Württemberg Football Association
Corporate brand
UnclaimedThe governing body for association football in the north-eastern part of Baden-Württemberg and one of the German Football Association's 21 state associations.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Württemberg Football Association, known in German as the Württembergischer Fußballverband and commonly abbreviated WFV, is the regional governing body for association football in the north-eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is one of the 21 state associations affiliated with the German Football Association (DFB) and is also a member of the Southern German Football Association (SFV), one of Germany's five regional football federations. The SFV brings together the associations of Bavaria, Hesse, South Baden, Württemberg and Baden, and is headquartered in Munich. The WFV's responsibilities are primarily administrative and developmental rather than commercial. It organizes and regulates football competitions below the levels administered by the national and regional structures, oversees affiliated clubs and teams, supports the operation of the local football system, and represents the interests of football in its territory. The association also organizes the Württemberg regional representative team, which has appeared in four editions of the UEFA Regions' Cup, a competition for amateur and regional selections. The WFV emerged from the postwar reorganization of football in the former Württemberg area. Before its creation, football administration in southern Germany had developed through the Süddeutscher Fussball-Verband, founded in Karlsruhe on 17 October 1897 as the Verband Süddeutscher Fussball-Vereine. That federation established regional competitions and later league structures. In 1927 it merged with the southern German athletics association to form the larger Süddeutscher Fussball- und Leichtathletik-Verband. The Nazi government ordered the federation to dissolve in 1933; its final general meeting took place in Stuttgart on 6 August of that year, and liquidation was completed by 1942. After the Second World War, the division of Württemberg between the American and French occupation zones complicated the restoration of a unified regional football administration. A Southern German top-level league, the Oberliga Süd, began in November 1945 after receiving authorization from the American authorities, while state-level Landesligas were planned beneath it. In this structure, the state associations were members of the SFV, while individual clubs belonged directly to their respective state associations. The SFV administered the Oberliga Süd and later the 2nd Oberliga, whereas the state associations managed the lower levels of competition. The modern Württemberg Football Association was formed in Ulm on 8 July 1951 through the merger of the northern Württemberg association and the southern Württemberg/Hohenzollern association. These predecessor bodies had been established separately in the postwar occupation zones, in 1948 and 1949 respectively. The merger created a single football authority for the Württemberg territory that later became part of Baden-Württemberg. The association has also faced issues connected with migration and participation. During the 1970s, Yugoslav guest workers established football clubs in the region. The WFV did not initially permit these clubs to enter its regular league system, leading to the creation of a separate competition known as the Jugoliga. This episode reflects the social and organizational challenges that regional football bodies encountered as postwar migration changed the composition of local communities. In 2017, the WFV reported 530,443 members, 1,762 affiliated clubs and 12,792 teams participating in its league system. These figures made it the fourth-largest of Germany's 21 state football associations by membership at that time. The association is led by a president elected by its annual general meeting; Herbert Rösch served as president from 2003 until 2015.
History
The Württemberg Football Association is the product of several stages of football organization in southern Germany. Its institutional predecessors operated within the wider Süddeutscher Fussball-Verband, founded in Karlsruhe on 17 October 1897 under the name Verband Süddeutscher Fussball-Vereine. That federation created a regional championship and subsequently developed a league system. In November 1927 it merged with the Southern German athletics association, becoming the Süddeutscher Fussball- und Leichtathletik-Verband. The Nazi authorities ordered the organization to dissolve in March 1933. Its last general meeting was held in Stuttgart on 6 August 1933, and the financial liquidation was completed in 1942. The postwar restoration of football administration was shaped by the occupation of Germany. Württemberg was divided between the American and French occupation zones, making immediate regional integration difficult. Nevertheless, a new Southern German competition, the Oberliga Süd, was established in September 1945 and played its first matches on 4 November. The organizers had received permission to reconstitute the Southern German federation from the American authorities. Beneath the Oberliga, state-level Landesligas were planned for the individual states. The postwar governance arrangement separated regional and state responsibilities. State associations belonged to the Southern German Football Association, but clubs were members only of their relevant state associations. The SFV administered the Oberliga Süd and the later 2nd Oberliga, while the state organizations managed the lower leagues and local football structures. Separate associations were established for northern Württemberg in 1948 and southern Württemberg/Hohenzollern in 1949, reflecting the political and administrative divisions of the occupation period. On 8 July 1951, representatives merged these bodies in Ulm to create the Württembergischer Fußballverband. The resulting association became the unified regional authority for Württemberg football and later operated within the football geography of Baden-Württemberg. The WFV is affiliated with the German Football Association as one of its 21 state organizations and belongs regionally to the SFV alongside Bavaria, Hesse, South Baden and Baden. Its work includes administering regional competitions, maintaining relationships with member clubs, and supporting football participation across its territory. It also fields or organizes a Württemberg regional selection, which has represented Germany at four UEFA Regions' Cup tournaments. The association's history also includes a notable integration issue involving migrant football. During the 1970s, Yugoslav guest workers formed clubs in Württemberg, but the WFV did not allow them to participate in its league competitions. The clubs consequently established a separate league, the Jugoliga. The episode illustrates how football administration intersected with migration, community identity and access to established sporting structures. By 2017, the WFV counted 530,443 members, 1,762 member clubs and 12,792 teams in its league system, making it the fourth-largest German state association by membership. The organization is governed by a president elected at its annual general meeting. Herbert Rösch held the presidency from 2003 to 2015.
- 2017
Reported membership scale
[1]The WFV reported 530,443 members, 1,762 clubs and 12,792 teams, ranking it fourth among Germany's 21 state football associations by membership.
- 2015
Herbert Rösch's presidency ended
[1]Herbert Rösch stepped down after serving as WFV president from 2003 to 2015.
- 1951
Württemberg Football Association formed
[1]The northern Württemberg and southern Württemberg/Hohenzollern associations merged in Ulm on 8 July 1951, creating the modern Württembergischer Fußballverband.
- 1945
Postwar Southern German league structure established
[1]The Oberliga Süd was organized after the Second World War, providing a renewed regional framework for football in southern Germany while state associations rebuilt their own competitions.
- 1933
Predecessor federation dissolved
[1]The Nazi government ordered the Southern German federation to disband. Its final general meeting took place in Stuttgart on 6 August 1933.
- 1927
Football and athletics federation created
[1]The Southern German football federation merged with the regional athletics association to form the Süddeutscher Fussball- und Leichtathletik-Verband.
- 1897
Formation of the Southern German football federation
[1]The Verband Süddeutscher Fussball-Vereine, later known as the Süddeutscher Fussball-Verband, was established in Karlsruhe and became an important predecessor to the regional football structures that eventually included Württemberg.
Products and positioning
A regional football governing and development association serving clubs, teams and players in Württemberg within the German football federation structure.
Brand decisions
1970
Exclusion of Yugoslav migrant clubs from WFV leaguesOtherBackground
Yugoslav guest workers established football clubs in Württemberg during the 1970s.
Action taken
The WFV did not permit the clubs to compete in its league system, leading them to establish a separate competition known as the Jugoliga.
Aftermath
The separate league became an example of the organizational and social tensions surrounding migrant participation in regional football.
1951
Merger of the two Württemberg football associationsStrategyBackground
Postwar occupation-zone divisions had produced separate football organizations in northern Württemberg and southern Württemberg/Hohenzollern.
Action taken
The two associations merged in Ulm on 8 July 1951 to establish a unified Württemberg football association.
Aftermath
The merger created the regional governing body that continues to administer football in the Württemberg area of Baden-Württemberg.
Sources2 sources
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