Bundesliga Standings

Understanding Bundesliga Standings

The German Bundesliga has a format not too dissimilar to the other top five European leagues. It’s the only top-five league with 18 teams, but it’s similar in the sense that teams play each other both home and away, following a double round-robin. In the Bundesliga standings, three points are given for a win, one is awarded for a tie, and zero points for a loss. In league matches, there is no extra time, so each and every 90-minute result is final.

After 34 matchweeks, the club who finishes the season with the most points is the league champion. Tiebreakers between teams in the standings are broken by goal difference and goals scored. The Bundesliga’s promotion/relegation structure is similar to Ligue 1’s.

At the end of the season, the Bundesliga relegates the bottom two teams in the standings to the second-tier 2. Bundesliga. The top two teams in the 2. Bundesliga standings are then automatically promoted to the first tier. The team that finishes 16th in the Bundesliga competes in a two-leg, home-and-away playoff against the team that finishes third in the 2. Bundesliga to determine who will play in the first tier the following season.

Late-season Bundesliga scores and standings are crucial not just for title contenders. Often, teams in the relegation battle have an uptick in form as they fight for their Bundesliga lives. The top-six teams also qualify for European competitions so that’s where clubs want to be, come season’s end.

Four Champions League group stage places are awarded to the top-four Bundesliga teams. Fifth-place plays in the Europa League group stage and sixth place is sent to the third-tier UEFA Conference League. The team who wins the DFB-Pokal, if they’re outside of the top-five, also qualifies for the Europa League.

Recent scores and standings are taken into account by point spreads for each match.