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The Second League (German: 2. Liga), commonly known as Admiral 2. Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest professional division in Austrian football.

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...
2. Liga
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Organising bodyÖsterreichische Fußball Bundesliga
Founded1974; 50 years ago (1974)
Country Austria
Number of clubs16
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toBundesliga
Relegation toAustrian Regionalliga
Domestic cup(s)Austrian Cup
International cup(s)Europa League (via Austrian Cup)
Current championsGrazer AK (4th title)
(2023–24)
Websitewww.2liga.at
Current: 2024–25 Austrian Football Second League
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The division currently contains 16 teams, and the champion of the league is promoted to the Austrian Bundesliga if it is not a reserve team. The two last-placed teams are directly relegated from the Second League into the regional leagues.

Teams

Kapfenberger SV's ground, the Franz Fekete Stadium (formerly Alpenstadion)

Starting in the 2018–19 season, the former First League changed its name to the Second League[1] and expanded from ten teams to 16 teams.[2]

Sixteen teams will participate in the 2023–24 season. The only added team is Austria Lustenau, relegated from the 2023–24 Austrian Football Bundesliga, ASK Voitsberg and SK Rapid Wien II, promoted from the 2023–24 Austrian Regionalliga.

[3]

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Relegation

The destination of a club relegated from the Second League depends upon which Land (state) of the Federal Republic it is a member. The relegated clubs join one of the Regionalligen (regional leagues) in the east, centre or west of the country. The three regional league champions are promoted to the Second League. Participation in the professional Second League is conditional on their licensing by the fifth senate of the federal league. If the licence is refused for economic reasons, one team fewer will be relegated.

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Past winners

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Sanel Kuljić of SC Wiener Neustadt lifts the Erste Liga trophy in 2009
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Champions

More information Club, Winners ...
Club Winners Championship seasons
LASK
5
1978–79, 1991–92, 1993–94, 2006–07, 2016–17
Grazer AK
4
1974–75, 1992–93, 1994–95, 2023–24
FC Wacker Innsbruck (2002)
3
2003–04, 2009–10, 2017–18
Wiener Sport-Club
2
1976–77, 1985–86
Austria Salzburg
2
1977–78, 1986–87
Kremser SC
2
1987–88, 1988–89
SV Spittal/Drau
2
1983–84, 1989–90
Austria Klagenfurt / FC Kärnten
2
1981–82, 2000–01
FC Admira Wacker Mödling
2
1999–00, 2010–11
SC Rheindorf Altach
2
2005–06, 2013–14
SV Mattersburg
2
2002–03, 2014–15
SV Ried
2
2004–05, 2019–20
SC Austria Lustenau
2
1996–97, 2021-22
FC Blau-Weiß Linz
2
2020–21, 2022–23
First Vienna
1
1975–76
SC Eisenstadt
1
1979–80
FC Wacker Innsbruck
1
1980–81
SV Sankt Veit
1
1982–83
Salzburger AK 1914
1
1984–85
VfB Mödling
1
1990–91
FC Linz
1
1995–96
SK Vorwärts Steyr
1
1997–98
Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
1
1998–99
ASKÖ Pasching
1
2001–02
Kapfenberger SV
1
2007–08
SC Wiener Neustadt
1
2008–09
WAC
1
2011–12
Grödig
1
2012–13
SKN St. Pölten
1
2015–16
WSG Swarovski Tirol
1
2018–19
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Name history

The Austrian second division has had several different names and sponsors since 1974. It was formerly called the First League (Erste Liga), from 2002 to 2018.

(Seasons below represent the first season when the name was used)

  • 1974/75 Nationalliga
  • 1975/76 2. Division
  • 1993/94 2. Division der Bundesliga
  • 1998/99 Erste Division
  • 2002/03 Red Zac-Erste Liga
  • 2008/09 ADEG Erste Liga
  • 2010/11 „Heute für Morgen“ Erste Liga
  • 2014/15 Sky Go Erste Liga
  • 2018/19 2. Liga

The league was known as the Sky Go Erste Liga for sponsorship reasons from 2014/15 to 2017/18, but Sky is not mentioned on the official website 2liga.at, or in the ÖFB's 2018/19 preview articles.[4]

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References

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