NOFV-Oberliga Nord

The NOFV-Oberliga Nord is the fifth tier of the German football league system in the northern states of the former East Germany and West Berlin. It covers the German states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and northern Saxony-Anhalt. It is one of fourteen Oberligas in German football. Until the introduction of the 3. Liga in 2008 it was the fourth tier of the league system, and until the introduction of the Regionalligas in 1994 the third tier.

Overview
The NOFV-Oberliga Nord was formed in 1991 when, along with the political reunification of Germany, the former East German football league system was integrated into the unified German one.

The abbreviation NOFV stands for Nordostdeutscher Fußballverband, meaning North East German Football Association.

Along with this league, two other NOFV-Oberligas were formed, the NOFV-Oberliga Mitte and the NOFV-Oberliga Süd.

The league was formed from clubs from five different leagues: Three clubs from the Oberliga Nordost, the former DDR-Oberliga, eight clubs from the NOFV-Liga, the former East German second division, one club from the Bezirksliga Schwerin, one of the regional leagues of the old East German third league level, one from the Verbandsliga Brandenburg, a new league, and six clubs from the Amateur-Oberliga Berlin, the West German third division for the city of Berlin. The league accommodated therefore a wide mix of clubs from the east and west of Germany. With the FC Berlin, the former BFC Dynamo, and Vorwärts Frankfurt, it held two former East German champions as well. It was also the first time since 1950 that clubs from eastern and western Berlin played in the same league.

The league became one of the then ten Oberligas in the united Germany, the third tier of league football. Its champion was however not directly promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga but had to take part in a promotion play-off. In 1993 the league champion was successful in this competition, in 1992 and 1994 they failed.

For the duration of the league and onwards, the leagues below it are:


 * Berlin-Liga
 * Brandenburg-Liga
 * Verbandsliga Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
 * Verbandsliga Sachsen-Anhalt (northern clubs only, since 1994)

In 1994, the German football league system saw some major changes. The four Regionalligen were introduced as an intermediate level between the 2nd Bundesliga and Oberligen, relegating the Oberligen to fourth tier from now on. In the east of Germany, the Regionalliga Nordost was formed, a league covering the area of former East Germany and western Berlin. Six clubs from the NOFV-Oberliga Nord were admitted to the new league:


 * BSV Brandenburg, now FC Stahl Brandenburg
 * Eisenhüttenstädter FC Stahl
 * Reinickendorfer Füchse
 * Berliner FC Dynamo
 * Spandauer SV
 * FSV Optik Rathenow

The NOFV-Oberliga Mitte was disbanded and its clubs spread between the two remaining Oberligas in the east. Five clubs from the former league were added to the NOFV-Oberliga Nord, three of them from Berlin and two from the northern part of Saxony-Anhalt. The league now became the only Oberliga with clubs from Berlin.

From 1995 to 1999, the champions of the league were directly promoted to the Regionalliga Nordost. In 1997 and 1999, the runners-up were eligible for promotion too.

With the reduction of the number of Regionalligen to two, the league came under the Regionalliga Nord. Five clubs were relegated that season from the now disbanded Regionalliga Nordost. The regulations about promotion kept on changing and until 2006, the league champion had to play-off with the champion of the southern league for one promotion spot. Only in 2004 did the northern champion come out as a winner of this contest. From the 2006 season onwards, direct promotion was awarded again.

The league changes in 2008 with the introduction of the 3rd Liga meant the Oberligen was now the fifth tier of league football in Germany. The top three teams of the league in 2007–08 gained entry to the Regionalliga, the fourth placed team had to play-off against the fourth placed team from the south for one more spot, these clubs being:


 * Hertha BSC II
 * Hansa Rostock II
 * Türkiyemspor Berlin
 * Greifswalder SV qualified for play-offs

Otherwise, the setup of the league did not change and its champion was directly promoted from the 2008–09 season onwards.

Another league reform, decided upon in 2010, saw the reestablishment of the Regionalliga Nordost from 2012 onwards, with the two NOFV-Oberligas feeding into this league again. With the league champions, F.C. Hansa Rostock II being ineligible for promotion TSG Neustrelitz, FSV Optik Rathenow and 1. FC Union Berlin II were directly promoted to the new Regionalliga while Torgelower SV Greif achieved promotion through a play-off round.

Founding members of the league
The founding members of the league in 1991 were:

From the Oberliga Nordost:
 * Eisenhüttenstädter FC Stahl
 * FC Berlin, renamed Berliner FC Dynamo
 * FC Vorwärts Frankfurt/Oder, now 1. FC Frankfurt

From the Verbandsliga Brandenburg: From the Bezirksliga Schwerin:
 * FSV PCK Schwedt, later 1. FC Schwedt, disbanded in 1996, reformed as FC Schwedt
 * Blau-Weiß Parchim, now SC Parchim

From the Amateur-Oberliga Berlin:
 * Tennis Borussia Berlin
 * Spandauer SV, now defunct
 * Reinickendorfer Füchse
 * Spandauer BC
 * Wacker 04 Berlin, now defunct
 * BFC Preussen

From the NOFV-Liga Staffel A:
 * Greifswalder SC, went bankrupt, reformed as Greifswalder SV
 * Bergmann-Borsig Berlin, joined SV Preußen Berlin
 * Motor Eberswalde, now Preussen Eberswalde
 * MSV Post Neubrandenburg, now 1. FC Neubrandenburg 04
 * Stahl Hennigsdorf, now FC 98 Hennigsdorf
 * Rot-Weiß Prenzlau, defunct
 * Hafen Rostock

Champions of the NOFV-Oberliga Nord
The league champions:


 * Because the 2010-11 champions and runners-up declined promotion to the Regionalliga, the third placed Berliner AK 07 were promoted instead.

Placings in the league
The complete list of clubs in the league and their final placings: