Germany's second highest football competition, the 2. Bundesliga, has been played since 1974 and has 18 clubs. The top two teams after the season are promoted directly to the first league, and the third-placed team plays the third-worst team from the first league for promotion. And the same principle applies to relegation, where the two worst teams are relegated directly and the third worst have to earn their place in the 2. Bundesliga in a match against the third best team from a lower league.
The most successful teams in the 2. Bundesliga are 1. FC Nürnberg, SC Freiburg and 1. The average attendance at the stadiums is around 20,000 spectators, making it the most visited second division in the world.
