The Bundesliga:

Bundesliga (UEFA co-efficient 3)
Average attendance 2010/11: 42,665
18 teams. Top 4 into Champions League, 5th, 6th and cup winners into Europa League. Bottom 2 relegated, 3rd bottom goes into play-off with third placed 2 Bundesliga team.
League website: http://www.bundesliga.de/en/

2 Bundesliga
Average attendance 2010/11 : 14,796
18 teams. Top two promoted, 3rd placed team goes into play-off with 3rd bottom from Bundesliga.  Bottom two relegated to 3 Liga, 3rd bottom goes into play-off with third placed 3 Liga team.
League website: http://www.bundesliga.de/en/liga2/



Season: August to early May, short winter break in early January.
Kick off times: Bundesliga, regular league matchday kick off is 3.30pm on Saturday. There are further games on Friday at 8.30pm, on Saturday at 6.30pm and on Sunday at 3.30pm and 5.30pm. Bundesliga 2 plays three games on Friday at 6pm, two on Saturday at 1pm, three on Sunday at 1.30pm and one on Monday at 8.15pm.




Until recent it didn't get a lot of TV play in England. Not since the days of the permed Kevin Keegan and Tony Woodcock has it registered big time on the minds of football followers on these shores.

Yes, apart from Owen Hargreaves the English have not had a lot to do with the German football league for decades. The result has been that the Bundesliga has been largely ignored by football followers in the UK.

But it's the most watched football league in the world - fact. It sells out games week in, week out, so surely it must have something going for it?

It sure does.

For a start, it has some of the most modern stadia in the world, largely thanks to the fact most were given a much needed refurb for the 2006 World Cup. They're big, too, most with capacities well in excess of 40,000.

And the league is competitive. Unlike in England, the top four is not a racing certainty. In 2007 Stuttgart crept up the side to lift the title. Werder Bremen, not the biggest team in the biggest town, punched above their weight to secure another Champions League spot.

However Bayern bounced back domestically - winning the Bundesliga in 2008 by a whopping ten points.

The 2008-9 season threw up more surprises. At the mid season break the team on top were Hoffenheim - the story of the decade as this village team, and yes, a real village team - on thier first season in the Bundesliga.

That dream died after Christmas but in their place came Wolfsburg, home of Volkswagen, who went on a storming run to secure their first ever Bundesliga title on the final game of the season.

Bayern bounced back in 2010, winning the double of league and cup and reaching the Champions League final. Then it was the turn of Borussia Dortmund in 2011 - with the league's youngest side ever.

So hop on the train or plane and see what all the fuss is about.