04 2005–06 SV Heimstetten SpVgg Weiden SpVgg Bayern Hof 2006–07 FC Kempten SpVgg Ansbach 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 2007–08 TSV Buchbach FSV Erlangen-Bruck VfL Frohnlach 2008–09 TSV 1860 Rosenheim SV Schalding-Heining SV Memmelsdorf 2009–10 SV Heimstetten Freier TuS Regensburg Würzburger FV 2010–11 SB/DJK Rosenheim SC Eltersdorf VfL Frohnlach 2011–12 Wacker Burghausen II SpVgg Landshut Kickers Würzburg

Five divisions: since 2012 Season Landesliga Nordost Landesliga Nordwest Landesliga Mitte Landesliga Südost Landesliga Südwest 2012–13 SpVgg SV Weiden SV Erlenbach TSV Bogen SV Pullach FC Pipinsried 2013–14 TSV Neudrossenfeld SpVgg Ansbach 1. FC Bad Kötzting TSV Dachau TSV Landsberg 2014–15 1. SC Feucht DJK Don Bosco Bamberg SpVgg Ruhmannsfelden SV Kirchanschöring TSV Kottern 2015–16 ASV Neumarkt SpVgg Ansbach DJK Ammerthal FC Ismaning FC Gundelfingen 2016–17 TSV Kornburg 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 II DJK Gebenbach TuS Holzkirchen TSV Schwaben Augsburg 2017–18 ATSV Erlangen TSV Abtswind SSV Jahn Regensburg II Türkgücü-Ataspor Munich TSV 1861 Nördlingen 2018–19 FC Eintracht Bamberg TSV Karlburg SV Donaustauf TSV 1880 Wasserburg TSV Landsberg 2019–21No champions. 2019–20 season suspended because of COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and later extended to 2021. 2020–21 cancelled.

Source:

Clubs taking part in the promotion round The clubs having taken part in the promotion round were:

Three divisions: from 1963 to 2012 Season Bayernliga Landesliga Süd Landesliga Mitte Landesliga Nord 1980–81 TSV Trebgast TSV Schwaben Augsburg TSV Straubing VfB Coburg 1981–82 SC Fürstenfeldbruck SpVgg Kaufbeuren SpVgg Landshut FT Schweinfurt 1982–83 FC Memmingen TSV Aindling FC Amberg SV Heidingsfeld 1983–84 TSV Ampfing Wacker Burghausen FSV Bad Windsheim SV Heidingsfeld 1984–85 MTV Ingolstadt TSV Eching SpVgg Plattling VfB Helmbrechts 1985–86 SV Heidingsfeld FC Wacker München FSV Bad Windsheim VfB Helmbrechts 1986–87 FC Memmingen MTV Ingolstadt FSV Bad Windsheim VfB Helmbrechts 1987–88 SSV Jahn Regensburg TSV Schwaben Augsburg FC Miltach VfB Helmbrechts 1988–89 TSV Ampfing FC Memmingen SpVgg Fürth SV Memmelsdorf 1989–90 SpVgg Starnberg SV Lohhof FC Passau DJK Schweinfurt 1990–91 SpVgg Bayreuth FC Gundelfingen 1. FC Nürnberg II VfL Frohnlach 1991–92 SV Türk Gücü München FC Gundelfingen SpVgg Landshut SV Heidingsfeld 1992–93 TSV Eching FC Gundelfingen BSC Erlangen FC Bayern Hof 1993–94 SSV Jahn Regensburg FC Enikon Augsburg MTV Ingolstadt FC Amberg SpVgg Weiden SV Heidingsfeld VfL Frohnlach 1994–95 FC Enikon Augsburg TSV Eching SpVgg Weiden Alemannia Haibach 1995–96 VfB Helmbrechts TSV Aindling TSV 04 Schwabach Alemannia Haibach 1996–97 SpVgg Bayreuth TSV Landsberg SSV Jahn Regensburg FV Würzburg 04 1997–98 FC Memmingen SV Türk Gücü München 1. FC Nürnberg II FV Würzburg 04 1998–99 FC Bayern Hof TSV Bobingen SpVgg Ansbach DJK Waldberg 1999–2000 SpVgg Landshut MTV Ingolstadt 1. FC Bad Kötzting SpVgg Bayreuth 2000–01 FC Kempten SpVgg Unterhaching II FC Linde Schwandorf TSV Großbardorf 2001–02 FV Würzburg 04 TSV Schwaben Augsburg SpVgg Landshut VfL Frohnlach 2002–03 SG Quelle Fürth SV Gendorf FC Passau TSV Grossbardorf 2003–04 FC Passau BCF Wolfratshausen SG Quelle Fürth 1. FC Bamberg 2004–05 SpVgg Ansbach FC Kempten ASV Neumarkt FC Bayern Hof 2005–06 FC Kempten TSG Thannhausen Freier TuS Regensburg 1. FC Eintracht Bamberg 2006–07 TSV Großbardorf TSG Thannhausen SV Schalding-Heining Alemannia Haibach 2007–08 FC Schweinfurt 05 FC Ingolstadt 04 II TSV Rain am Lech SV Seligenporten DJK Vilzing Kickers Würzburg SV Friesen 2008–09 SV Seligenporten FC Affing SpVgg Landshut 1. FC Sand 2009–10 SpVgg Ansbach VfB Eichstätt TSV Neustadt/Aisch FC Schweinfurt 05 2010–11 SpVgg Bayern Hof TSV Gersthofen SSV Jahn Regensburg II SpVgg Selbitz 2011–12 see: 2011–12 Bayernliga#Play–offs

Five divisions: since 2012