In the world of German football, lots of fans wonder: can Dortmund 2 get promoted? The short answer: No, they cannot reach the top two professional tiers (Bundesliga or 2. Bundesliga). Dortmund II, like all reserve (II) teams, has limits by rule. But yes—they can compete in and be promoted up to a certain level, namely the 3. Liga (third division). Below, BraeckBall takes you through the rules, history, and context so you fully understand where reserve teams like Dortmund II can—and can’t—go.
What is Dortmund II and where do they play
Borussia Dortmund II (often called Dortmund 2) is the reserve side of Borussia Dortmund. They’re made up mostly of young players, prospects, and sometimes senior players needing game time. For the 2024/25 season, Dortmund II competed in the 3. Liga, which is the third tier of German professional football.
Historically they’ve moved up and down through the Regionalliga (4th tier) and 3. Liga depending on performance.
Rules for reserve teams in Germany
To understand can Dortmund 2 get promoted, we need to go over the German league systemeserve teams.
Limitations on promotion
- Reserve teams (II teams) are not allowed to play in the top two divisions: Bundesliga (1st) or 2. Bundesliga (2nd).
- The highest league a II/reserve team can enter is the 3. Liga (3rd tier) under current rules.
Reasoning
These restrictions are in place to:
- Avoid conflicts of interest (e.g. first team vs reserve team confrontation).
- Maintain integrity of promotion/relegation between the top leagues.
- Simplify licensing, financial, stadium requirements, etc.
Other relevant provisions
- Reserve teams used to participate in certain cup competitions, but rules have changed, and many reserve sides are now excluded from competitions like the DFB-Pokal.
- To be promoted within the lower tiers, reserve sides must meet licensing and infrastructure requirements just like first teams—stadium capacity, financial stability, youth development, etc.
Specifics of promotion to 3. Liga and beyond
Here’s how promotion works for Dortmund II and similar reserve teams.
- If Dortmund II finishes high enough in the Regionalliga (4th tier), they can earn promotion to the 3. Liga, as long as they meet all licensing criteria. They have done this before.
- However, once in the 3. Liga, they are blocked. A non-reserve, “first” team would take that spot instead.
How “can dortmund 2 get promoted” is often misunderstood
Because fans often see teams doing well and think “why not higher?”, there are a few misunderstandings:
- Performance vs Eligibility: Even if Dortmund II dominates in 3. Liga, they are not eligible for promotion to the 2. Bundesliga. Their performance alone doesn’t override the rules.
- License / infrastructure: Sometimes a reserve team may win their league but still be denied promotion because their stadium or finances do not meet the requirements. But in the case of moving into 3. Liga, Dortmund II has already demonstrated they can satisfy those requirements.
Recent situation for Dortmund II
- In the 2024–25 season, Dortmund II were in the 3. Liga but finished 17th of 20, which likely led to relegation to Regionalliga West (4th tier).
- That means if they go down, their goal would be to climb back up—but climbing back into the top two tiers remains impossible under current German rules for reserve teams.
What if rules changed?
The rules have been stable for some time, but fans often speculate:
- There is no current indication that German football authorities plan to allow reserve teams into the top two tiers.
- Any change would be major: it would require changing DFL/DFB regulations, licensing rules, and possibly even league structure.
Conclusion
Can Dortmund 2 get promoted? Yes—but only up to a point. They can reach the 3. Liga (and sometimes fluctuate between 3rd and 4th tiers), but they are ineligible for promotion into the Bundesliga or 2. Bundesliga under current German football rules.
In this article, BraeckBall has taken you through the rules, history, and current status to clarify exactly can Dortmund 2 get promoted. If you’re curious about how other reserve teams compare, what situations similar to Dortmund II have had, or about the future of the promotion rules, let me know—I’d be happy to dig deeper!
