The introduction of television coverage has made it easier to know what’s happening with your team. And in sports coverage, the names of teams are often shortened to allow for proper identification of clubs and to fit into the small box for the scoreline. Thus, the German Bundesliga and other leagues have adopted this system.

Since TV coverage was introduced to the Bundesliga, teams’ abbreviations and short names were chosen because many clubs have longer names and may not fit into the screen.

Bundesliga teams 3-letter abbreviations 2022/2023

1. Borussia Dortmund – DOR

2. RB Leipzig – RBL

3. Bayern Munich – BAY

4. VfB Stuttgart – VFB

5. FC Union Berlin – FCU

6. VfL Wolfsburg – WOB

7. Eintracht Frankfurt – SGE

8. Bayer 04 Leverkusen – B04

9. Hertha Berlin – BSC

10. Mainz 05 – M05

11. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim – TSG

12. SC Freiburg – SCF

13. Borussia Monchengladbach – BMG

14. FC Augsburg – FCA

15. SV Werder Bremen – SVW

16. VfL Bochum – BOC

17. Schalke 04 – S04

18. FC Koln – KOE