Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96 [ha.ˈnoː.fɐ ˈzɛk.sʊntʰ.ˌnɔʏ̯n.t͡sɪç], Hannover or simply 96, is a German association football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony. Hannover 96 play in the Bundesliga, the top tier in the German football league system.