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When is Soccer Season? It Depends…

The Football / Soccer season is one of the longest compared to other popular sports. Although soccer is played around the world, most national associations follow the leagues in Europe format of playing their season from August to May. This allows most soccer players to take much needed breaks in June and July. However with the FIFA World Cup, European Championship, Copa America, Olympics and other tournaments scheduled during this time, soccer always seems to be on TV and the best players are always playing.

The obvious exception is Major League Soccer in North America which usually runs its soccer season from March until November (including the MLS Cup playoffs). This was most likely to avoid competing with the NFL’s season in the United States which runs from September to February. 

Up until the 2012/13 season the Russian Premier League ran its season from March to November to avoid playing games during the harsh winter months. This put Russian teams at a disadvantage during European club competitions because they had played most of their season as those competitions were kicking off. They have since aligned their season to the rest of the European leagues while opting for a three month winter break mid-season.

Russian Premier League soccer season
Russian Premier League game during the winter

The prolonged pandemic from 2020 to 2021 has thrown schedules off recently, but here are the start and end dates for some of the ore popular soccer leagues:

English Premier League (England)

SeasonStartFinish
2018/19August 10, 2018May 12 2019
2019/20August 9, 2019July 26, 2020
2020/21September 12, 2020May 23, 2021
2021/22August 14, 2021May 22, 2022

La Liga (Spain)

SeasonStartFinish
2018/19August 17, 2018May 19 2019
2019/20August 16, 2019July 19, 2020
2020/21September 12, 2020May 23, 2021
2021/22August 13, 2021May 22, 2022

Bundesliga (Germany)

SeasonStartFinish
2018/19August 24, 2018May 18 2019
2019/20August 16, 2019June 27, 2020
2020/21September 18, 2020May 22, 2021
2021/22August 13, 2021May 14, 2022

Serie A (Italy)

SeasonStartFinish
2018/19August 18, 2018May 26, 2019
2019/20August 24, 2019August 2, 2020
2020/21September 19, 2020May 23, 2021
2021/22August 22, 2021May 22, 2022

Ligue 1 (France)

SeasonStartFinish
2018/19August 10, 2018May 24 2019
2019/20August 9, 2019April 28, 2020
2020/21August 21, 2020May 23, 2021
2021/22August 7, 2021May 21, 2022

Major League Soccer (USA and Canada)

SeasonStartFinish
2018March 3, 2018December 8, 2018
2019March 2, 2019November 10, 2019
2020February 19, 2020December 12, 2020
2021April 16, 2021December 11, 2021

How Many Players on a Soccer Field?

According to the FIFA laws of the game, a professional soccer (football) match allows a maximum of 22 players on the field at any given time during the match. This includes 11 players per team (10 outfield players and one goalkeeper). 

What is a Soccer Field?

The soccer field is the complete space enclosed between goal line to goal line and sideline to sideline. Regardless of the size of the field, each soccer field is defined within those terms when it comes to the rules around how many players can actively participate during a match.

Soccer Pitch Field of Play

Substitutions

Although each team can name 5 to 12 substitutes (depending on the competition), these players must remain off the field while the ball is in play during a match. When a player is substituted, the incoming player must wait for the outgoing player to exit the field completely before coming on. This ensures the maximum number of on field players is maintained.

Red Cards and Injuries

The referee must call off a game if any of the two sides can no longer field at least 7 players (including the goalkeeper). This can be due to:

  1. Players receiving red cards, or
  2. A team forced to take an injured player off the field with no more substitutions available.

 Therefore the minimum number of players on a soccer field during a match is 14. 

Penalty Kicks

The only exception to the rule is during a penalty shootout. At this time even though the game is technically active, both teams typically gather together at the halfway line in solidarity and this includes the all substitutes and coaching staff.

Referees and other Officials

Besides the on field players, the referee is the only person allowed to be on the field while the ball is in play. However, both linesmen and the fourth official remain off the field during the game.

Although not part of the matchday officials, it is important to also note that medical personnel can only enter the field when the ball is out of play.

Other Formats

The above stipulations apply to the 11-a-side FIFA sanctioned men’s and women’s game. Different age groups (i.e. youth soccer) may not follow the same rules.

How Long is a Soccer Game? Full Breakdown

The game of soccer (football) is one of several sports that is difficult to pinpoint ahead of time exactly how long it takes to complete. This is because unlike most American sports (or at least the franchise modelled ones i.e. NHL hockey, NFL football, NBA basketball etc.) the game clock not only runs up instead of down, but more importantly it does not stop…at all…until the referee chooses to blow their whistle at the end of each half. For all other stoppages in game play the clock keeps ticking with the expectation that this time is added to the end of each half. But even then as we will see, the amount of time is fully at the discretion of the referee. Of course there are many further nuances that make the question of how long a soccer game lasts both simple to answer and yet hard to explain. Let’s give it a go!

Professional Soccer Game

The short answer is a professional soccer game is 90 minutes long, comprising of two 45 minute halves and a 15 minute half-time break in between. Each half runs up from 0 to 45 minutes on the clock (46 to 90 in the second half), with the option of what is referred to as injury (or stoppage) time at the end of each half.

Injury / Stoppage Time

This is where the referee is empowered to add additional minutes for any in-game stoppages typically from: fouls, throw-ins, corners, substitutions, time wasting (yep!) and of course injuries. With the recent adoption of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) there can be a considerable amount of accumulated delays which now also contribute to injury time. 

Throughout the half, the referee on the field keeps track of all such stoppages with the help of his watch and communicates this amount to fourth referee on the sidelines. It is the fourth referee who then indicates the amount of stoppage time to be added. Note that this is a minimum amount of time but technically the referee is authorized to add more if they choose but no less. On occasion referees have been known to stop a game a few seconds before the full stoppage time has been played.

Unless there are significant stoppages, the first half typically includes 1 minute of stoppage time with the referee reserving the bulk of added time for the second half. Footballing convention suggests that every substitution should allow for 30 seconds of added time. With each team having and usually using their 3 substitutions each in the second half of games, that’s already 3 minutes before even calculating other stoppages (injuries, time wasting, VAR, stray dogs etc.). Yet the average amount of second half added time is 4 minutes

So adding it all together a professional soccer game will normally last approximately 110 minutes:

PhaseMinutes
First Half45
First Half Injury Time (typical)1
Half Time15
Second Half45
Second Half Injury Time (typical)4
Total110
Actual time taken for “90” minute game

Most soccer fans know to allow for 2 hours out of their schedule when planning to watch a televised game. Similar to an NBA fans planning for a 2.5 hour game.

Extra Time

Knock out games that involve the potential of extra time become a bit more complicated. If two teams are tied after “90 minutes” they then play an extra 30 minutes comprised of two 15 minute halves and a 1 minute break to switch sides. There is often no added time after the first half of extra time, but I am yet to watch a game where the referee successfully enforced the 1 minute half-time switch break.

Extra time second half injury time tends to vary but let’s go with 3 minutes:

PhaseMinutes
Break between Full Time and Extra Time10
Extra Time First Half15
Extra Time First Half Injury Time (typical)0
Half Time2
Second Half15
Extra Time First Half Injury Time (typical)3
Total45
Actual time to complete Extra Time

Penalties

Going even further, if a game is still not decided after extra time and needs to go to penalties that’s a further amount of time to be played. There is a break between Extra Time for the coaches to select their 5 penalty takers and the order of the remaining players in case sudden death is needed. Of course penalties can also vary since they keep kicking until a a team wins, but let’s assume 15 minutes:

PhaseMinutes
Break between Extra Time and Penalties10
Penalties (typical)20
Total30
Time to complete Penalties

Duration

In conclusion a professional soccer game can last anywhere from 2 to 3 hours depending on whether it is a regular 90 minute game or if it goes to extra time and then penalties:

PhaseMinutes
Regular game (no extra time or penalties)110 (just under 2 hours)
Game with Extra time155 (almost 2.5 hours)
Game with extra time then penalties185 (just over 3 hours)
Summary of how long a Soccer game lasts

In this article we only focused on the professional soccer game. Official times differ as you go through different age groups as players train and are conditioned differently (as an example, see the US Youth Soccer Policy on Players and Playing Rules).

Top 10 Largest Football (Soccer) Stadiums in the World

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Top 10 Largest Football (Soccer) Stadiums in the World

RankStadiumSeating CapacityCountryCity
1Rungrado 1st of May Stadium 114,000-150,000North KoreaPyongyang
2AT&T Stadium 105,000 United States Arlington, Texas
3Melbourne Cricket Ground 100,024 AustraliaMelbourne
4Camp Nou 99,354SpainBarcelona
5FNB Stadium 94,736South Africa Johannesburg
6Rose Bowl 92,542United States Pasadena, California
7Wembley Stadium 90,000EnglandLondon
8Estadio Azteca 87,523MexicoMexico City
9Bukit Jalil National Stadium 87,411MalaysiaKuala Lumpur
10Borg El Arab Stadium 86,000Egypt Alexandria

Source

Famous Football (Soccer) Quotes

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Famous Football (Soccer) Quotes

QuoteBy
Some people believe football is a matter of life and death...it is much, much more important than that.Bill Shankley
The Glaswegian definition of an atheist: a bloke who goes to a Rangers-Celtic match to watch the football.Sandy Strang
The rules of soccer are very simple, basically it is this: if it moves, kick it. If it doesn't move, kick it until it does.Phil Woosnam
The goalkeeper is the jewel in the crown and getting at him should be almost impossible. It's the biggest sin in football to make him do any work.George Graham
Italians can't win the game against you, but you can lose the game against the Italians.Johan Cryuff
Some people tell me that we professional players are soccer slaves. Well, if this is slavery, give me a life sentence.Bobby Charlton
Whoever invented football should be worshipped as a God.Hugo Sanchez
Five days shalt thou labour, as the Bible says. The seventh day is the Lord thy God's. The sixth day is for football.Anthony Burgess
In Latin America the border between soccer and politics is vague. There is a long list of governments that have fallen or been overthrown after the defeat of the national team.Luis Suarez
At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign the checks.Bill Shankley
If you are first you are first. If you are second, you are nothing.Bill Shankley
The person that said winning isn't everything, never won anything.Mia Hamm
Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.Mia Hamm
When I go to the press conference before the game, in my mind the game has already started.Jose Mourinho
You can have the top stars to bring the attention, you can have the best stadium, you can have the best facilities, you can have the most beautiful project in terms of marketing and all this kind of thing. But if you don't win... All the work these people are doing is forgotten.Jose Mourinho
Why is there only one ball for 22 players? If you gave a ball to each of them, they'd stop fighting for it.Unknown Author
It was as if we had beaten a country, more than just a football team.Diego Maradona

Some good to know Football/Soccer Terms

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Ever wondered what some of those terms used by the on air commentators mean when watching your favorite soccer team playing? Whether you are new to the game or a seasoned fan, the below list of football/soccer terms should be helpful in better understanding the Beautiful Game’s lingo.

Soccer Terms

AgentPerson who represents players and negotiates contracts and transfer moves
AssistA pass that releases a player to score a goal. The pass can be on the ground, a flick or a cross
Away goals ruleIn cup competitions if scores are tied over two legs, the team with the most away goals wins
Back-pass ruleLaw stating that deliberate passes from a player to their goalkeeper may not be handled
CapAppearance by a player for their country
CautionYellow card
ChipA pass propelled into the air from a player to a teammate or as a shot on goal
Counter-attackA quick attack by a team after it regains possession of the ball
CrossTo send the ball in to the center for a wide area of the field
Cushion the ballUse of your body to bring the ball under control by reducing its speed
DerbyA game between two rival teams, usually from the same town or city. i.e. Liverpool and Everton
Direct free kickA free kick from which a goal can be scored without anyone else on either team touching the ball
DissentWhen a player uses words or actions to disagree with a referees decision in a disrespectful manner
DistributionThe manner in which the ball is released by a goal keeper or player to teammates
Final thirdAssuming the field is divided into the back, middle and front, the final third for an attacking team is the front third
Game of two halves A popular phrase describing a game in which one half is vastly different from the other in terms of attacking impetus or possession
Golden goalA system used to decide a winner of a game tied after regulation time. If a team is ahead at the end of the first period of extra time they win the game
Hat trickThe scoring of three goals by one player in a single game
Offside trapA defensive tactic used by teams to lure opposing attacking players into offside positions
OverlapTo run ahead of a teammate with the ball in order to give them passing options
Professional foulAn intentional foul by a defender on an opposing attacker about to be clear on goal
Reserve teamA team made up mostly of a club’s youth and fringe players
Route oneSlang for a style of playing that involves long balls kicked up the field from the defence in search of teammates. Popularized by many English teams in the 80s
Silver goalA system used to decide a winner of a game tied after regulation time. The first team to score in extra time wins the game
Sixes and SevensA British phrase used in soccer to usually describe chaotic defending e.g. “…their defence was at sixes and sevens.”
Square passTo pass the ball to a teammate who is across the field but on the same line
Stoppage timeTime added on by the referee at the end of the regular 90 minutes. Usually for injuries, substitutions and time wasting
Total footballA style of play popularized by Johan Cruyff’s Dutch team in the 70s where every player on the team seamlessly switched positions
VolleyA ball kicked by a player when it is off the ground
WingbackA defender on the side of the field given the freedom to carry the ball up the wing
Zonal marking A defensive system in which players are responsible for areas of the field as opposed to marking specific opponents

Interesting Football/Soccer Facts

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20 red cards were shown during a 1993 game between Sportivo Ameliano and General Caballero in Paraguay.
ASEC Abidjan of Cote D’Ivoire went unbeaten for 108 games between 1989 and 1994.
Carlos Caszely of Chile was the first player red carded in a World Cup tournament on June 14, 1974.
European Teams have reached the final of every World Cup except in 1930 and 1950.
Goalkeeper Arthur Wharton was the first black professional soccer player. He was born in Ghana (then Gold Coast) and played for English League team Rotherham United in 1889.
In 1950 India withdrew form the World Cup because FIFA refused to let their team play barefoot.
In 1954 Turkey knocked out Spain from during a World Cup qualifier by drawing straws. Blindfolded Italian boy Luigi Franco Gemma picked the straws to decide the winner.
In 1957 with only 30 minutes remaining, Charlton Athletic game back from a 5-1 deficit to defeat Huddersfield Town 7-6.
In 1968, Penarol of Urugauy conceded only five goals in 18 games on the way to an unbeaten season.
In 1996 George Weah paid for his teammates uniforms and expenses so that Liberia could enter the African Nations Cup.
In 1997 Nigerian international Celestine Babayaro broke his leg while celebrating a goal in his Chelsea debut during a preseason game.
In 1998 English referee Martin Sylvester sent himself off after punching a player during a game in the Andover and District Sunday League.
In the 1938 World Cup semifinal, Guiseppe Meazza of Italy’s shorts fell down as he was taking a penalty shot. He held his shorts up and calmly scored past Brazil’s Valter.
In the 1970s legendary coaches Jock Stein and Brian Clough both had 44 day stints at Leeds United.
Jean Langenus of Belgium wore a suit jacket, golfing plus fours and a red striped tie when he refereed the 1930 World Cup final.
Luigi Riva once broke the arm of a spectator with one of his powerful shots.
Madagascan team Stade Olympique L’Emryne scored 149 own goals against champions AS Adema in 2002. They repeatedly scored own goals in protest of a refereeing decision in their previous game.
Michael Laudrup appeared for Real Madrid in a 5-0 win over Barcelona and also Barcelona when they beat Real Madrid 5-0.
Non flying Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp’s fear of flying caused him to miss many international and European games for Arsenal.
Sir Alex Ferguson was fired by St. Mirren in 1978 for swearing at a lady.
Sir Stanley Matthews never received a booking in his 33 year long career.
Under Herbert Chapman, The Arsenal changed their name to simply Arsenal in order to appear at the top of the alphabetical list of old Division One clubs.
The first televised game was an Arsenal practice match at the Highbury ground in 1937.

Italian Serie A

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Italian Serie A Winners

YearWinnerRunner Up
1930Internazionale MilanGenoa
1931Juventus TurinAS Roma
1932Juventus TurinBologna
1933Juventus TurinInternazionale Milan
1934Juventus TurinInternazionale Milan
1935Juventus TurinInternazionale Milan
1936BolognaAS Roma
1937BolognaLazio Rome
1938Internazionale MilanJuventus Turin
1939BolognaTorino
1940Internazionale MilanBologna
1941BolognaInternazionale Milan
1942AS RomaTorino
1943TorinoLivorno
1946TorinoJuventus Turin
1947TorinoJuventus Turin
1948TorinoTriestina
1949TorinoInternazionale Milan
1950Juventus TurinAC Milan
1951AC MilanInternazionale Milan
1952Juventus TurinAC Milan
1953Internazionale MilanJuventus Turin
1954Internazionale MilanJuventus Turin
1955AC MilanUdinese
1956FiorentinaAC Milan
1957AC MilanFiorentina
1958Juventus TurinFiorentina
1959AC MilanFiorentina
1960Juventus TurinFiorentina
1961Juventus TurinAC Milan
1962AC MilanInternazionale Milan
1963Internazionale MilanJuventus Turin
1964BolognaInternazionale Milan
1965Internazionale MilanAC Milan
1966Internazionale MilanBologna
1967Juventus TurinInternazionale Milan
1968AC MilanNapoli
1969FiorentinaAC Milan
1970CagliariInternazionale Milan
1971Internazionale MilanAC Milan
1972Juventus TurinTorino
1973Juventus TurinAC Milan
1974Lazio RomeJuventus Turin
1975Juventus TurinNapoli
1976TorinoJuventus Turin
1977Juventus TurinTorino
1978Juventus TurinTorino
1979AC MilanPerugia
1980Internazionale MilanJuventus Turin
1981Juventus TurinAS Roma
1982Juventus TurinFiorentina
1983AS RomaJuventus Turin
1984Juventus TurinAS Roma
1985Hellas-VeronaTorino
1986Juventus TurinAS Roma
1987NapoliJuventus Turin
1988AC MilanNapoli
1989Internazionale MilanNapoli
1990NapoliAC Milan
1991Sampdoria GenoaInternazionale Milan
1992AC MilanJuventus Turin
1993AC MilanInternazionale Milan
1994AC MilanJuventus Turin
1995Juventus TurinLazio Rome
1996AC MilanJuventus Turin
1997Juventus TurinParma
1998Juventus TurinInternazionale Milan
1999AC MilanLazio Rome
2000Lazio RomeJuventus Turin
2001AS RomaJuventus Turin
2002Juventus TurinAS Roma
2003Juventus TurinInternazionale Milan
2004AC MilanAS Roma
2005NOT AWARDEDAC Milan
2006Internazionale MilanAS Roma
2007Internazionale MilanAS Roma
2008Internazionale MilanAS Roma
2009Internazionale MilanJuventus
2010Internazionale MilanAS Roma
2011AC MilanInternazionale Milan
2012JuventusAC Milan
2013JuventusNapoli
2014JuventusAS Roma
2015JuventusAS Roma
2016JuventusNapoli
2017JuventusAS Roma
2018JuventusNapoli
2019JuventusNapoli
2020JuventusInternazionale Milan
2021Internazionale MilanAC Milan

German Cup

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German Cup Winners

YearWinnerRunner Up
1935FC NurembergSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
1936VfB LeipzigSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
1937Schalke 04 GelsenkirchenFortuna Dusseldorf
1938Rapid ViennaFSV Frankfurt
1939FC NurembergSV Waldhof Mannheim
1940Dresdener SCFC Nuremberg
1941Dresdener SCSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
1942TSV 1860 MunichSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
1943First Vienna FCSV Hamburg
1953Rot-Weiss EssenTSV Alemannia Aachen
1954VfB StuttgartFC Cologne
1955Karlsruher SCSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
1956Karlsruher SCSV Hamburg
1957Bayern MunichFortuna Dusseldorf
1958VfB StuttgartFortuna Dusseldorf
1959Schwarz-Weiss EssenVfB Borussia Neunkirchen
1960Borussia MonchengladbachKarlsruher SC
1961Werder BremenFC Kaiserslautern
1962FC NurembergFortuna Dusseldorf
1963SV HamburgBorussia Dortmund
1964TSV 1860 MunichEintracht Frankfurt
1965Borussia DortmundTSV Alemannia Aachen
1966Bayern MunichMSV Duisburg
1967Bayern MunichSV Hamburg
1968FC CologneVfL Bochum
1969Bayern MunichSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
1970Kickers OffenbachFC Cologne
1971Bayern MunichFC Cologne
1972Schalke 04 GelsenkirchenFC Kaiserslautern
1973Borussia MonchengladbachFC Cologne
1974Eintracht FrankfurtSV Hamburg
1975Eintracht FrankfurtMSV Duisburg
1976SV HamburgFC Kaiserslautern
1977FC CologneHertha BSC Berlin
1978FC CologneFortuna Dusseldorf
1979Fortuna DusseldorfHertha BSC Berlin
1980Fortuna DusseldorfFC Cologne
1981Eintracht FrankfurtFC Kaiserslautern
1982Bayern MunichFC Nuremberg
1983FC CologneFortuna Cologne
1984Bayern MunichBorussia Monchengladbach
1985Bayer UerdingenBayern Munich
1986Bayern MunichVfB Stuttgart
1987SV HamburgStuttgarter Kickers
1988Eintracht FrankfurtVfL Bochum
1989Borussia DortmundWerder Bremen
1990FC KaiserslauternWerder Bremen
1991Werder BremenFC Cologne
1992Hannover 96Borussia Monchengladbach
1993Bayer LeverkusenHertha BSC Berlin
1994Werder BremenRot-Weiss Essen
1995Borussia MonchengladbachVfL Wolfsburg
1996FC KaiserslauternKarlsruher SC
1997VfB StuttgartEnergie Cottbus
1998Bayern MunichMSV Duisburg
1999Werder BremenBayern Munich
2000Bayern MunichWerder Bremen
2001Schalke 04 GelsenkirchenUnion Berlin
2002Schalke 04 GelsenkirchenBayer Leverkusen
2003Bayern MunichFC Kaiserslautern
2004Werder BremenTSV Alemannia Aachen
2005Bayern MunichSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
2006Bayern MunichEintracht Frankfurt
2007FC NürnbergVfB Stuttgart
2008Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund
2009Werder BremenBayer Leverkusen
2010Bayern MunichWerder Bremen
2011Schalke 04MSV Duisburg
2012Borussia DortmundBayern Munich
2013Bayern MunichVfB Stuttgart
2014Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund
2015VfL WolfsburgBorussia Dortmund
2016Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund
2017Borussia DortmundEintracht Frankfurt
2018Eintracht FrankfurtBayern Munich
2019Bayern MunichRB Leipzig
2020Bayern MunichBayer Leverkusen
2021Borussia DortmundRB Leipzig

German Bundesliga

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German Bundesliga Winners

YearWinnerRunner Up
1964FC CologneMSV Duisburg
1965Werder BremenFC Cologne
1966TSV 1860 MunichBorussia Dortmund
1967Eintracht BrunswickTSV 1860 Munich
1968FC NurembergWerder Bremen
1969Bayern MunichTSV Alemannia Aachen
1970Borussia MonchengladbachBayern Munich
1971Borussia MonchengladbachBayern Munich
1972Bayern MunichSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
1973Bayern MunichFC Cologne
1974Bayern MunichBorussia Monchengladbach
1975Borussia MonchengladbachHertha BSC Berlin
1976Borussia MonchengladbachSV Hamburg
1977Borussia MonchengladbachSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
1978FC CologneBorussia Monchengladbach
1979SV HamburgVfB Stuttgart
1980Bayern MunichSV Hamburg
1981Bayern MunichSV Hamburg
1982SV HamburgFC Cologne
1983SV HamburgWerder Bremen
1984VfB StuttgartSV Hamburg
1985Bayern MunichWerder Bremen
1986Bayern MunichWerder Bremen
1987Bayern MunichSV Hamburg
1988Werder BremenBayern Munich
1989Bayern MunichFC Cologne
1990Bayern MunichFC Cologne
1991FC KaiserslauternBayern Munich
1992VfB StuttgartBorussia Dortmund
1993Werder BremenBayern Munich
1994Bayern MunichFC Kaiserslautern
1995Borussia DortmundWerder Bremen
1996Borussia DortmundBayern Munich
1997Bayern MunichBayer Leverkusen
1998FC KaiserslauternBayern Munich
1999Bayern MunichBayer Leverkusen
2000Bayern MunichBayer Leverkusen
2001Bayern MunichSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
2002Borussia DortmundBayer Leverkusen
2003Bayern MunichVfB Stuttgart
2004Werder BremenBayern Munich
2005Bayern MunichSchalke 04 Gelsenkirchen
2006Bayern MunichWerder Bremen
2007VfB StuttgartSchalke 04
2008Bayern MunichWerder Bremen
2009VfL WolfsburgBayern Munich
2010Bayern MunichSchalke 04
2011Borussia DortmundBayer Leverkusen
2012Borussia DortmundBayern Munich
2013Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund
2014Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund
2015Bayern MunichVfL Wolfsburg
2016Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund
2017Bayern MunichRB Leipzig
2018Bayern MunichSchalke 04
2019Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund
2020Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund
2021Bayern MunichRB Leipzig