Top German Clubs Form New Women’s Bundesliga Association to Boost Growth
Fourteen leading German women's football clubs have split from the German Football Association (DFB) to establish a new Women's Bundesliga Association, aiming to launch the 2027-28 season with greater independence and enhanced commercial focus. Katharina Kiel of Eintracht Frankfurt was elected president of the new organisation, which includes all top-flight teams.
The initiative seeks to take ownership of the league in order to commercialise and develop it further, with the clubs investing directly rather than relying on the DFB. This move comes after Germany's Frauen-Bundesliga lagged behind England's Women's Super League (WSL) in terms of development and revenue, leading many German players to seek opportunities abroad. Bayern Munich, represented by Bianca Rech, has highlighted goals to increase commercial revenues, obtain greater decision-making power, and establish regulations around infrastructure and minimum salaries, benchmarking their standards against the WSL.
The delayed progress follows missed opportunities despite Germany's past successes, including those from the 2011 and 2022-23 tournament cycles and the team's group-stage exit at the 2023 World Cup. Looking ahead, Germany hosting the UEFA Women's Euro in 2029 is viewed as a crucial opportunity to capitalise on the sport's growth in the country. However, the association emphasises that decisions will be carefully considered and not rushed.
The plan focuses on preparations for the 2027-28 media cycle, during which clubs will create an organisation capable of commercial governance and formulate criteria for that season. The upcoming season will serve as a transitional period to prepare for these changes. Ongoing discussions with the DFB will continue regarding future collaboration, including alignment on the league product and on-field matters as the new structure develops.
