The Under 17 Bundesliga (German: B-Junioren Bundesliga) is the highest level of play in German football for male juniors between the ages of 15 and 17.[1] It was formed in 2007 and operates in three regional divisions with 14 clubs each. At the end of season, the three division champions and one of the runners-up determine the German champions for this age group.

Quick Facts Founded, Country ...
Under 17 Bundesliga
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Founded1976 (Championship)
2007 (Bundesliga)
CountryGermany
ConfederationUEFA
Divisions3
Number of teams42
Level on pyramid1
Current championsBorussia Dortmund (8th title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsBorussia Dortmund (8 titles)
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History

The league was formed in 2007, when the five U 17 Regionalligas merged to form the three Bundesligas as follows:

  • Under 17 Bundesliga North/Northeast formed from:
    • Under 17 Regionalliga North
    • Under 17 Regionalliga Northeast
  • Under 17 Bundesliga South/Southwest formed from:
    • Under 17 Regionalliga South
    • Under 17 Regionalliga Southwest
  • Under 17 Bundesliga West formed from:
    • Under 17 Regionalliga West

As such, the German Football Association followed the example it had set with the Under 19 Bundesliga in 2003, which were reorganised in the same fashion.

The Regionalligas themselves had only been formed in 2000, to replace an even more regionalised system with separate leagues for every regional football association.[2]

Mode

The clubs in each of the three divisions play a home-and-away round whereby there is no inter-league play. Every club plays therefore 26 regular season games. The bottom three teams in each division are relegated to the next level below, in turn, the best three teams from the region are promoted.

The winner of each league plus the runners-up of the South/Southwest region play in the finals round for the German Under 17 championship. The semi-finals are played in a home-and-away format. If the two semi-final teams playing each other are level on points and goals after the second game, there will be a penalty shoot-out. No extra time will be played.

The two semi-final winners reach the final, which is held at the location of the winner of the predetermined semi-final A, unless the team's stadium does not comply with DFB requirement, in which case an alternative venue will be determined. In the final, which is one game only, in case of a draw after normal time, a 20-minute extra time will be played. If the game is still a draw, a penalty shoot-out will determine the winner.[2]

Geography

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Bundesliga North/Northeast
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Bundesliga South/Southwest
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Bundesliga West

The three Bundesligas are not geographically balanced, North/Northeast covers a large area while West a rather small one, but in population terms, the arrangement is much more level. The three leagues cover the following states:

League pyramid

Below the three Bundesligas, a number of second-tier leagues exist which teams are promoted from and relegated to. The league system operates as follows for the 2008–09 season.[3]

Under 17 Bundesliga North/Northeast

The league has two second divisions as the tier below, these being:

  • Regionalliga North
  • Regionalliga Northeast

The league champions are directly promoted while the two runners-ups play each other for a third promotion spot

Under 17 Bundesliga South/Southwest

The league has four second divisions as the tier below, these being:

  • Regionalliga Southwest
  • Hessenliga
  • Oberliga Baden-Württemberg
  • Bayernliga

The winners of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg and Bayernliga are directly promoted. A third promoted team is determined between the winners of the Hessenliga and the Regionalliga Southwest.

Under 17 Bundesliga West

The league has three second divisions as the tier below, these being:

  • Verbandsliga Mittelrhein
  • Verbandsliga Niederrhein
  • Westfalenliga

The three league champions are directly promoted.

Levels of youth football

German football recognises seven levels of junior football, determined by age and labeled with letters, whereby A is the oldest. In the A level, mixed teams of male and females are not permitted while in B and C mixed teams are allowed if the parents or guardians of the children permit it. Below the C level, mixed teams are generally permitted without restrictions.[4]

More information Name, Age ...
Name Age
A-Junioren Under 19
B-Junioren Under 17
C-Junioren Under 15
D-Junioren Under 13
E-Junioren Under 11
F-Junioren Under 9
G-Junioren Under 7
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Division champions

The champions of the three divisions:

More information Season, North/Northeast ...
Season North/Northeast South/Southwest West
2007–08 Hertha BSC TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Borussia Dortmund
2008–09 VfL Wolfsburg FC Bayern Munich Borussia Mönchengladbach
2009–10 Hertha BSC Eintracht Frankfurt Bayer Leverkusen
2010–11 Werder Bremen VfB Stuttgart 1. FC Köln
2011–12 Hertha BSC 1. FC Nürnberg 1. FC Köln
2012–13 Hertha BSC VfB Stuttgart FC Schalke 04
2013–14 RB Leipzig 1. FSV Mainz 05 Borussia Dortmund
2014–15 RB Leipzig VfB Stuttgart Borussia Dortmund
2015–16 VfL Wolfsburg VfB Stuttgart Borussia Dortmund
2016–17 Werder Bremen FC Bayern Munich FC Schalke 04
2017–18 RB Leipzig FC Bayern Munich Borussia Dortmund
2018–19 VfL Wolfsburg FC Bayern Munich Borussia Dortmund
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Championship winners

The German under 17 football championship begun in 1977, with the first final being played on 3 July 1977 in Niefern.[5]

Pre-Bundesliga era

More information Season, Winner ...
Season Winner Finalist Result
1976–77 Eintracht Frankfurt FC Schalke 04 2–1
1977–78 FC Schalke 04 Hertha Zehlendorf 6–0
1978–79 Blau-Weiß 1890 Berlin FC Augsburg 1–1 aet (5–4 pen)
1979–80 Eintracht Frankfurt (2) FC Schalke 04 2–1
1980–81 Borussia Mönchengladbach Eintracht Frankfurt 1–0
1981–82 SG Wattenscheid 09 Eintracht Frankfurt 3–1
1982–83 1. FC Kaiserslautern Werder Bremen 2–1
1983–84 Borussia Dortmund TSV 1860 Munich 1–0
1984–85 VfL Bochum Kickers Offenbach 3–0
1985–86 VfB Stuttgart Schwarz-Weiß Essen 5–0
1986–87 Bayer Uerdingen 1. FC Nürnberg 4–0
1987–88 Hertha Zehlendorf VfB Stuttgart 2–1
1988–89 FC Bayern Munich Hertha Zehlendorf 1–1 aet (5–4 pen)
1989–90 1. FC Köln VfB Stuttgart 2–1
1990–91 Eintracht Frankfurt (3) Hertha BSC 8–4 aet
1991–92 Bayer Leverkusen 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2–1
1992–93 Borussia Dortmund (2) FC Carl Zeiss Jena 5–1
1993–94 VfB Stuttgart (2) Hannover 96 3–0
1994–95 VfB Stuttgart (3) Hannover 96 3–1
1995–96 Borussia Dortmund (3) 1. FC Saarbrücken 6–1
1996–97 FC Bayern Munich (2) Werder Bremen 3–0
1997–98 Borussia Dortmund (4) VfB Stuttgart 2–2 aet (3–2 pen)
1998–99 VfB Stuttgart (4) Borussia Dortmund 3–1
1999-00 Hertha BSC FC Bayern Munich 1–0
2000–01 FC Bayern Munich (3) Borussia Dortmund 4–0
2001–02 FC Schalke 04 (2) VfB Stuttgart 3–1 aet
2002–03 Hertha BSC (2) VfB Stuttgart 4–1
2003–04 VfB Stuttgart (5) Energie Cottbus 2–1
2004–05 Hertha BSC (3) Hansa Rostock 2–0
2005–06 TSV 1860 Munich Borussia Dortmund 2–0
2006–07 FC Bayern Munich (4) Borussia Dortmund 1–0
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Bundesliga era

More information Season, Semi-finals ...
Season Semi-finals Leg 1 Leg 2 Final Result
2007–08 Hertha BSC – TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 1–6 3–1 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim – Borussia Dortmund 6–4
1. FC Kaiserlslautern – Borussia Dortmund 1–3 1–0
2008–09 FC Bayern Munich – VfL Wolfsburg 3–0 0–1 VfB Stuttgart (6) – FC Bayern Munich 3–1 aet
VfB Stuttgart – Borussia Mönchengladbach 2–1 1–1
2009–10 VfB Stuttgart – Bayer Leverkusen 1–2 0–1 Eintracht Frankfurt (4) – Bayer Leverkusen 1–0
Eintracht Frankfurt – Hertha BSC 2–1 3–1
2010–11 VfB Stuttgart – Werder Bremen 2–2 aet (8–9 pen) 1. FC Köln (2) – Werder Bremen 3–2 aet
1. FC Köln – TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 3–2
2011–12 1. FC Köln – Hertha BSC 1–2 4–4 Hertha BSC (4) – VfB Stuttgart 2–0
VfB Stuttgart – 1. FC Nürnberg 0–2 4–1
2012–13 FC Schalke 04 – Hertha BSC 0–1 2–2 VfB Stuttgart (7) – Hertha BSC 1–0
Werder Bremen – VfB Stuttgart 1–7 0–4
2013–14 1. FSV Mainz 05 – RB Leipzig 1–1 1–2 RB Leipzig – Borussia Dortmund (5) 1–2
Borussia Dortmund – Hertha BSC 1–2 4–0
2014–15 VfB Stuttgart – Hannover 96 2–0 1–1 VfB Stuttgart – Borussia Dortmund (6) 0–4
Borussia Dortmund – RB Leipzig 2–0 2–1
2015–16 VfB Stuttgart – Borussia Dortmund 2–3 1–5 Borussia Dortmund – Bayer Leverkusen (2) 0–2
Bayer Leverkusen – VfL Wolfsburg 2–2 3–2
2016–17 FC Bayern Munich – FC Schalke 04 3–0 0–1 FC Bayern Munich (5) – Werder Bremen 2–0
Werder Bremen – Borussia Dortmund 1–1 3–0
2017–18 FC Bayern Munich – RB Leipzig 3–0 2–0 FC Bayern Munich – Borussia Dortmund (7) 2–3
Bayer Leverkusen – Borussia Dortmund 1–1 0–2
2018–19 FC Bayern Munich – 1. FC Köln 0–1 0–4 Borussia Dortmund – 1. FC Köln (3) 2–3
Borussia Dortmund – VfL Wolfsburg 2–1 2–0
2021–22 FC Schalke 04 – Fortuna Düsseldorf 3–0 3–1 FC Schalke 04 (3) – VfB Stuttgart 1–1 aet (3–2 pen)
VfB Stuttgart – Hertha BSC 1–0 2–1
2022–23 Arminia Bielefeld – FC Schalke 04 0–1 3–1 Arminia Bielefeld – VfL Wolfsburg 2–1
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim – VfL Wolfsburg 4–3 2–3 (4–5 pen)
2023–24 Borussia Dortmund – RB Leipzig 0–0 3–2 Borussia Dortmund (8) – Bayer Leverkusen 3–2 aet
Bayer Leverkusen – Eintracht Frankfurt 2–2 2–2 (6–5 pen)
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  • Winner in bold.
  • (2) denotes the number of titles the club has won at this stage when it won more than one.
  • Source: Alle B-Junioren-Meister (in German) official DFB website: List of all champions, accessed: 16 November 2008

Winners & Finalists

As of 2024, this is the standing in the all-time winners list:

Club Championships Finals
Borussia Dortmund 8 15
VfB Stuttgart 7 15
FC Bayern Munich 5 8
Eintracht Frankfurt 4 6
Hertha BSC 4 6
FC Schalke 04 3 5
1. FC Köln 3 3
Bayer Leverkusen 2 4
Hertha Zehlendorf 1 3
1. FC Kaiserslautern 1 2
TSV 1860 Munich 1 2
Arminia Bielefeld 1 1
Blau-Weiß 1890 Berlin 1 1
VfL Bochum 1 1
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 1 1
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1 1
Bayer Uerdingen 1 1
SG Wattenscheid 09 1 1
Werder Bremen 0 4
Hannover 96 0 2
VfL Wolfsburg 0 1
RB Leipzig 0 1
FC Augsburg 0 1
Energie Cottbus 0 1
Schwarz-Weiß Essen 0 1
FC Carl Zeiss Jena 0 1
1. FC Nürnberg 0 1
Kickers Offenbach 0 1
Hansa Rostock 0 1
1. FC Saarbrücken 0 1
  • On five occasions, the Bundesliga champions also won the German under 17 title:
    • 1989: FC Bayern Munich
    • 1996: Borussia Dortmund
    • 1997: FC Bayern Munich
    • 2001: FC Bayern Munich
    • 2017: FC Bayern Munich
  • On two occasions, the Bundesliga champions also won the German under 17 and under 19 title:
    • 1996: Borussia Dortmund
    • 2001: FC Bayern Munich
  • On four occasions, the under 19 champions also won the under 17 title:
    • 1987: Bayer Uerdingen
    • 1996: Borussia Dortmund
    • 1998: Borussia Dortmund
    • 2001: FC Bayern Munich

Clubs & league finishes

The clubs and their league finishes in the Under 17 Bundesliga since 2007–08. Also shown are the final placing of the qualifying season 2006–07 and the Regionalliga or region, in color, the clubs qualified from:

North/Northeast

More information Club ...
Club 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VfL Wolfsburg 5 2 1 2 5 2 4 4 4 1 4 4 1 x
Hertha BSC 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 2 6 3 5 2 2 x
RB Leipzig 11 7 1 1 2 2 1 3 x
Hamburger SV 1 4 6 5 9 5 6 5 3 5 3 3 4 x
Werder Bremen 2 3 2 3 1 4 2 3 5 4 1 5 5 x
FC St. Pauli 9 12 7 10 10 11 9 6 6 7 6 x
1. FC Union Berlin 13 12 12 11 10 11 7 x
Hannover 96 3 6 9 7 6 3 3 8 2 12 6 8 x
Energie Cottbus 6 10 8 6 11 8 8 7 12 8 9 x
Chemnitzer FC 9 10 x
Dynamo Dresden 7 12 8 6 11 14 10 9 10 11 x
Eintracht Braunschweig 7 14 10 8 9 11 13 x
FC Carl Zeiss Jena 12 11 10 12 6 10 13 x
Hallescher FC x
Holstein Kiel 4 11 11 13 7 5 9 13 7 9 12
Tennis Borussia Berlin 2 8 5 10 4 13 7 8 13 13
SC Borgfeld 14
1. FC Magdeburg 8 11 7 8 12
Eimsbütteler TV 14
FC Hansa Rostock 4 5 4 4 12 12
Niendorfer TSV 14
VfL Osnabrück 6 7 7 8 3 9 9 13 14
Concordia Hamburg 8 13 14 14
FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt 5 9 10 9 13 12
Eintracht Norderstedt 13
VfL Oldenburg 14
Hertha Zehlendorf 14 14
SC Weyhe 14 14
Sachsen Leipzig 3 13
LTS Bremerhaven 10
Braunschweiger SC 11
Schleswig 06 12
SC Langenhagen 13
1. FC Neubrandenburg 04 10
Tasmania Gropiusstadt 11
Frankfurter FC Viktoria 14
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South/Southwest

More information Club ...
Club 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
FC Bayern Munich 1 6 1 6 4 4 8 6 5 2 1 1 1 x
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 5 1 6 8 2 8 5 4 2 3 8 3 2 x
Eintracht Frankfurt 2 4 10 1 3 3 9 11 11 8 5 5 3 x
1. FSV Mainz 05 3 7 12 8 6 7 1 7 9 4 4 4 x
FC Augsburg 10 11 10 10 13 4 6 10 5 x
VfB Stuttgart 3 3 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 6 x
Stuttgarter Kickers 12 6 11 11 7 x
1. FC Nürnberg 8 5 5 4 6 1 3 8 9 13 6 8 x
SV Wehen Wiesbaden 9 x
Karlsruher SC 7 8 8 11 9 7 11 5 3 5 3 9 10 x
SpVgg Unterhaching 12 12 10 8 11 x
SV Darmstadt 98 x
SC Freiburg 6 11 9 5 5 9 2 9 8 11 9 13 x
SpVgg Greuther Fürth 7 7 10 11 4 3 4 12 x
1. FC Heidenheim 7 12
FC Ingolstadt 04 14 13
SSV Ulm 1846 11 11 10 13 13 14
1. FC Kaiserslautern 1 2 4 9 14 12 10 6 7 7 12
SV Elversberg 14 14
SV Sandhausen 12
TSV 1860 Munich 4 10 3 3 7 5 6 7 10 10 13
Kickers Offenbach 9 14 14
1. FC Saarbrücken 2 9 13 14
FSV Frankfurt 14 12
SSV Jahn Regensburg 13 13
SV Waldhof Mannheim 12 14
SGV Freiberg 13
SV Wacker Burghausen 12
FK Pirmasens 13
TuS Ergenzingen 14
SG Rosenhöhe Offenbach 14
TSG Backnang 12
Borussia Neunkirchen 4
TuS Koblenz 5
SSV Bachem 6
SV Gonsenheim 7
Ludwigshafener SC 8
Eintracht Trier 9
TuS Mayen 10
SV Thalexweiler 11
Hassia Bingen 12
SG Blaubach-Diedelkopf 13
SG Betzdorf 14
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West

More information Club ...
Club 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Borussia Dortmund 2 1 4 5 2 3 5 1 1 1 2 1 1 x
1. FC Köln 4 7 2 4 1 1 6 7 3 9 4 5 2 x
Bayer Leverkusen 5 3 3 1 4 5 3 4 2 2 3 2 3 x
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1 2 1 3 9 4 2 5 4 6 6 4 4 x
FC Schalke 04 3 6 6 2 6 2 1 3 5 3 1 3 5 x
VfL Bochum 7 5 13 3 6 4 2 9 5 5 6 6 x
Fortuna Düsseldorf 14 13 10 12 7 10 8 8 7 x
Arminia Bielefeld 9 4 7 9 5 12 9 6 11 10 7 8 x
Preußen Münster 9 11 8 10 8 11 10 12 9 9 x
FC Hennef 05 8 13 10 x
SG Unterrath 11 11 x
Alemannia Aachen 6 11 10 10 12 9 14 14 x
SV Lippstadt 08 x
Wuppertaler SV Borussia 12 14 x
MSV Duisburg 11 8 5 6 8 7 7 6 8 4 7 10 12
Rot-Weiss Essen 12 10 8 7 7 9 10 8 11 7 12 13
SC Paderborn 07 13 10 12 14
Hombrucher SV 11 12
FC Viktoria Köln 13 9 13
1. FC Mönchengladbach 14
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen 13 13
Sportfreunde Siegen 14 14
Euskirchner TSC 11 14
Bonner SC 10 12 12 11 8 12
BV 04 Düsseldorf 13
SV Bergisch Gladbach 09 11 14
SG Wattenscheid 09 8 13 11 13
Sportfreunde Troisdorf 9 14
TSC Eintracht 48/95 Dortmund 14
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Key

League champions
League runners-up
More information Region of origin ...
Region of origin
North
Northeast
South
Southwest
West
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Top scorers

The league's top scorers:

North/Northeast

The top scorers of the North/Northeast division:[6]

More information Season, Player ...
Season Player Club Goals
2007–08 Germany Abu-Bakarr Kargbo
Germany Mario Petry
Hertha BSC
VfL Wolfsburg
17
2008–09 Germany Lennart Thy Werder Bremen 28
2009–10 Germany Moritz Göttel VfL Wolfsburg 21
2010–11 Germany Malte Nieweler VfL Osnabrück 16
2011–12 Germany Federico Palacios-Martinez VfL Wolfsburg 26
2012–13 Germany Nico Empen
Poland Oskar Zawada
Holstein Kiel
VfL Wolfsburg
18
2013–14 Germany Johannes Eggestein Werder Bremen 20
2014–15 Germany Johannes Eggestein Werder Bremen 22
2015–16 Germany David Nieland VfL Wolfsburg 21
2016–17 Germany Jann-Fiete Arp Hamburger SV 26
2017–18 Germany Lazar Samardžić Hertha BSC 24
2018–19 Germany Emincan Tekin Hertha BSC 26
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South/Southwest

The top scorers of the South/Southwest division:[7]

More information Season, Player ...
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West

The top scorers of the West division:[8]

More information Season, Player ...
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References

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