The Under 19 Bayernliga (German: A-Jugend Bayernliga) is the second tier of under 19 youth football in Bavaria, set below the Under 19 Bundesliga South/Southwest.
Until 1996, the league was the highest tier of under 19 football, containing the youth teams of such clubs as FC Bayern Munich, TSV 1860 Munich and 1. FC Nürnberg.
A Bavarian championship was played from 1946 onwards, only in 1952 and 1953 was it not held. Until 1971, the Bavarian champions advanced to the Southern German under 19 championship. This competition was disbanded after 1971[1] in light of the inception of a German championship from 1969 onwards.
The under 19 team of the 1. FC Nürnberg started a remarkable series from 1967 onwards, reaching the Bavarian final every year until 1994, 28 times in a row![2] Only in 1995 did Viktoria Aschaffenburg finish above the 1. FCN.
The Bayernliga was established in 1974, operating as two regional divisions, a northern and a southern one, the A-Jugend Bayernliga Nord and the A-Jugend Bayernliga Süd. The winner of each division would then advance to the Bavarian championship final, an on-off game. The winner of this game, the Bavarian champions, then advanced to the German under 19 championship.[3]
In 1996, the Under 19 Regionalliga South was established, relegating the two Bayernligas to second division status. From now on, the best Bavarian clubs would play in the Regionalliga and the Bayernliga champions played for promotion to this league.
Since 2001, the final between the two league winners was now played in a home-and-away format. Should each team win a game the goals scored were not taken into consideration, instead, a penalty shoot-out was used to determine the winner.[4]
In 2003, the Under 19 Regionalliga South and the Under 19 Regionalliga Southwest merged to form the Under 19 Bundesliga South/Southwest. This changed nothing in the status of the Bayernligas as second divisions.
In the 2007–08 season, the 1. FC Nürnberg remained unbeaten throughout its 26 league games but then lost in the finals to Unterhaching.[5]
From the 2008–09 season, the Bayernliga now operates as a single division, allowing direct promotion for its champion. Below this league, two Landesligas, north and south, were slotted in above the seven Bezirksoberligas who previously formed the tier below. A final to determine the Bavarian champions will not be necessary any more.
In 2008, the Bavarian football association had 2,013 registered under 19 teams, a 3% increase from the previous year. All up, 20,699 junior teams were registered with the BFV in 2008[6]
From 2008 onwards, no final was played anymore:
As of 2019, this is the standing in the all-time winners list:
On Southern German and national level, the Bavarian clubs achieved the following success:
The German under 19 championship was incepted in 1969 and, as of 2019, Bavarian clubs have reached the final 15 times, winning it five times.
The Under 19 Southern German championship was incepted in 1946 and disbanded in 1973. Bavarian clubs have won the competition 11 times.
The German under 19 cup competition was incepted in 1987 and Bavarian clubs played in the final nine times without having lost one, as of 2008. Originally, the competition was designed for the league runners–up, this was later changed and nowadays, the 21 regional cup winners qualify for it. Since 2001, a Bavarian Cup competition for the under 19 is played.
The Bavarian under 19 cup functions as a qualifying competition for the German under 19 cup and was incepted in 2001.[7]
The placings in the league since 2008–09, when it moved to a single-division format:[8]
The placings in the northern and southern division until 2007–08, when they were abolished: