Nemzeti Bajnokság II

For the rugby union league of the same name, see NB II (rugby union).

The Nemzeti Bajnokság II (or NBII), currently known as the Merkantil Bank Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the second tier of Hungarian football. At the end of the 2004–05 season, the tournament format was changed from one division of 14 teams to two divisions: Keleti (Eastern) and Nyugati (Western), each with 16 teams,^[1] though now it's just one league table with 16 teams as of the 2024–25 season. The champion and the runner-up will ascend to the first division, Nemzeti Bajnokság I, while the two lowest teams in second league are relegated to Nemzeti Bajnokság III.

Nemzeti Bajnokság II

Founded	1901; 124 years ago (1901)
Country	Hungary
Number of clubs	16
Level on pyramid	2
Promotion to	NB I
Relegation to	NB III
Domestic cup(s)	Hungarian Cup
Current champions	Kisvárda (1st title) (2024–25)
Website	www.nb2.hu
Current: 2025–26 Nemzeti Bajnokság II

History

Nemzeti Bajnokság II was founded in 1901, having 8 teams. The first champions were 33FC having won the 1901 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season. The first two teams would participate in a promotion playoff with the last 2 teams from the first league (1901 Nemzeti Bajnokság I).

Even though the 4 rural districts were founded on paper in 1904, they only began to compete officially in the season 1907-1908. Thus the second league had 1 urban (Budapest) league and 4 rural leagues. The rural champions would participate in a tournament, the winner would face the urban league champion for the second league title. During the world war I the league was played with very few teams. During World War II, teams from the annexed territories also competed in the league such as Ungvári AC and Nagyvárad.

Format

On 2 March 2017, the Hungarian Football Federation announced that the number of the teams in the Nemzeti Bajnokság II will not be reduced to 12.^[2]

From 2024 onwards, the league was reduced to 16 teams from 20 and 18 teams in 2022–2024, respectively.

Number of groups	Year
1	between 1901 and 1913–14, in 1915, between 1916–17 and 1918–19, between 1921–22 and 1937–38, between 1963 and 1969, between 1970–71 and 1977–78, between 1982–83 and 1987–88, between 1997–98 and 1999–00, between 2002–03 and 2004–05, between 2013–14 and present
2	between 1919–20 and 1920–21, between 1937–38 and 1938–39, between 1955 and 1956, between 1958–59 and 1962–63, in 1970, between 1988–89 and 1996–97, between 2000–01 and 2001–02, between 2005–06 and 2012–13
3	in 1914, in 1939–40, In 1941–42, in 1957–58, between 1978–79 and 1981–82
4	in 1943–44, between 1946–47 and 1954, in 1957
5	in 1940–41, in 1942–43
9	in 1945
16	in 1944–45

List of champions

Main article: List of winners of Nemzeti Bajnokság II

1901: 33 FC 1902: Postások 1903: Főváros 1904: Újpest 1905: Budapesti AK 1906: Tisztviselők 1906–07: Törekvés 1907–08: 33 FC 1908–09: Nemzeti 1909–10: 33 FC 1910–11: III. Kerület 1911–12: Újpest 1912–13: III. Kerület 1913–14: Műegyetemi AFC 1914: Főváros, Újpest-Rákospalotai AK 1915: Vasas 1916–17: MÁV Gépgyári SK 1917–18: Terézváros 1918–19: Testvériség 1919–20: Erzsébetfalva, VII. Kerületi SC 1920–21: Budapest SE, Vívó és Atlétikai Club 1921–22: Műegyetemi AFC 1922–23: Újpesti Törekvés 1923–24: Budapesti EAC 1924–25: 33 FC 1925–26: Főváros 1926–27: Miskolci AK 1927–28: Somogy 1928–29: Pécs-Baranya 1929–30: Sabaria 1930–31: Somogy 1931–32: Soroksár 1932–33: Phöbus 1933–34: Soroksár 1934–35: Budafok FC 1935–36: Nemzeti 1936–37: Szürketaxi 1937–38: Zuglói SE, Szolnok 1938–39: Szombathely, Törekvés 1939–40: Tokod, Csepel, Salgótarján 1940–41: Szegedi VSE, Lampart, Nagyvárad, Marosvásárhely, Sepsiszentgyörgyi Textil 1941–42: Szombathely, Vasas, Törekvés 1942–43: Győr, Szegedi VSE, BSzKRT, Budapesti VSC, Debrecen 1943–44: MÁVAG SK, Ungvár, Szentlőrinc, Szegedi AK

1944–45: suspended due to World War II 1945: Békéscsaba, Elektromos, Soproni VSE, Dorog, Diósgyőr, Pécsi VSK, Kecskemét, Szeged AK 1946–47: MOGÜRT SC, Erzsébeti MTK, MATEOSz Munkás SE, Elektromos 1947–48: Tatabánya, Soroksár, Kistext, Goldberger 1948–49: Nagykanizsai MAORT, Dorog, Debrecen, BKV Előre 1949–50: Tatabánya, Bőripari, Diósgyőr, Szegedi AK 1950: Tatabányai Építők, Soroksár, Sajószentpéteri Tárna, Szegedi Honvéd SE 1951: Pécsi VSK, Budafok, Budapesti Postás, Vörös Lobogó Keltex 1952: Vörös Lobogó Sor Tex, Sztálin Vasmű Építők, Miskolci Honvéd SE, Vasas Izzó 1953: Pécsi Lokomotív, Szikra Gázművek, Diósgyőr, Vasas Izzó 1954: Kőbányai Dózsa, Budapesti Vörös Meteor, Ózd, Szolnoki Légierő 1955: Tatabánya, Szegedi Haladás 1956: Komló, Diósgyőr 1957: Videoton, Nyíregyháza, Szegedi VSE, Oroszlány 1957–58: Győr, Budapesti VSC, Miskolc 1958–59: Pécs, Szegedi EAC 1959–60: Győr, Debrecen 1960–61: Komló, Ózd 1961–62: Szombathely, Debrecen 1962–63: Csepel, Diósgyőr 1963: VM Egyetértés 1964: Salgótarján 1965: Dunaújváros 1966: Szegedi EAC 1967: Egyetértés 1968: Eger 1969: Videoton 1970: Pécsi Bányász SC 1970: FŐSPED 1970–71: Vörös Meteor 1971–72: Szegedi EOL 1972–73: Szombathely 1973–74: Diósgyőr 1974–75: Szegedi EOL

1975–76: Dunaújváros 1976–77: Pécsi MFC 1977–78: Salgótarján 1978–79: Pécsi Vasutas SK, Volán, Debrecen 1979–80: Kaposvár, Csepel, Nyíregyháza 1980–81: Szombathely, Szegedi EOL, Ózd 1981–82: Nagykanizsa, MTK, Kazincbarcika 1982–83: Volán 1983–84: Eger 1984–85: Volán 1985–86: Dunaújváros 1986–87: Kaposvár 1987–88: Veszprém 1988–89: Csepel 1988–89: Debrecen 1989–90: Volán, Szeged SC 1990–91: Szombathely, BVSC 1991–92: Csepel, Békéscsaba 1992–93: Szombathely, Debrecen 1993–94: Nagykanizsa, Stadler 1994–95: Szombathely, MTK 1995–96: Siófoki Bányász FC, III. Kerület 1996–97: Gázszer, Tiszakécske 1997–98: Nyíregyháza 1998–09: Tatabánya 1999–00: Videoton 2000–01: Szombathely, BKV Előre 2001–02: Siófok, Békéscsaba 2002–03: Pécsi MFC 2003–04: Budapest Honvéd 2004–05: Tatabánya 2005–06: Paks, Vác 2006–07: Siófok, Nyíregyháza 2007–08: Szombathely, Kecskemét 2008–09: Gyirmót, Ferencváros 2009–10: Siófok, Szolnok 2010–11: Pécs, Diósgyőr 2011–12: MTK, Eger 2012–13: Puskás Akadémia, Mezőkövesd 2013–14: Nyíregyháza 2014–15: Vasas 2015–16: Gyirmót 2016–17: Puskás Akadémia 2017–18: MTK 2018–19: Zalaegerszeg 2019–20: MTK 2020–21: Debrecen 2021–22: Vasas 2022–23: Diósgyőr 2023–24: Nyíregyháza 2024–25: Kisvárda

Note: winning the Nemzeti Bajnokság II did not mean automatic promotion to Nemzeti Bajnokság I.

Most titles

Below is a ranking of the clubs by most titles won.

Club	Titles	Winning seasons
Szombathelyi Haladás	10	1938–39, 1941–42, 1944–45, 1961–62, 1972–73, 1980–81, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1994–95, 2007–08
Debrecen	8	1942–43 1948–49, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1978–79, 1988–89, 1992–93, 2020–21
Diósgyőr	8	1945, 1949–50, 1953, 1956, 1962–63, 1973–74, 2010–11, 2022–23
Csepel	5	1939–40, 1962–63, 1979–80, 1988–89, 1991–92
MTK	5	1981–82, 1994–95, 2011–12, 2017–18, 2019–20
Nyíregyháza	5	1979–80, 1997–98, 2006–07, 2013–14, 2023–24
Szegedi EAC	5	1958–59, 1966, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1980–81
33 FC	4	1901, 1907–08, 1909–10, 1924–25
Dunaújváros	4	1952 (as Sztálin Vasmű Építők), 1965, 1975–76, 1985–86
Pécsi MFC	4	1958–59, 1976–77, 2002–03, 2010–11
Pécsi Vasutas	4	1945, 1951, 1953, 1978–79
Siófok	4	1995–96, 2001–02, 2006–07, 2009–10
Soroksár	4	1931–32 , 1933–34 1947–48 1950
Tatabánya	4	1947–48, 1949–50, 1955, 2004–05
Vasas	4	1915, 1941–42, 2014–15, 2021–22
Volán	4	1978–79, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1989–90
Békéscsaba	3	1945, 1991–92, 2001–02
BKV Előre	3	1942–43, 1948–49, 2000–01
BVSC	3	1942–43, 1957–58, 1990–91
Eger	3	1968, 1983–84, 2011–12
Győr	3	1942–43, 1957–58, 1959–60
Ózd	3	1954, 1960–61, 1980–81
Salgótarján	3	1939–40, 1964, 1977–78
Szegedi VSE	3	1940–41, 1942–43, 1957
Szegedi AK	3	1943–44, 1945, 1949–50
Törekvés	3	1906–07, 1938–39, 1941–42
Videoton	3	1957, 1969, 1999–00
Budapesti Vörös Meteor	2	1954, 1967
Dorog	2	1945, 1948–49
Elektromos	2	1945, 1946–47
Kaposvár	2	1979–80, 1986–87
Kecskemét	2	1945, 2007–08
Komló	2	1956, 1960–61
MAFC	2	1913–14, 1921–22
Nagykanizsa	2	1981–82, 1993–94
Nemzeti	2	1908–09, 1935–36
Puskás Akadémia	2	2012–13, 2016–17
Somogy	2	1927–28, 1930–31
Szolnok	2	1937–38, 2009–10
Terézváros	2	1903, 1917–18
Újpest	2	1904, 1911–12
Bőripari Dolgozók	1	1949–50
Budafok FC	1	1934–35
Budafoki MTE	1	1951
BAK	1	1905
BEAC	1	1923–24
Budapest Honvéd	1	2003–04
BSE	1	1920–21
Erzsébetfalva	1	1919–20
ESMTK	1	1946–47
Ferencváros	1	2008–09
FŐSPED	1	1970
Gázművek	1	1953
Kazincbarcika	1	1981–82
Kiskőrös	1	1993–94
Kisvárda	1	2024–25
Kőbányai Dózsa	1	1954
Mezőkövesd	1	2012–13
Miskolci AK	1	1926–27
Miskolci VSC	1	1957–58
Nagykanizsai MAORT	1	1948–49
Nagyvárad	1	1940–41
Nyíregyházi Építők	1	1957
Oroszlány	1	1957
Paks	1	2005–06
Pécs-Baranya	1	1928–29
Pécsi Bányász	1	1970
Phöbus	1	1932–33
Postás	1	1902
Sabaria	1	1929–30
Sajószentpéteri Tárna	1	1950
Sepsiszentgyörgyi Textil	1	1940–41
Soproni VSE	1	1945
Szentlőrinc	1	1943–44
Szürketaxi	1	1936–37
Testvériség	1	1918–19
Tiszakécske	1	1996–97
Vasas Izzó	2	1952, 1953
VM Egyetértés	2	1963, 1970–71
Tisztviselők	1	1906
Tokod	1	1939–40
Újpest-Rákospalota	1	1914
Újpesti Törekvés	1	1922–23
Ungvár	1	1943–44
VAC	1	1920–21
Vác	1	2005–06
Veszprém	1	1987–88
VII. Kerület	1	1919–20
Vörös Lobogó Keltex	1	1951
Zalaegerszeg	1	2018–19
Zuglói SE	1	1937–38

Name changes:

• BKV Előre – BSzKRT, Előre SC
• Budafoki MTE – Budapesti Gyárépítők (in 1951)
• Budafok FC – Gamma FC (Please note that Budafok FC and Budafok MTE are two distinct teams)
• Budapesti Vörös Meteor – Egyetértés
• Csepel – Weisz-Manfréd FC (in 1939–40), Csepel SC (in 1962–63, 1979–80, 1988–89, 1991–92),
• Diósgyőr – Diósgyőri Vasas TK (in 1945), Diósgyőri Vasas (in 1949–50, 1953), Diósgyőri VTK (in 1956, 1962–63, 1973–74, 2010–11, 2022–23)
• Soroksár – Soroksári Textil, Er-So MaDISz
• Szeged EAC – Szegedi EOL
• Szombathely – Szombathelyi Haladás VSE (in 1938–39, 1941–42), Haladás (in 1944–45), Szombathelyi Haladás (in 1961–62), Haladás VSE (in 1972–73), Haladás Vasutas SE (in 1980–81), Haladás VSE (in 1990–91, 1992–93, 1994–95), Haladás (in 2007–08)
• Terézváros – Fővárosi TC
• Vasas Izzó – Tunsgram SC
• Vörös Lobógó Keltex – Kelenföldi Textilgyár

External links

• Official page of the Hungarian Football Federation (Hungarian)
• NB II on www.soccerway.com
• NB II on www.magyarfutball.hu

See also

• Nemzeti Bajnokság I
• Nemzeti Bajnokság III
• Magyar Kupa