This is a list of all clubs that have taken part in the German football championship from 1903 to 1963, in the era when the national championship was decided by a finals round with a national title game at the end. The German football championship was first held in 1903 and won by VfB Leipzig. In 1904, the championship was not completed due to a protest by Karlsruher FV about a technicality, with all games but the final played. The competition was held again in 1905 and, from then on, annually.