The league operated in eighteen regional divisions, of which the Gauliga Sudetenland was played in a knock-out format of regional champions, with the league containing 175 clubs all up, five less than the previous season. The league champions entered the 1939 German football championship, won by FC Schalke 04 who defeated Admira Wien 9–0 in the final. It was Schalke's fourth national championship, with the club winning six championships all up during the Gauliga era.[1]
Four clubs remained unbeaten during the league season, those being FC Schalke 04, Hindenburg Allenstein, VfR Mannheim and SV Dessau 05. At the other end of the table one club finished the season without a win, SV Algermissen. Hamburger SV scored the most goals of any Gauliga club with 87 while ESV Wacker Wiener Neustadt conceded the most with 87. SV Dessau 05 and Hamburger SV achieved the highest points total with 35 while SV Algermissen earned the least with two points to its name.[2]
The 1938–39 Gauliga champions qualified for the group stage of the German championship. Dresdner SC, Hamburger SV, Admira Wien and FC Schalke 04 won their championship groups and advanced to the semi-finals with the latter two reaching the championship final which Schalke won.[7][2][8]
FC Schalke 04 won their sixth consecutive Gauliga title, Fortuna Düsseldorf their fourth, SV Dessau 05 and Hamburger SV won their third consecutive one while Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz defended their 1937–38 Gauliga title.[2][9][10][11][12][13]