Austrian Bundesliga

Austrian Bundesliga is the top division of professional football in Austria. It was officially founded in 1974, although Austrian league football dates back to 1911 with the introduction of the first Viennese championship.

History and facts

Organized football in Austria began in 1911 with the establishment of the first national league, though initially it included only clubs from Vienna. Over time, regional expansion led to the unified national league we recognize today.

The modern Austrian Bundesliga was created in 1974. Today the league includes 12 teams, divided into a regular season phase followed by a “Championship Round” (top 6) and a “Relegation Round” (bottom 6).

The most successful Austrian club is Rapid Wien, while in the modern era Red Bull Salzburg has dominated with multiple consecutive titles.

League system

The Austrian Bundesliga is the first tier of the Austrian league pyramid. Promotion and relegation occur with the 2. Liga (second division), followed by the Regionalliga (third tier).

Table 1. Austrian football tiers

League	Tier
Austrian Bundesliga	1
2. Liga	2
Regionalliga (East/West/Central)	3
Landesligen (State Leagues)	4

Below the fourth tier, football continues through local and amateur divisions.

Stats

Teams with most titles

This table shows the most successful Austrian clubs in league history.

Table 2. Austrian champions (multiple titles)

Club	Titles
Rapid Wien	32
Austria Wien	24
Red Bull Salzburg	17+
Admira	9
Wacker Innsbruck	10
Sturm Graz	3

Rapid Wien leads historically, while Salzburg dominates the modern Bundesliga era.

Teams with most league participation

These are the clubs with the most seasons in Austria’s top tier.

Table 3. Clubs and league participation

Club	Seasons
Rapid Wien	110+
Austria Wien	100+
Sturm Graz	80+
Red Bull Salzburg	70+
Admira	75+
Wacker Innsbruck	60+

Dozens of clubs have participated at least once in Austria’s top division since 1911.

Audience

Stadium capacities

Table 4 lists major stadiums used in the Austrian Bundesliga.

Table 4. Major stadium capacities in Austria

Team	Stadium	Capacity
Rapid Wien	Allianz Stadion	28,345
Austria Wien	Generali Arena	17,565
Red Bull Salzburg	Red Bull Arena	30,188
Sturm Graz	Merkur Arena	16,364
LASK	Raiffeisen Arena	19,080

Players

Top goalscorers & appearances

Legendary forwards such as Hans Krankl and Toni Polster are among Austria’s greatest scorers, with over 200 league goals each.

Players with the most appearances include long-serving stars from Rapid and Austria Wien, including Michael Konsel and iconic defenders from the 1980s–2000s era.

Famous players

David Alaba
Marko Arnautović
Hans Krankl
Toni Polster
Johnny Ertl
Konrad Laimer
Marcel Sabitzer
Sasa Kalajdzic
Ivica Vastić
Ernst Ocwirk