The regional model proposed as a solution by the regional league reform working group has been met with criticism. "I think it is instinctive that the regional model has been proposed! It's obvious that the clubs that got the "Meister müssen aufsteigen" initiative rolling again are now to be punished," said the president of the North-East German Football Association (NOFV), Hermann Winkler (62), to MDR.
A 13-member working group on regional league reform had unanimously voted in favor of a four-track regional league so that all regional league champions could be promoted to the 3rd division in the future. Of the two solutions proposed, one was the compass model preferred by many clubs. In this model, the four seasons would be formed each season from all regional league teams based on distance. The second model is called the region model. Here, two leagues would be formed from the North, North-East and Bavarian regional leagues. The West and Southwest regional leagues would remain in their current form.