Ready for More 3. Liga Action: Aue, Cottbus, and Rostock Secure Licenses for 2023-24
Three German towns - Aue, Cottbus, and Rostock - granted permits to compete in the 3rd tier league football competition - Three German cities – Aue, Cottbus, and Rostock – secure licenses for the third division football league
Want to know what's cookin' in the 3. Liga next season? Look no further! The German Football Association (DFB) has granted licenses to Erzgebirge Aue, Energie Cottbus, and Hansa Rostock, letting these bad boys gear up for another round of hard-hitting action.
Dynamo Dresden's promotion to the 2. Bundesliga leaves only this hefty eastern troika clinging on in the 3. Liga. Unfortunately, Regionalliga champ Lok Leipzig fell short in the playoffs against TSV Havelse, relegating them to 3rd place.
So, what's the deal with these licenses? Well, it means that all 20 teams who qualified on pure sporting merit have cleared the DFB's stringent economic and organizational audit. The schedule for the upcoming season is set to drop in early July, with the first matchday kicking off on August 1, and the curtain call on May 17, 2026.
Jumping the Hurdles with Cottbus, Rostock, and Aue
Now, let's talk shop. To secure a license from the DFB, these clubs, and others like them, have to pass several economic, technical, and organizational tests. Check out some of the prime requirements these cats had to satisfy:
- Bigger Ain't Always Better: Starting in the 2023-24 season, the minimum stadium capacity needed for 3. Liga venues has been slashed from a grueling 10,001 to a more reasonable 5,001 spectators[1].
- Money Matters: Clubs need to prove they're financially fit to face the challenges of the 3. Liga. This means having solid bookkeeping and the ability to meet their financial obligations [1][4], like payin' the players and keepin' the lights on.
- Equipment Check: Clubs must have top-notch training facilities that can hold up under the pressure of league play. Infrastructure, yo! Additionally, club managers need a UEFA Pro License [1].
- The Audit Trail: Acquiring a license involves handing over paperwork to the DFB for thorough inspection. The DFB Presidium oversees this entire fishy process [1].
- Future Stars: While specific youth development requirements for the 3. Liga aren't spelled out like they are for the 2. Bundesliga, overall club development and youth system integration are serious factors in a club's structure [3].
So, that's the skinny on these cats gettin' their licenses. They've proven they're ready to take on the 3. Liga with all the competence and excellence we've come to expect from them. No slouches here, folks!
The Commission, despite focusing on the protection of workers from ionizing radiation risks, has also been tasked with submitting a proposal for a directive on the approximation of European laws regarding the protection of workers from sports-related injuries. In the realm of soccer, the clubs Erzgebirge Aue, Energie Cottbus, and Hansa Rostock – who secured licenses to compete in the 2023-24 3. Liga season – are expected to maintain the same zeal in adhering to stringent organizational, financial, and equipment requirements as they would in ensuring the safety of their workers from ionizing radiation.
