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.
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.
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
| 1901: 33 FC1902: Postás1903: Főváros1904: Újpest1905: BAK1906: Tisztviselők1906–07: Törekvés1907–08: 33 FC1908–09: Nemzeti1909–10: 33 FC1910–11: III. Kerület1911–12: Újpest1912–13: III. Kerület1913–14: MAFC1914: Főváros, Újpest-Rákospalotai AK1915: Vasas1916–17: MÁV Gépgyári SK1917–18: Terézváros1918–19: Testvériség1919–20: Erzsébetfalva, VII. Kerület1920–21: BSE, VAC1921–22: MAFC1922–23: Újpesti Törekvés1923–24: BEAC1924–25: 33 FC1925–26: Főváros1926–27: Miskolci AK1927–28: Somogy1928–29: Pécs-Baranya1929–30: Sabaria1930–31: Somogy1931–32: Soroksár1932–33: Phöbus1933–34: Soroksár1934–35: Budafok FC1935–36: Nemzeti1936–37: Szürketaxi1937–38: Zuglói SE, Szolnok1938–39: Szombathely, Törekvés1939–40: Tokod, Csepel, Salgótarján1940–41: Szegedi VSE, Lampart, Nagyvárad, Marosvásárhely, Sepsiszentgyörgyi Textil1941–42: Szombathely, Vasas, Törekvés1942–43: Győr, Szegedi VSE, BSzKRT, Budapesti VSC, Debrecen1943–44: MÁVAG SK, Ungvár, Szentlőrinc, Szegedi AK
 | 1944–45: suspended due to World War II1945: Békéscsaba, Elektromos, Soproni VSE, Dorog, Diósgyőr, Pécsi VSK, Kecskemét, Szeged AK1946–47: MOGÜRT SC, Erzsébeti MTK, MATEOSz Munkás SE, Elektromos1947–48: Tatabánya, Soroksár, Kistext, Goldberger1948–49: Nagykanizsai MAORT, Dorog, Debrecen, BKV Előre1949–50: Tatabánya, Bőripari, Diósgyőr, Szegedi AK1950: Tatabányai Építők, Soroksár, Sajószentpéteri Tárna, Szegedi Honvéd SE1951: PVSK, Budafok, Postás, Keltex1952: Vörös Lobogó Sor Tex, Sztálin Vasmű Építők, Miskolci Honvéd SE, Vasas Izzó1953: PVSK, Szikra Gázművek, Diósgyőr, Vasas Izzó1954: Kőbányai Dózsa, Budapesti Vörös Meteor, Ózd, Szolnoki Légierő1955: Tatabánya, Szegedi Haladás1956: Komló, Diósgyőr1957: Videoton, Nyíregyháza, Szegedi VSE, Oroszlány1957–58: Győr, Budapesti VSC, Miskolc1958–59: Pécs, Szegedi EAC1959–60: Győr, Debrecen1960–61: Komló, Ózd1961–62: Szombathely, Debrecen1962–63: Csepel, Diósgyőr1963: VM Egyetértés1964: Salgótarján1965: Dunaújváros1966: Szegedi EAC1967: Egyetértés1968: Eger1969: Videoton1970: Pécsi Bányász SC1970: FŐSPED1970–71: Vörös Meteor1971–72: Szegedi EOL1972–73: Szombathely1973–74: Diósgyőr1974–75: Szegedi EOL
 | 1975–76: Dunaújváros1976–77: Pécsi MFC1977–78: Salgótarján1978–79: Pécsi Vasutas SK, Volán, Debrecen1979–80: Kaposvár, Csepel, Nyíregyháza1980–81: Szombathely, Szegedi EOL, Ózd1981–82: Nagykanizsa, MTK, Kazincbarcika1982–83: Volán1983–84: Eger1984–85: Volán1985–86: Dunaújváros1986–87: Kaposvár1987–88: Veszprém1988–89: Csepel1988–89: Debrecen1989–90: Volán, Szeged SC1990–91: Szombathely, BVSC1991–92: Csepel, Békéscsaba1992–93: Szombathely, Debrecen1993–94: Nagykanizsa, Stadler1994–95: Szombathely, MTK1995–96: Siófoki Bányász FC, III. Kerület1996–97: Gázszer, Tiszakécske1997–98: Nyíregyháza1998–09: Tatabánya1999–00: Videoton2000–01: Szombathely, BKV Előre2001–02: Siófok, Békéscsaba2002–03: Pécsi MFC2003–04: Budapest Honvéd2004–05: Tatabánya2005–06: Paks, Vác2006–07: Siófok, Nyíregyháza2007–08: Szombathely, Kecskemét2008–09: Gyirmót, Ferencváros2009–10: Siófok, Szolnok2010–11: Pécs, Diósgyőr2011–12: MTK, Eger2012–13: Puskás Akadémia, Mezőkövesd2013–14: Nyíregyháza2014–15: Vasas2015–16: Gyirmót2016–17: Puskás Akadémia2017–18: MTK2018–19: Zalaegerszeg2019–20: MTK2020–21: Debrecen2021–22: Vasas2022–23: Diósgyőr2023–24: Nyíregyháza2024–25: 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
See also
References