Frauen-Bundesliga Clubs Vote to Form Women’s Bundesliga Association Ahead of 2027-28 Season
Fourteen Frauen-Bundesliga clubs have voted to split from the German Football Association (DFB) to establish the Women’s Bundesliga Association, with Katharina Kiel elected as the first president. The clubs aim to take ownership and control of the league's commercial development, targeting the 2027-28 season for launching under the new structure.
Bayern Munich's Bianca Rech explained that the move is intended to give clubs authority over commercial revenues, infrastructure decisions, and setting minimum salaries, benchmarking their model against the Women's Super League (WSL) in England. This decision comes amid concerns over Germany’s relative lag in developing women's football compared to countries like England and Spain, exemplified by player transfers abroad and Germany’s group-stage exit at the 2023 World Cup.
The reform process began approximately two years ago, involving the creation of formal membership criteria that clubs must meet by 2027-28. Negotiations between the new association and the DFB about future collaboration are ongoing. Katharina Kiel emphasized that the plan focuses on creating an attractive on-field product and aligning all aspects around it to support commercial growth.
The 2029 Euros, which Germany will host, are viewed as an opportunity to accelerate development and commercialization of women's football. However, the changes are being implemented carefully without rushing, anticipating a new media cycle starting in the 2027-28 season. There is also an expectation that the women’s league could become more aligned with the men’s Bundesliga as clubs such as Stuttgart and Dortmund continue to rise with the evolving competitive structure.
