28 January 1900 - Clearly, It Was A Step In The Right Direction

On 28 January 1900, the German Football Association was founded in Leipzig. It went on the create one of the world's top national teams and one of the top leagues.

German football traces its origins to 1874 with the formation of the country's first club, the Dresden English Football Club. As more teams sprouted up, they coalesced into a variety of regional leagues and competitions. By 1900, many of the clubs sought to introduce a national organization, including the establishment of a national championship and a national team.

So in 1900, representatives of 86 different clubs met in Leipzig to vote on the creation of a new national association. Out of a total of 84 votes cast, the final tally was 62 in favor and 22 against and the Deutscher Fußball-Bund was born.

The DFB originally maintained the regional competitions, but consolidated them into a national title, first won by Leipzig in the 1902-03 season. Five years after that, the German national team played their first match, a 5-3 loss to Switzerland.

Since then, the national team has become one of the world's most successful, reaching the World Cup final eight times and winning four. They have also won three European Championships. Along the way, the DFB reorganized the domestic leagues into the Bundesliga, which has become one of the world's most successful and prestigious leagues.

22 September 1950 - Welcome Back, DFB

On 22 September 1950, FIFA reinstated the German football association - the Deutscher Fußball-Bund, or DFB - to full membership.

Originally founded in 1900, the DFB is the governing body of all German football, including the Bundesliga and the German national team. During World War II, the DFB fell out of favor with the Third Reich, who dissolved the organization in 1940. After the war, in November 1945, although the DFB was still defunct, FIFA banned both it and the Japanese football association from international competition.

Following appeals from the FAs of Switzerland and England, FIFA partially lifted the ban in 1948, but only as it applied to German clubs. Two years later, in January 1950, the DFB officially re-formed, though only for the West German territories. At the FIFA congress in June of that year, Switzerland again petitioned FIFA to lift the ban and, on 22 September, FIFA did so. As West Germany, the DFB resumed international competition later that year and went on to win the 1954 World Cup.

When Germany reunited in 1990, the DFB absorbed the former East German football association to become the governing body for all of Germany.

28 January 1900 - Clearly, It Was A Step In The Right Direction

On 28 January 1900, the German Football Association was founded in Leipzig. It went on the create one of the world's top national teams and one of the top leagues.

German football traces its origins to 1874 with the formation of the country's first club, the Dresden English Football Club. As more teams sprouted up, they coalesced into a variety of regional leagues and competitions. By 1900, many of the clubs sought to introduce a national organization, including the establishment of a national championship and a national team.

So in 1900, representatives of 86 different clubs met in Leipzig to vote on the creation of a new national association. Out of a total of 84 votes cast, the final tally was 62 in favor and 22 against and the Deutscher Fußball-Bund was born.

The DFB originally maintained the regional competitions, but consolidated them into a national title, first won by Leipzig in the 1902-03 season. Five years after that, the German national team played their first match, a 5-3 loss to Switzerland.

Since then, the national team has become one of the world's most successful, reaching the World Cup final seven times and winning it three. They have also won three European Championships. Along the way, the DFB reorganized the domestic leagues into the Bundesliga, which has become one of the world's most successful and prestigious leagues.

22 September 1950 - Welcome Back, DFB

On 22 September 1950, FIFA reinstated the German football association - the Deutscher Fußball-Bund, or DFB - to full membership.

Originally founded in 1900, the DFB is the governing body of all German football, including the Bundesliga and the German national team. During World War II, the DFB fell out of favor with the Third Reich, who dissolved the organization in 1940. After the war, in November 1945, although the DFB was still defunct, FIFA banned both it and the Japanese football association from international competition.

Following appeals from the FAs of Switzerland and England, FIFA partially lifted the ban in 1948, but only as it applied to German clubs. Two years later, in January 1950, the DFB officially re-formed, though only for the West German territories. At the FIFA congress in June of that year, Switzerland again petitioned FIFA to lift the ban and, on 22 September, FIFA did so. As West Germany, the DFB resumed international competition later that year and went on to win the 1954 World Cup.

When Germany reunited in 1990, the DFB absorbed the former East German football association to become the governing body for all of Germany.

28 July 1962 - One League To Rule Them All

On 28 July 1962, the Bundesliga was created in the West German city of Dortmund. The Bundesliga is the top tier of the German football pyramid, with promotion from and relegation to the second tier, known as the 2d Bundesliga.

Football in Germany dates back to the 1870s, when it was introduced by English expatriates. The locals quickly took to the sport and, by 1900, had created so many clubs that the need for some administration was apparent. On 28 January 1900, representatives from 86 clubs met in Leipzig and founded the Deutscher Fußball-Bund ("DFB"). Although the DFB administered football across the nation, it was essentially a collection of regional leagues.

By the 1950s, German football's status began to drop, as many of Germany's best players left for other countries and the German national team struggled in international competitions. Critics blamed the decline on the DFB's league structure, which at that time consisted of five separate regional leagues known as the Oberligen, and issued calls for a national professional league.

On 28 July 1962, after the West German national team was eliminated from the World Cup by Yugoslavia, newly-elected DFB President Hermann Gösmann approved the creation of the new 19-team national league to begin play in the 1963-64 season. 46 clubs from the five Oberligen applied for the 19 available spots, but the five Oberligen champions for 1962-63 earned automatic inclusion, leaving 41 teams to compete for the final nine spots. The remaining teams were ultimately chosen based on a formula that assigned value to their league finishes and cup appearances.

The Bundesliga played its first season in 1963-64 as scheduled, with FC Köln claiming the first title.