kids encyclopedia robot

Austrian Football Bundesliga facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Austrian Football Bundesliga
Admiral Bundesliga.svg
Organising body Österreichische Fußball Bundesliga
Founded 1974; 50 years ago (1974)
Country Austria
Confederation UEFA
Number of teams 12 (since 2018–19)
Level on pyramid 1
Relegation to 2. Liga
Domestic cup(s) Austrian Cup
International cup(s) UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
UEFA Conference League
Current champions Sturm Graz (4th title)
(2023–24)
Most championships Rapid Wien (32 titles)
Top goalscorer Hans Krankl (270)
TV partners Domestic
ORF
Sky Sport Austria
International
OneFootball (Selected international markets)
Website www.bundesliga.at

The Bundesliga (German: Bundesliga [ˈbʊndəsˌliːɡa], "Federal League"), also known as Admiral Bundesliga for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the Austrian football league system. The competition decides the Austrian national football champions, as well the country's entrants for the various European cups run by UEFA.

The Austrian Bundesliga, which began in the 1974–75 season, has been a separate registered association since 1 December 1991. It has been won the most by the two Viennese giants Austria Wien, who were national champions 24 times, and Rapid Wien, who won the national title 32 times. The current champions are SK Sturm Graz. Phillip Thonhauser is president of the Austrian Bundesliga. The Austrian Football Bundesliga is currently known as Admiral Bundesliga for sponsorship reasons.

History

1900–1938

Football has been played in Austria since around 1890. Around the turn of the twentieth century two attempts were made to start a national championship. From 1900 onwards, a cup competition was played in Vienna, the Neues Wiener Tagblatt Pokal. This cup was actually played in league format. The efforts to create a football league succeeded in 1911, with the introduction of the first Austrian football championship. The competition for this championship, the 1. Klasse (First Class), was created and organized by the Niederösterreichischer Fußball-Verband (the Lower Austrian Football Federation), and the participants played for the title of Niederösterreichische Landesmeister (Lower Austrian National Champion). From 1924, the league was considered professional and changed its name to I. Liga (First League). In 1929, an all-Austrian amateur championship was first played, won by Grazer AK. Clubs from the professional league in Vienna were not part of this competition. Teams from the other states of Austria were first allowed to join the highest division with the introduction of the Nationalliga (National League) in the season of 1937–38.

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2004-1001-503, Berlin, Zuschauer beim Fußball-Endspiel
In 1941 Rapid Wien won the German championship final against Schalke 04 4–3

1938–1945

Austria's annexation by Germany in 1938 brought the Austrian Nationalliga to an early end. Numerous teams were disbanded and some players fled out of the country. The Austrian Nationalliga was integrated into the system of the NSRL, the Sports office of the Third Reich as the Gau XVII section under Gaufachwart Hans Janisch. Despised by Nazis as unworthy of a true German, professionalism in sports was outlawed in May 1938. "Innovations" like the Hitler salute were introduced as compulsory before and after every game. Teams, like Hakoah Wien were banned and others, like Austria Wien were first closed and then renamed. Finally, the operation of the junior teams was handed over to the local Hitlerjugend units. The new highest league in what had been Austria, the Gauliga Ostmark, was an amateur league and covered the whole of the former country except Tyrol and Vorarlberg, which were added to the Bavarian league system. The league champions now qualified for the German football championship, which Rapid Wien won in 1941. From 1941, the league was renamed Gauliga Donau-Alpenland to further eradicate the memory of Austria as an independent country. Following Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II and the disbandment of the NSRL, Austria's teams were excluded again from the German league.

1945–1974

The league returned to a Vienna-only format in 1945, briefly named 1. Klasse once more before changing to just Liga in 1946. Only upon the introduction of the all-Austrian Staatsliga A in 1949 did teams from the whole federal territory finally play for the Austrian Championship. However, the road to organising the Staatsliga proved difficult. A conflict between the representatives of the amateur and the professional aspects of the sport led to the separation of the Viennese league from the football federation, and to the establishment of its own competition on 30 June 1949. At the statutory Presidential Election Council of the Austrian Football Association only a few days later a surprising turn took place – upon the request of Lower Austria, the introduction of the Staatsliga was finally and unanimously confirmed. The organization was in the hands of the Fußballstaatsliga Österreich, created for this purpose. A Staatsliga B, the second division of national league football, was formed in 1950. This league, however, was disbanded again in 1959, whereby the Staatsliga A dropped the A from its name, the need for differentiating having been gone. In 1965, however, the Austrian Football Association again took over the organization of the top division, with the (second) introduction of the Nationalliga. On 21 April 1974, against the vote of the Vorarlberg association, the introduction of the Bundesliga was decided. The Nationalliga remained as the second division, for now.

Hanappi-Stadion.Panorama
Gerhard-Hanappi-Stadion, Rapid Wien
Franz-Horr-Stadion-Panorama
Generali Arena, Austria Wien

1974 to current

In the 1974–75 season the Bundesliga was introduced which, still led by the Austrian Football Association, aligned both of the highest divisions in Austria. In 1976, the Nationalliga was renamed to Bundesliga – Second Division while the Bundesliga was now called Bundesliga – First Division. From 1974 to 1982 the league operated with ten clubs with each club playing the other four times during the season. From 1982 to 1985 it played with sixteen clubs with each club playing the others twice. The league's modus was changed in 1985 to a twelve team league which played a home -and away round in autumn. The top eight clubs then advanced to the championship round (Officially: Oberes Play-off) who again played each other twice. The bottom four of the autumn round played the top four of the First League to determine the four teams to play in the Bundesliga in the following season. This modus was used for the next eight seasons until 1993 when the league returned to the ten team format it originally operated in. 26 years after dissolution of the independent Staatsliga on 17 November 1991, the Austrian Football Bundesliga was reconstituted as a federation and admitted on 1 December 1991 to the Austrian Football Association as its 10th member. Beginning with the 2018-19 season the league expanded from its current 10 teams to 12 teams.

Tasks and legal form

Since 1991 the Bundesliga has carried its own responsibility as a separate association, and organises the championships of the two highest divisions in Austria. Both are named after their sponsors; since 2014 the Bundesliga is named after sports-betting company, Tipico. The second division, called the "Erste Liga" or "First League," is sponsored by Sky Go. In addition the Bundesliga is responsible for the Toto Jugendliga, leagues for under 15/17/19 teams of professional clubs and academies. The Bundesliga also represents professional football in Austria, in co-operation with the football clubs themselves. The Bundesliga is legally a non-profit organisation. The twenty teams of the Tipico Bundesliga and the Sky Go Erste Liga constitute the members of the Bundesliga. The Bundesliga is represented by an acting executive committee, which supports a supervisory board. Each association of the two professional leagues is represented in presidential conferences; these have advisory function in all affairs concerning the Bundesliga.

Scopes of responsibility of the senates

The 'senates' are organising committees which consist of honorary and committee-members independent of the clubs. The first senate is responsible for suspensions and for the running of championship games. The second senate functions as an arbitration board for financial disagreements, the third senate is responsible for all financial concerns and the fourth senate is the panel of referees for the Bundesliga. The evaluation of a club's economic competency which is required in order to obtain a playing license for the two professional leagues takes place at the fifth senate, the Bundesliga license committee.

Bundesliga

Format

In the Bundesliga, twelve teams play a double round-robin schedule, with each team playing every other twice at home and twice away during a championship year, which is divided into an autumn and a spring season. The season typically lasts from July to June of the following year. At the end of the season, the team finishing in last place in the table is relegated to the Admiral 2. Liga, the champion of which is promoted to the Admiral Bundesliga.

Tiebreakers

In the event of two teams having the same number of points, tiebreakers to determine league position are as follows:

  1. Head-to-Head Match Statistics (Number of points, Goal difference, goals scored) If several teams are equal on points, an internal table of all head-to-head matches will be created.
  2. Higher Goal Difference
  3. Higher Number of Goals Scored
  4. Higher Number of Victories
  5. Higher Number of Away Victories
  6. Higher Number of Goals Scored in Away Games

Qualification for European Competitions

The winner of the Austrian Cup competition qualifies for the Playoff Round of the UEFA Europa League. In the event that the Bundesliga champion is also the Austrian Cup winner, the fourth-placed team in the Bundesliga enters the UEFA Europa League in the 2nd Qualifying Round, and the 3rd Place team enters in the Playoff Round.


Team

Location

Venue

Capacity

Austria Klagenfurt Klagenfurt Wörthersee Stadion 29,863
Austria Lustenau Lustenau Reichshofstadion 8,800
Austria Wien Vienna Generali Arena 17,656
Blau-Weiß Linz Linz Hofmann Personal Stadion 5,595
LASK Linz Raiffeisen Arena 19,080
Rapid Wien Vienna Allianz Stadion 28,000
Red Bull Salzburg Wals-Siezenheim Red Bull Arena 17,218 (30,188)
Rheindorf Altach Altach Stadion Schnabelholz 8,500
Sturm Graz Graz Merkur-Arena 16,364
TSV Hartberg Hartberg Profertil Arena Hartberg 4,635
Wolfsberger AC Wolfsberg Lavanttal-Arena 7,300
WSG Tirol Innsbruck Tivoli Stadion Tirol 16,008

Seasons by club

This is the complete list of the clubs that have taken part in at least one Austrian Football Bundesliga season, founded in 1974, until the 2023–24 season. Teams that currently play are indicated in bold.

List of champions

Season Champions Runner-up Top Scorer
1974–75 Wacker Innsbruck VÖEST Linz Austria Helmut Köglberger (LASK) (22)
1975–76 Austria Wien Wacker Innsbruck Austria Johann Pirkner (Austria Wien) (21)
1976–77 Wacker Innsbruck Rapid Wien Austria Hans Krankl (Rapid Wien) (32)
1977–78 Austria Wien Rapid Wien Austria Hans Krankl (Rapid Wien) (41)
1978–79 Austria Wien Wiener Sport-Club Austria Walter Schachner (Austria Wien) (24)
1979–80 Austria Wien VOEST Linz Austria Walter Schachner (Austria Wien) (34)
1980–81 Austria Wien Sturm Graz Austria Gernot Jurtin (Sturm Graz) (22)
1981–82 Rapid Wien Austria Wien Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Božo Bakota (Sturm Graz) (24)
1982–83 Rapid Wien Austria Wien Austria Hans Krankl (Rapid Wien) (23)
1983–84 Austria Wien Rapid Wien Hungary Tibor Nyilasi (Austria Wien) (26)
1984–85 Austria Wien Rapid Wien Austria Toni Polster (Austria Wien) (24)
1985–86 Austria Wien Rapid Wien Austria Toni Polster (Austria Wien) (33)
1986–87 Rapid Wien Austria Wien Austria Toni Polster (Austria Wien) (39)
1987–88 SK Rapid Wien Austria Wien Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Stojadinović (Rapid Wien) (27)
1988–89 Swarovski Tirol Admira/Wacker Wien Austria Peter Pacult (Swarovski Tirol) (26)
1989–90 Swarovski Tirol Austria Wien Austria Gerhard Rodax (Admira/Wacker) (35)
1990–91 Austria Wien Swarovski Tirol Czechoslovakia Václav Daněk (Swarovski Tirol) (29)
1991–92 Austria Wien Austria Salzburg Austria Christoph Westerthaler (Swarovski Tirol) (17)
1992–93 Austria Wien Austria Salzburg Czechoslovakia Václav Daněk (Tirol Innsbruck) (24)
1993–94 Austria Salzburg Austria Wien Croatia Nikola Jurčević
Austria Heimo Pfeifenberger (Austria Salzburg) (14)
1994–95 Austria Salzburg Sturm Graz Senegal Souleymane Sané (Tirol Innsbruck) (20)
1995–96 Rapid Wien Sturm Graz Austria Ivica Vastić (Sturm Graz) (20)
1996–97 Austria Salzburg Rapid Wien Czech Republic René Wagner (Rapid Wien) (28)
1997–98 Sturm Graz Rapid Wien Norway Geir Frigård (LASK) (23)
1998–99 Sturm Graz Rapid Wien Austria Edi Glieder (Austria Salzburg) (22)
1999–2000 Tirol Innsbruck Sturm Graz Austria Ivica Vastić (Sturm Graz) (32)
2000–01 Tirol Innsbruck Rapid Wien Poland Radosław Gilewicz (Tirol Innsbruck) (22)
2001–02 Tirol Innsbruck Sturm Graz Austria Ronald Brunmayr (Grazer AK) (27)
2002–03 Austria Wien Grazer AK Belgium Axel Lawarée (Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz) (21)
2003–04 Grazer AK Austria Wien Austria Roland Kollmann (Grazer AK) (27)
2004–05 Rapid Wien Grazer AK Austria Christian Mayrleb (ASKÖ Pasching) (21)
2005–06 Austria Wien Red Bull Salzburg Austria Sanel Kuljić (SV Ried)
Austria Roland Linz (Austria Wien)(15)
2006–07 Red Bull Salzburg SV Ried Germany Alexander Zickler (Red Bull Salzburg) (22)
2007–08 Rapid Wien Red Bull Salzburg Germany Alexander Zickler (Red Bull Salzburg) (16)
2008–09 Red Bull Salzburg Rapid Wien Austria Marc Janko (Red Bull Salzburg) (39)
2009–10 Red Bull Salzburg Austria Wien Germany Steffen Hofmann (Rapid Wien) (20)
2010–11 Sturm Graz Red Bull Salzburg Austria Roland Linz (Austria Wien) (21)
2011–12 Red Bull Salzburg Rapid Wien Austria Jakob Jantscher
Austria Stefan Maierhofer (Red Bull Salzburg) (14)
2012–13 Austria Wien Red Bull Salzburg Austria Philipp Hosiner (Admira Wacker Mödling)/(Austria Wien) (32)
2013–14 Red Bull Salzburg Rapid Wien Spain Jonathan Soriano (Red Bull Salzburg) (31)
2014–15 Red Bull Salzburg Rapid Wien Spain Jonathan Soriano (Red Bull Salzburg) (31)
2015–16 Red Bull Salzburg Rapid Wien Spain Jonathan Soriano (Red Bull Salzburg) (21)
2016–17 Red Bull Salzburg Austria Wien Nigeria Olarenwaju Kayode (Austria Wien) (17)
2017–18 Red Bull Salzburg Sturm Graz Israel Mu'nas Dabbur (Red Bull Salzburg) (22)
2018–19 Red Bull Salzburg LASK Israel Mu'nas Dabbur (Red Bull Salzburg) (20)
2019–20 Red Bull Salzburg Rapid Wien Israel Shon Weissman (Wolfsberger AC) (30)
2020–21 Red Bull Salzburg Rapid Wien Zambia Patson Daka (Red Bull Salzburg) (27)
2021–22 Red Bull Salzburg Sturm Graz Germany Karim Adeyemi (Red Bull Salzburg) (19)
2022–23 Red Bull Salzburg Sturm Graz Austria Guido Burgstaller (Rapid Wien) (21)
2023–24 Sturm Graz Red Bull Salzburg Ivory Coast Karim Konate (Red Bull Salzburg) (20)

Performance

Performance by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning Seasons
Rapid Wien Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
32
29
1912, 1913, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1946, 1948, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1959–60, 1963–64, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1995–96, 2004–05, 2007–08
Austria Wien Star full.svgStar full.svg
24
19
1923–24, 1925–26, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1952–53, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2012–13
Red Bull Salzburg double-dagger Star full.svg
17
7
1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
Wacker Innsbruck (5) (4) Star full.svg
Swarovski Tirol (2) (1)
Tirol Innsbruck (3) (–) dagger
10
5
1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02
SK Admira Wien (8) (5)
SC Wacker Wien (1) (7)
Admira Wacker Wien (–) (1) *
9
13
1926–27, 1927–28, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1946–47, 1965–66
First Vienna
6
6
1930–31, 1932–33, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1943–44, 1954–55
Sturm Graz
4
6
1997–98, 1998–99, 2010–11, 2023–24
Wiener SC
3
7
1921–22, 1957–58, 1958–59
Floridsdorfer AC
1
3
1917–18
Wiener AF
1
2
1913–14
LASK
1
2
1964–65
VÖEST Linz
1
2
1973–74
Grazer AK
1
2
2003–04
Wiener AC
1
1
1914–15
Hakoah Vienna
1
1
1924–25
SpC Rudolfshügel
1
Brigittenauer AC
1
FC Wien
1
SV Ried
1

Notes:

  • dagger All teams are defunct clubs from Innsbruck, Tirol. Wacker Innsbruck (1915–99), Swarovski Tirol (1986–92) and Tirol Innsbruck (1993–02). They are considered to be the continuation of the each other.
  • double-dagger The Red Bull company bought the club on 6 April 2005 and rebranded it. Prior to 2005 the team was known as SV Austria Salzburg or Casino Salzburg. They also changed the colours from white-violet to red-white. The Violet-Whites ultimately formed a new club, Austria Salzburg.

Performance by city

City Clubs Winners Runners-up
Vienna
Rapid Wien (32) (26), Austria Wien (24) (18), First Vienna (6) (6), Wiener SK (3) (7), Floridsdorfer AC (1) (3), Wiener AF (1) (2), Wiener AC (1) (1), Hakoah Vienna (1) (1), SpC Rudolfshügel (–) (1), Brigittenauer AC (–) (1), FC Wien (–) (1)
69
67
Salzburg
Red Bull Salzburg (17) (7) double-dagger
17
7
Innsbruck
Wacker Innsbruck (5) (4), Swarovski Tirol (2) (1), Tirol Innsbruck (3) (–) dagger
10
5
Mödling
SK Admira Wien (8) (5), SC Wacker Wien (1) (7), Admira Wacker Wien (–) (1) *
9
13
Graz
Sturm Graz (3) (5), Grazer AK (1) (2)
4
7
Linz
VÖEST Linz (1) (2), LASK Linz (1) (2)
2
4
Ried im Innkreis
SV Ried (–) (1)
1

Top scorers in Bundesliga

Season Player Goals Club
1974–75 Austria Helmut Köglberger
22
LASK
1975–76 Austria Johann Pirkner
21
Austria Wien
1976–77 Austria Hans Krankl
32
Rapid Wien
1977–78 Austria Hans Krankl
41
Rapid Wien
1978–79 Austria Walter Schachner
24
Austria Wien
1979–80 Austria Walter Schachner
34
Austria Wien
1980–81 Austria Gernot Jurtin
20
Sturm Graz
1981–82 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Božo Bakota
24
Sturm Graz
1982–83 Austria Hans Krankl
23
Rapid Wien
1983–84 Hungary Tibor Nyilasi
26
Austria Wien
1984–85 Austria Toni Polster
24
Austria Wien
1985–86 Austria Toni Polster
33
Austria Wien
1986–87 Austria Toni Polster
39
Austria Wien
1987–88 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Stojadinović
27
Rapid Wien
1988–89 Austria Peter Pacult
26
Swarovski Tirol
1989–90 Austria Gerhard Rodax
35
Admira Wacker
1990–91 Czechoslovakia Václav Daněk
29
Swarovski Tirol
1991–92 Austria Christoph Westerthaler
17
Swarovski Tirol
1992–93 Czechoslovakia Václav Daněk
24
Tirol Innsbruck
1993–94 Croatia Nikola Jurčević
Austria Heimo Pfeifenberger
14
SV Salzburg
SV Salzburg
1994–95 Senegal Souleyman Sané
20
Tirol Innsbruck
1995–96 Austria Ivica Vastić
22
Sturm Graz
1996–97 Czech Republic René Wagner
21
Rapid Wien
1997–98 Norway Geir Frigård
23
LASK
1998–99 Austria Eduard Glieder
22
SV Salzburg
Season Player Goals Club
1999–2000 Austria Ivica Vastić
32
Sturm Graz
2000–01 Poland Radosław Gilewicz
22
Tirol Innsbruck
2001–02 Austria Ronald Brunmayr
27
Grazer AK
2002–03 Belgium Axel Lawarée
21
Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz
2003–04 Austria Roland Kollmann
27
Grazer AK
2004–05 Austria Christian Mayrleb
21
SV Pasching
2005–06 Austria Sanel Kuljić
Austria Roland Linz
15
SV Ried
Austria Wien
2006–07 Germany Alexander Zickler
22
Red Bull Salzburg
2007–08 Germany Alexander Zickler
16
Red Bull Salzburg
2008–09 Austria Marc Janko
39
Red Bull Salzburg
2009–10 Germany Steffen Hofmann
20
Rapid Wien
2010–11 Austria Roland Linz
Austria Roman Kienast
21
Austria Wien
Sturm Graz
2011–12 Austria Jakob Jantscher
Austria Stefan Maierhofer
14
Red Bull Salzburg
2012–13 Austria Philipp Hosiner
32
Austria Wien
2013–14 Spain Jonathan Soriano
31
Red Bull Salzburg
2014–15 Spain Jonathan Soriano
31
Red Bull Salzburg
2015–16 Spain Jonathan Soriano
21
Red Bull Salzburg
2016–17 Nigeria Olarenwaju Kayode
17
Austria Wien
2017–18 Israel Mu'nas Dabbur
22
Red Bull Salzburg
2018–19 Israel Mu'nas Dabbur
20
Red Bull Salzburg
2019–20 Israel Shon Weissman
30
Wolfsberg
2020–21 Zambia Patson Daka
27
Red Bull Salzburg
2021–22 Germany Karim Adeyemi
Albania Giacomo Vrioni
17
Red Bull Salzburg
WSG Tirol
2022–23 Austria Guido Burgstaller
21
Rapid Wien

All-time top scorers

Rank Name Goals Apps Ratio Years Club(s)
1 Austria Hans Krankl 270 361 0.75 1970–1989 Rapid Wien, Wiener SK, First Vienna
2 Austria Ivica Vastić 187 441 0.42 1991–2009 Sturm Graz, Austria Wien, Admira Wacker, LASK, VSE St. Pölten, First Vienna
3 Austria Peter Pacult 186 396 0.47 1980–1996 Rapid Wien, Wacker Innsbruck, Austria Wien, Wiener SK, Blau-Weiß Linz
Austria Christian Mayrleb 186 494 0.38 1992–2006 Wacker Innsbruck, Austria Wien, Admira Wacker, LASK, Austria Salzburg, SV Pasching
5 Austria Alfred Drabits 155 365 0.42 1978–1991 Austria Wien, Wiener SK, First Vienna
6 Austria Mario Haas 145 451 0.32 1992–2012 Sturm Graz
7 Austria Christoph Westerthaler 131 378 0.35 1983–1997 Wacker Innsbruck, LASK, Vorwärts Steyr
8 Austria Christian Keglevits 129 405 0.32 1979–1993 Rapid Wien, LASK, Austria Salzburg, Wiener SK
9 Austria Walter Knaller 127 333 0.38 1980–1992 Admira Wacker, Blau-Weiß Linz
10 Austria Toni Polster 122 158 0.77 1982–2000 Austria Wien, FC Salzburg

Statistics

UEFA coefficients

The following data indicates Austrian coefficient rankings between European football leagues.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Bundesliga (Austria) para niños

kids search engine
Austrian Football Bundesliga Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.