Author: Carmen

Stars and talents alike flocked to the league, and Wolfsburg dominated the Champions League, alongside Lyon, in the early 2000s. Now, this situation has changed. As Manuel Hartmann, Managing Director of Match Operations at the German federation DFB, openly acknowledges, Germany now finds itself “among the leading leagues in Europe, but not at the absolute summit.” What is the federation’s diagnosis for this development – and what are the plans to reverse the trend?  

The future structure of the Frauen-Bundesliga remains one of the most pressing questions in German women’s football. In recent months, discussions around a potential joint venture between the German FA (DFB) and the league’s 14 clubs have stalled, leaving the competition in a state of strategic uncertainty. To get insights into the status of the negotiations, The Rise of Women’s Football spoke to Manuel Hartmann, Managing Director of Match Operations at the DFB.

Women’s football is undergoing a period of rapid transformation, with rising investment, growing audiences, and increasing international competition reshaping the landscape. While Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga has long been considered one of Europe’s leading leagues, new dynamics across the continent are challenging its position at the very top.

In this exclusive interview, Manuel Hartmann, Managing Director of Match Operations at the DFB, offers an in-depth look at where the league currently stands and where it is heading.

The only two female Liga F coaches Irene Ferreras and Sara Monforte speak candidly about the realities of building a career in women’s football. From the lack of opportunities at top clubs to the different standards applied to female coaches, they reflect on leadership, failure, and the structural barriers that still shape the game. In this conversation, they also explore the possibility of women coaching in men’s football, the challenges of working with limited resources, and why greater representation in technical staffs could transform the sport.

Women’s football in Spain has grown rapidly in recent years, but the touchline still tells a different story. In Liga F, only two teams are currently led by female head coaches: Sara Monforte at RCD Espanyol and Irene Ferreras at Granada CF.