A new promotion format was decided on in 2019. From this season onward, the Regionalliga Südwest and West receive a fixed promotion spot. A third promotion spot rotates between the other three divisions, with the remaining two champions participating in play-offs for a fourth spot. A draw has determined that the Regionalliga Nordost receives the third direct promotion spot this season.[1]
As the league expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, the league was split into two regional groups. The five best teams from each group were supposed to qualify for a championship round, with the other teams qualifying for a relegation round.[2] The relegation rules were not announced.
On 8 April 2021, the clubs voted to abandon the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and declare the third-best team by points per game, TSV Havelse, participants in the promotion play-offs, since Weiche Flensburg and Werder Bremen II did not apply for a 3. Liga license. No teams are supposed to be promoted to or relegated from the Regionalliga.[3] The abandonment was confirmed by the Northern German Football Association (NFV) presidium on 20 April 2021.[4] No teams were relegated to or promoted from the Oberliga.[5] On 18 May 2021, the NFV presidium announced that it has made an official decision on who would participate in the promotion play-offs. First, the top teams of each group that applied for a 3. Liga license, Teutonia Ottensen and TSV Havelse, were determined. Then, with involvement from the two clubs, the NFV presidium decided to nominate TSV Havelse for the promotion play-offs.[6]
On 24 March 2021, the clubs unanimously voted to abandon the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and declare Viktoria Berlin champions.[12] This decision was confirmed by the Northeastern German Football Association presidium on 16 April 2021, which also decided that one team would be relegated and the league size limited to 22 teams for the next season, which meant that a second team would have been relegated had three teams been relegated to the Regionalliga Nordost.[13]
Contrary to previous seasons, due to time pressure the Westphalia DFB-Pokal play-off was not played for the next two seasons. Originally, the winner of the 2020–21 Oberliga Westfalen was supposed to qualify for the 2021–22 DFB-Pokal, while the best-placed Westphalian team from the 2021–22 Regionalliga West was supposed to qualify for the 2022–23 DFB-Pokal.[15] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, the Oberliga Westfalen had to be abandoned and the order was swapped.[16]
Initially, five teams were going to be relegated. However, the Mittelrheinliga, Oberliga Niederrhein and Oberliga Westfalen were all abandoned, with no teams from these leagues being promoted. Therefore, only one team was relegated.[17]
The Bavarian Football Association cancelled the 2020–21 season, which would have been the ninth for the Regionalliga Bayern, and enrolled Türkgücü München in the 2020–21 3. Liga. The ongoing 2019–20 season had to resume without Türkgücü in September 2020 and conclude in mid-2021.[21]