Tag: DFB

As women’s football continues to gain momentum across Europe, the Frauen-Bundesliga finds itself at an exciting turning point. Talking to the Rise of Women’s Football, FC Bayern Women’s director Bianca Rech reflects on the league’s strengths and its potential to become one of Europe’s leading competitions. She discusses what makes Germany an attractive environment for developing young talent, the changes needed to further professionalise the game, and the opportunities that lie ahead – from the creation of new structures to the 2029 European Championship on home soil.

Rech also offers her perspective on the growing influence of investment in women’s football and explains why, for FC Bayern, long-term development, a strong identity and sustainable growth matter more than simply keeping pace with the market.

German football has seen a series of historic firsts in recent months: the first female CEO of a Bundesliga club, the first woman in the executive board of one of Germany’s two biggest clubs, the first female head coach in men’s professional football. If you only look at the headlines, it looks like the path for women in football business has finally become easier. But if you look at the underlying numbers, the picture is more sobering.

A major milestone has been reached in the evolution of women’s football in Germany. The Frauen-Bundesliga (FBL) and the German Football Association (DFB) have agreed on a framework contract that will pave the way for the FBL to independently organize and commercialize Germany’s top women’s football league from the 2027/28 season onward.

As investment in women’s football accelerates worldwide, the Frauen-Bundesliga faces a fundamental challenge: how to remain competitive without abandoning its economic principles. For Manuel Hartmann, Managing Director of Match Operations at the DFB, this challenge can be mounted, but clubs need to be strategic.

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?