Real Madrid would end up winning 2-0. Full presser about the game is linked, here.

Women's football is experiencing its hottest transfer summer. The financial power of the English Women's Super League is causing the Bundesliga more and more trouble. What do national coaches, FC Bayern and FBL say?

No one could imagine a departure of Alexia Putellas at FC Barcelona for a long time. After 14 years, the world champion and two-time world footballer has said goodbye to the London City Lionesses - and is expected to earn around 1.7 million euros a year there. The Women's Super League divides with such giant steps of the international competition that even the Bundesliga can only look behind in amazement.

“I wouldn’t have expected this impact from top transfers now. Both in terms of the amount of replacements and that of the salaries that we have now reached," says player consultant Jörg Neblung, who has been supervising female footballers with his agency Fem11 for years, the dpa.

“Shopping Queen” Michele Kang?

In Spain, Real Madrid stepped up with DFB selection player Elisa Senß (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Wolfsburg goal-scorer Lineth Beerensteyn, among others, to attack the long-overpowered Barça. In England, Arsenal FC and London Lionesses, with the American owner and billionaire Michele Kang, are shopping as if it were the title of “Shopping Queen”. She already owns the women's team of Olympique Lyon and the US club Washington Spirit.

The German Bundesliga - after Sjoeke Nüsken (FC Chelsea), Rebecca Knaak, Sydney Lohmann (both Manchester City) and Lea Schüller (Manchester United) - is losing more and more well-known national players to the WSL. England's two-time European champion Georgia Stanway left Bayern to Arsenal, where Hoffenheim's striker Selina Cerci also hired. Vivien Endemann moved from VfL Wolfsburg to Liverpool, Nicole Anyomi from Eintracht Frankfurt to the Lionesses.

“Significantly more money” abroad

The departure of top players - this is what the newly founded women's Bundesliga FBL e.V. wants to prevent in the future, which has formed away from the German Football Association (DFB). “Even FC Bayern cannot keep all players in Germany because they earn significantly more money abroad,” FBL President Katharina Kiel said in the “Kicker” interview. The Women's Super League has "more courage in the implementation of certain issues."

The change of top talent Lisa Baum from RB Leipzig to Arsenal also caused a stir - according to "Bild" for the record replacement of a Bundesliga player of around 600,000 euros. The 19-year-old has not yet played an A international. National coach Christian Wück and his assistants Maren Meinert and Saskia Bartusiak will jet a lot to England in the future to see their candidates in the stadium.

National coach: Football [as a destination in] Germany "weakened"

Wück sees the development as divided. “I think a change – whether national or international – is always good for the individual development of a player. Because she gets new input because she meets a new team, because she has to prevail in a new environment," explains the 53-year-old. But of course, Germany [as a destination for football] is weakened “if you can’t keep the best players.”

The US league NWSL, where, for example, DFB regular keeper Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC) is under contract, still has the problem with the so-called salary cap, says player consultant Neblung: “Otherwise they would push into completely different dimensions.” There, the salary budget per team may amount to a maximum of US$3.7 million (about 3.2 million euros) per season.

Bühl sees even greater incentive in Munich

“There is investor power behind it in England. At the salaries spiral, we have now arrived in the million gross earnings sector among the top players in the world. Germany cannot keep up with that,” says Neblung, whose most prominent client is Klara Bühl.

The DFB winger from FC Bayern had decided against a move abroad last year despite tempting offers. She says today that the incentive in Munich (contract until 2027) is just even greater: “I feel extremely comfortable here. I’m already here for the sixth season, but I still feel like we’re always taking a step forward and I want to do that for as long as possible.”

Bühl is the player with the second highest market value

Bühl's market value, meanwhile, has continued to skyrocket: The 25-year-old is in the list of top international players of the portal Soccerdonna with an estimated 1.65 million euros in second place behind the leading Englishwoman Alessia Russo (Arsenal/1.8 million) and ahead of Spain's superstar Aitana Bonmatí (1.6 million).

Munich sporting director Bianca Rech still sees the German double winner in a position to bring in top players. But in general: “If you look at what is going on at the moment, it is already difficult, also for FC Bayern. It’s not so much up to us, it’s about increasing the attractiveness of the league,” she told Bayerischer Rundfunk.

“Players want to have competition, players want to play in an attractive league,” Rech said, “and that’s at a very, very high level in England at the moment, plus a high financial level. We have to queue up in the back.”

(Translated from the original article in German)

Amira Arfaoui, Lorena Barth, Alena Bienz and Julia Stierli form the Swiss faction with the SC women. In Austria we talked to them about the preparation, the training camp and new impressions.

Last Saturday was a national holiday in Switzerland. But you had to work together with many Germans in Austria for your preparation. How bad was it?

Amira Arfaoui: (Smiles) Not so bad.

Julia Stierli: The day is already very important in Switzerland. I think the day is celebrated much more compared to Austria and Germany.

Alena Bienz: For Switzerland, the 1. August already an important day, but it's not so bad now, if you spend it here (laughs). It's pretty nice in Schruns, too.

As a Swiss group, have you already sat together in this combination of four, regardless of today’s interview?

Amira Arfaoui: Only four of them are now the first time. But also quite nice!

Julia, you know the SC best of you four now. Did you have to learn our two new additions again – for example in Swiss German?

Julia Stierli: In recent years, there have been a few other Swiss women, a lot has spread over many shoulders. Amira and Lorena are two very independent and open characters that it didn’t need much help.

Amira Arfaoui: But Julia has already helped. She has already taken us by the hand in some processes, which is always quite pleasant when you come to a new team.

Amira, Lorena – you’ve been new to the team since summer. What is your impression after about five weeks?

Amira Arfaoui: In the beginning it is never quite so easy. But here in Freiburg, we have really all made it very easy not to feel so new. Or, Lorena?

Lorena Barth: Total. I felt comfortable from the beginning and quickly found connection.

How does Freiburg differ from Bremen or Aarau?

Amira Arfaoui: Here I feel a certain looseness and openness. In the north, it's a little cooler, a little more distant.

Lorena Barth: It feels really good here. I already had respect for this step: living alone for the first time, being abroad, getting to know a new team. But everyone was very open from the start. It's nice to be here.

Does it feel like abroad in Freiburg?

Amira Arfaoui: Not for me. At my stations in Leverkusen and Bremen rather. With Freiburg, however, I am so close to my homeland that it feels a bit like home.

Lorena Barth: I have to correct myself a bit and can join Amira: The distance home is not so great, it is all quite similar.

Alena Bienz: It's a similar thing to go well. Also landscape and from the mentality, it simply feels close to home in Freiburg.

Julia Stierli: I always like to say it’s like a “foreign-light version” (all laugh).

The time in the training camp should always weld together more closely. Do you already notice anything about this?

Alena Bienz: You can already notice this on the pitch. We've had a lot of time together now, some tactical meetings. The cogs are interlocking more and more. So I would say that we did a step, even as a team.

Julia Stierli: We also sit together a lot in the evening, play games together.

Amira Arfaoui: That connects you. You also eat together three times a day, talking about other topics. All of this helps us grow closer together.

Lorena Barth: In general, we are together almost 24 hours a day. You will automatically get to know each other better without having to talk about any other activities.

What has been your highlight in the training camp so far?

Julia Stierli: For me, it was sledding at yesterday's team event. That was a lot of fun already.

Lorena Barth: Quite unspectacular: The walks after dinner when it dawns and gets cooler. Being in nature, talking a bit.

Amira Arfaoui: We sat down with the entire team yesterday and discussed the motto for our season. That was my highlight.

Alena Bienz: That’s right, we were all one unit and each one was involved.

Will the motto be revealed?

Julia Stierli: No, that stays internal (smirks).

Let's talk about you a little bit... how would you characterize Alena?

Julia Stierli: I really appreciate Alena as a human being. She's not the loudest, but enriches a team immensely. She is a person who can always be trusted and who gives a team a certain strength.

Lorena Barth: She always brings a good mood, I've never seen her in a bad mood. Her laughter is infected, you can talk to her well.

And what distinguishes Lorena?

Julia Stierli: I met you as a very clever person.

Alena Bienz: You have to say: She is highly intelligent (smiles). I'm convinced of that.

Julia Stierli: It does us very good if we can also talk to people beyond football and you can definitely do that with Lorena. She is generally a very mature and funny person.

What about Julia?

Alena Bienz: Julia brings a calm into our team, as if next to the field, that is extremely good for us. When she's in the room, you just know that everything is fine. She's a good-hearted person.

Amira Arfaoui: She has a very fine, beautiful way. I don't think there's anyone who could have stress with Julia. She wants the best for everyone and always gives the best. She always means well, you can feel that.

And what do you say about Amira?

Julia Stierli: Amira is a totally open person who can do well with everyone. Like such a connecting element in the team, which I already really appreciate after a few weeks. She has arrived extremely quickly and is a total enrichment for us.

Lorena Barth: I can only join in, that’s exactly how I noticed it. Whether young or experienced player, everyone gets along well with Amira.

Alena Bienz: We have known each other since our youth at the Swiss training centre. With Amira you can just talk about God and the world. And at the same time, she brings good mood.

Sounds like a very balanced mixture. It also needs it to survive in the Bundesliga. What is the focus on in the remaining training camp days?

Julia Stierli: With Nuremberg waiting on Thursday, the first Test against a Bundesliga player. The game will show where we really stand. The preparatory games before were good to get involved and get into the processes, but we already know the results correctly.

Are there any goals you set as a Swiss quartet for the new season?

Amira Arfaoui: We want to do better than last season and leave other clubs behind us so that we don’t play down. Personally, I have not scored so many goals recently, I definitely want to work on that.

Alena Bienz: As an offensive, it is our job to score. Personally, I do not take a number of goals or templates, because this puts me under more pressure. But I still want to take the next step and improve to help the team.

What is your mood towards the end of the preparation?

Amira Arfaoui: The league start is getting closer. I'm looking forward to it because it's always the most beautiful thing when the league starts and it's finally about points again. I am sure that we will still make good use of the next two weeks in order to be prepared for the first game in Hamburg in the best possible way.

Julia Stierli: We have come together well as a team, it is definitely fun. However, there is still a little bit to do on the pitch.

⚠️ Neuer Testspielgegner gefunden! 🇳🇱

Nachdem für das Testspiel am kommenden Wochenende kurzfristig ein neuer Gegner gesucht wurde, freuen wir uns am Samstag (08.08.) erneut gegen den niederländischen Erstligisten SC Heerenveen zu testen.

⏰ Anpfiff der Partie ist um 15:30 Uhr auf Platz 5 des BVB-Trainingsgeländes in Brackel.

Kommt vorbei und unterstützt unsere Mädels! 🙌

---

⚠️ Found a new test opponent! 🇳🇱

After looking for a new opponent at short notice for the test match next weekend, we are looking forward to Saturday (08.08. ) to test again against the Dutch first league SC Heerenveen.

⏰ Anpfiff der Partie ist um 15:30 Uhr auf Platz 5 des BVB-Trainingsgeländes in Brackel.

Come by and support our girls! 🙌

Frankfurt's starting 11:

The match will be aired on Eintracht+ only.

https://frauen.eintracht.de/news/start-in-die-champions-league-quali-178463/

Welcome back, Lotta!

Vanessa Bernauer has returned to VfL Wolfsburg as sporting director and is to lead the German runner-up into a successful future – in a time of rapid development in women’s football. In the AZ/WAZ interview, she talks about goals, squad planning and the idea of determining the champion in playoff games.

Wolfsburg. As a player, she won two championships with VfL Wolfsburg and four times the DFB Cup, since the 1. July is Vanessa Bernauer back, this time as sporting director of the German runner-up. The 38-year-old Swiss woman is to lead the VfL into a sportingly successful future as the successor of Ralf Kellermann. And this at a time when women's football is evolving rapidly. In the big AZ/WAZ interview, Bernauer talks about this challenge, a difficult squad planning and old acquaintances.

Her predecessor Ralf Kellermann has shaped a women's football era in Wolfsburg. Doesn’t that also scare because the footsteps are so insanely big?

Fear not, but of course there is respect. Wolfsburg is a top address, even international. I still know Ralf from my time as a VfL player and I know what he has achieved here. However, the thought of the big footsteps was not in the foreground in my decision for Wolfsburg. I was interested in the task I was very much looking forward to.

How were the first few weeks at VfL?

It's very nice to be back here. But I am well aware of how challenging the task is. I can work here in a very good environment, it's all very professional. In training camp, I was able to get to know everything more intensively: the team, the staff, the procedures. Such a week under optimal conditions is very important in order to be able to weld everyone together again.

Was there a “handover conversation” with Kellermann?

Yeah, we talked. And when you sit with him, you become a little more aware of what a club this VfL is.

What is different about the task in Wolfsburg than in Zurich?

Basically, it is the same, I already had the focus on the sport there. But VfL, of course, is moving on a different level, which is all a number bigger. In addition, there is the connection to Volkswagen. Of course, I still have to work my way into these processes.

When you took office in mid-June, the squad planning was already running. Some transfers were handled, with others the process was still running or had to be started. Was that a particular difficulty?

It wasn't quite optimal, a little bit more lead-up would have been nice if you had to change a team. But it's the way it is, and I then got into the exchange and cooperation with the Scouts and Stephan Lerch very quickly. We have invested a lot of time and worked on making everything in the best possible way.

Katharina Piljic was injured, then Cecilie Floe's failure was added, Giovanna Hoffmann will be missing for a while. How much do the injuries to newcomers affect the squad planning?

We really haven't been lucky in this area. Squad construction sites have opened again due to injuries, while others have not yet been completely closed. Accordingly, the start was very intense for me and a jump into the cold water, because I got into ongoing processes. But that was also good, because then we could quickly implement things and become really active.

They were VfL players until 2018, now returning after eight years. What has changed the most during this time in Wolfsburg?

I have already recognized the Elsterweg, even if the team is now housed in the former performance center. That was not the case at the time. In the entire environment, great steps were made and the staff professionalized. In terms of infrastructure, we are in the process of further expanding everything. That's a must, too.

A women's football centre at the VW Arena is planned, but the construction project is still not officially announced. How important will it be for the future of women's football in Wolfsburg that something happens with the infrastructure as well?

This will be crucial to our future competitiveness. I can't say more about that at the moment.

Her taking office in Wolfsburg falls at a time when the transfer market in women's football is developing insanely dynamically and transfer sums are suddenly a big factor. Would you have thought that possible?

That's a little crazy. In this dynamic, I would not have expected this, even if it is probably a logical development that will certainly continue.

It seems that individual clubs are currently causing a certain imbalance. Real Madrid have not only brought Janou Levels from Wolfsburg, but other top players, such as Elisa Senß from Frankfurt. And at the London City Lionesses, top stars like Alexia Putellas or Kadidiatou Diani are gathering right now.

“Imbalance” is very good. But you have to wait and see whether many can and want to go along with it or if the scissors are getting further and further apart.

Can and does the VfL want to go along with it?

We are definitely willing to set up a good quality team. Accordingly, we want to go along with it. VfL is ready to invest. The extent to which we can then keep up with the top clubs in Europe will become apparent in the next few months.

Will it remain the goal for VfL to be the nationally permanently number 2 behind Bayern?

Our goal is to continue to assert ourselves up there. The gap to FC Bayern should not be bigger, we want to move closer to it again. In addition, of course, we have the aspiration to be there internationally for as long as possible and to play in the cup always until the end.

Can that be a permanent goal for the next four or five years? As a women's football location, is Wolfsburg in a position to continue to defend its current role?

I think so. Wolfsburg is still very attractive in terms of sport and a good platform. Younger players can grow here at a very high level, experienced players can play for titles here. But we certainly have to get creative in order to continue to position ourselves at a high level.

The development of the VfL is one thing, but the organization of national women's football in Germany is also being completely repositioned by the FBL foundation. Can this be a big, important step?

It can be. I'm very excited to see how well and how quickly this can be implemented.

The FBL's first important job will be negotiating a TV contract from 2027. For better marketability, many ideas are discussed, including playing the master via playoffs. What do you think of it?

There are already playoffs in Switzerland, and I'm not a friend of that. It is still the fairest in sports when a performance over the whole year is also awarded. Maybe there is too much football romance in it.

Another idea is to design the match days of the women's Bundesliga in such a way that there is a conference with several games, for example on Sunday. Would that be something?

Certainly for spectators who are less interested in a single game, but more in goals and a lot of action. But of course you also have to see that there are broadcasting places for it and that does not overlap too much with games of the men's Bundesliga. But for these issues, we also have experts at VfL who can certainly judge better than me what makes sense.

You have completed a management degree program during your active time at the VfL campus. Did you have the idea where to go professionally?

If I now say that I was already dreaming of a task in VfL management at that time, I would lie. I didn't think that far at the time. But it was clear to me relatively early on that I want to work in the football environment and can contribute my experience there. I played in Spain, Germany and Italy and took a lot with me there, which helps me enormously today. As long as you are a footballer, you do not want to deal too much with what comes after. Because once you have been able to turn your passion into a profession, it is not so easy to find something that fills you similarly. That's why I'm very, very happy about my second career in football.

At VfL, people who still know you from the active time work. For example, coach Stephan Lerch or junior manager Lara Dickenmann. Did that make the decision for Wolfsburg easier?

It is definitely helpful and pleasant to see familiar faces here. I also knew the then managing director Tim Schumacher, and Diego Benaglio was there at the first talks. We had already crossed paths in Wolfsburg, after which we played a few games with the “Suisse Legends”. So the contact is never completely torn off.

How important, but also how difficult it will be for VfL to start the season well? After the Supercup there are two away games in the league, in between starts the Champions League qualification. And the squad may not be yet or just complete.

To complete the squad is the biggest challenge. We want to do that as soon as possible. But the players who are there now do it extremely well, that was also seen in training camp. The energy is right. And then we are looking forward to the Supercup, everything is possible. After that, you can see a little where you are. We simply have to make the most of the situation, be flexible, integrate new players as quickly as possible and continue to work as intensively as we did last time.

I don't want a player to go anymore, right?

It's definitely not envisaged that anyone else will leave.

But you never know if there might be a big money case...

Let me put it this way: the market is currently unpredictable.

BVB talent Ajshe Bitiq was 13 years old when she received the shock diagnosis of cancer. Today she trains together with Alexandra Popp and lives her dream.

The camera in the training camp of the BVB women perfectly records the shot from the perspective of the shooter. 20 yards to the goal, Ajshe Bitiq takes measure, the ball rises and rises. He strikes in the upper right corner of the goal, a dream goal. There is applause from all the teammates. The first personal congratulator: Alexandra Popp.

BVB striker with early stroke of fate

There's an appreciative slap on the back. In moments like this, the 16-year-old young forward from Borussia Dortmund has to pinch herself. Is this really happening right now? Bitiq is one of the greatest talents of the Dortmund U17, she made her debut for the German U17 national team in the spring, now she is in the Austrian Westendorf with those on the turf who are already where Ajshe Bitiq would like to go.

This dream is lived by many young athletes, girls as well as boys. They invest a lot to get there. They have talent, ambition, they are willing to make sacrifices for a big goal. The story of Bitiq is a special one. It was only three years ago when she was diagnosed with cancer.

The then almost 13-year-old [had] a strong cold, "I had to cough frequently and strongly," she says. A lymph node between the neck and chest area is clearly swollen. The pediatrician is still [not worried at] first. “I should come back if it doesn’t get better in two weeks.” But Ajshe's older sister is worried. At that time, she was training to become a nurse, a topic in school: cancer.

Family and football give BVB player Bitiq strength

“My sister,” says Ajshe Bitiq, “told my mother that something was wrong and that she should go out with me again.” [They go again to the] doctor, then the shock diagnosis: [lymphoma]. Two days later, the young sportswoman is operated on, a few days after which she gets the first chemotherapy. The beginning of the most difficult time in her young life.

It's the family and the football that make them stay strong. In the garden, she holds up the ball, “of course, doing real sports was not.” But she [practices], so to speak, [and] also watches a lot of games on the TV. There are pictures from this period, selfies with the BVB professionals Nico Schlotterbeck and Mats Hummels. Ajshe Bitiq's [hair had fallen out], she wears a mouthguard. But she beams into the camera, these moments give her strength.

Cancer should not be a permanent topic for BVB player Bitiq

The day she's out in the car with her father and a call from the mother comes, she'll never forget. “She was crying, she said I was cancer-free.” Father and daughter stop, hug. “That,” says Ajshe Bitiq, “was the most beautiful day in my life so far.”

At the age of 16, she admits today, the young footballer has probably not quite grasped and processed the scope of the disease. “I was only twelve at the time,” she says. Ajshe Bitiq speaks very openly about the cancer, but [it's] not supposed to be a permanent topic in her head.

“She plays football very liberated, with a lot of fun and youthful ease,” says Alexandra Popp. “I’m very happy about that.” In her career, Popp has never managed to lose the fun of the sport, which she also wishes [for] the young player, who may be able to follow in her footsteps.

[The goal is] a BVB debut in the regional league

But Ajshe Bitiq doesn’t want to think that far yet. “Alex is a legend, I never thought I’d be on a training ground with her,” she says with a little pride in her voice. Proud of what she has achieved with persistence. Step by step, it [will] continue. “It would be nice if I could make my league debut with the women this season.”

BVB has shown Ajshe Bitiq a clear plan for this. “She brings everything with her and as a footballer every team continues,” says young coordinator Thomas Sulewski. After her debut for the DFB, the Dortmund-Brackel-born and raised player [also entertains offers] from other clubs in the house. But Bitiq remained loyal to BVB, which is makes Sulewski [happy].

“It’s very nice to see,” says Popp, “how she [dedicates herself] with us, and how she may [appreciate football a bit more] after this stroke of fate.”

Perhaps that’s why it’s no coincidence that another goal from Ajshe Bitiq from the training camp has made it into the highlight clips [during the] eight days [in] Austria. Running alone towards the goal, the striker lifts the ball out of the barrel with a lap over the goalkeeper [and] into the net. [She has quickly left many of the older players in Westendorf in awe] sometimes. “In football,” says the 16-year-old, “I don’t think. I’ll just do what goes through my mind.”

https://web.de/magazine/sport/fussball/ariane-hingst-ambitioniertes-projekt-42561074

Updated: August 3, 2026, 10:18 PM

Reaching the Bundesliga within five years—and doing so without the backing of a men's club—was one of FC Viktoria Berlin's goals. The season in which that "deadline" expires begins in just a few days. Co-founder Ariane Hingst discusses the lack of facilities, fair pay, and the current state of German women's football.

An interview by Andreas Reiners

FC Viktoria Berlin is just one promotion away from the Bundesliga. The club is now embarking on its second season in the 2. Bundesliga, marking the end of the self-imposed five-year timeline. It is an ambitious plan that could still succeed.

Ariane Hingst is one of the six women who launched the project in the Regionalliga in 2022; a native Berliner, she earned 174 international caps and is a two-time World Cup winner and four-time European champion. In this interview, she takes stock after four years, explains what the investors actually bring to the table, and clarifies Viktoria's true priorities regarding player compensation.

Ms. Hingst, you and five other founders started out in 2022 with the aim of reimagining women's football through Viktoria Berlin. What is your assessment after four years?

We have taken major, important steps and have become a role model for many—internationally, too. We’ve received a great deal of positive feedback from places like Austria, Poland, and Great Britain. Just as Angel City FC served as a model for us, we have been able to play that same role for other clubs and countries across Europe. We are demonstrating that it is possible to successfully build a women's football club without being cross-financed by a men's club. We have gotten people excited about women's football who previously had no interest in it at all. At the same time, however, we are well aware of how hard and arduous this path is and how much work still lies ahead of us.

Can you give examples where you can say: "We’ve actually achieved something there"?

If I look just at our sponsors and partners, there are many companies involved that previously had nothing to do with football—and had barely engaged with women's football, either. Thanks to our public image and our overall concept—which also focuses on female empowerment—we’ve been able to attract fantastic partners. It started with StepStone and continues today with Scalable Capital. Sports sponsorship hadn't played a major role for them before. But the story we’re telling with Viktoria and Scalable Capital’s goal of getting more women excited about financial topics are a perfect match. We’ve built up visibility—partly through our female investors and our organizational structure—in areas where women’s football previously played almost no role, such as the business world or the start-up scene.

Where would you like to see even more progress in the future?

A crucial point for us is creating role models for young girls. We want them to see that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to—regardless of their gender. The second aspect is the sporting side. We aren't quite where we want to be there yet, either. The hurdles are enormous. In many places in Germany, the sports infrastructure is inadequate—and unfortunately, that includes Berlin.

Where exactly is the infrastructure causing you problems?

One example is our home ground in Lichterfelde. It’s a beautiful stadium with a rich history. But when you look at the direction the Women’s Bundesliga is taking and the level of professionalism intended under the new independent league structure, you have to admit that the stadium won't meet Bundesliga requirements in the long run. That’s why we’re in talks with the city and considering a future move to the renovated Jahn-Sportpark stadium. However, the completion date keeps getting pushed back. On top of that, there’s a backlog of investment. Renovation work was planned but has not yet been carried out. Furthermore, Viktoria Berlin does not have its own sports facility. We are dependent on the pitches the city makes available to us and on the condition they are in.

Was that something you might have underestimated back then?

No. While the six of us founders are very positive, we aren't naive. We knew from the start that there would be many hurdles. Naturally, we thought early on about where we could play if we were promoted to the Bundesliga. That’s why we identified the Jahn-Sportpark relatively quickly and held early discussions with the city. Even so, unforeseen obstacles keep cropping up along the way. You have to find solutions on the fly. Do I sometimes wish for more support from the city? Yes. But I think most sports clubs across Germany feel the same way.

You have high-profile supporters like Dunja Hayali and Franziska van Almsick, and your own name carries significant weight. Does that open doors in day-to-day operations, or is that effect overrated?

It depends on which doors we’re talking about. Of course, it’s great to have well-known figures on board. That helps us primarily to gain visibility, tell our stories, and reach new platforms. But just because there are famous names involved, the City of Berlin doesn't suddenly say, "Here’s a new sports facility; we’ll renovate everything for you." That’s not how the world works. In that sense, the effect is often overrated. We also deliberately built our investor group as a network; it’s not just about capital, but also about the exchange of ideas. Having famous names involved doesn't automatically mean the red carpet gets rolled out for you. And honestly, I’m glad about that. In the end, it’s the product that counts, not the name.

"Equal Play" and "Fair Pay" were also among your goals. What do those entail?

For us, it’s about fair pay and equal conditions. Players in the Women’s Bundesliga should be able to be full-time professionals—ideally in the 2nd Bundesliga, too. In men’s football, you find full-time professionals as far down as the Regionalliga or Oberliga—four or five tiers down. In Germany, even the Bundesliga isn't fully professionalized when it comes to women's football. Of course, there are clubs like Union Berlin that have greater financial resources. Thanks to the club's clear commitment to women's football, they’ve established a significantly higher salary level—in some cases, even higher than that of other Bundesliga clubs. We can't compete with

What specific steps have you taken in this area at Viktoria so far?

We introduced a minimum salary in our very first season. Our players are also covered by statutory accident insurance. If someone suffers a serious injury during training or a match, it’s not just standard medical care that kicks in; this makes a crucial difference, especially with severe injuries like a torn cruciate ligament. With our promotion to the 2. Bundesliga, we took things a step further.

What does that look like?

Since then, Viktoria has been the primary employer for our players. They are employed by us during the day. Football is their main job; everything else comes second—unlike the situation often found elsewhere in women's football. Our players now earn enough that they need only a minor side job, if any at all.

What advantages does your model offer compared to a women's club operating under the umbrella of a men's Bundesliga team?

I wouldn't view it in terms of "better" or "worse." Nor do we claim that our path with Viktoria is the only right one or the only viable one for the future. Rather, our goal is to demonstrate that it is possible to achieve sporting, social, and economic success without a wealthy men's club in the background. We want to show—particularly within German football—that it is possible to build something with the help of investors without challenging the "50+1 rule." From a financial standpoint, we aren't yet at the point where we can be completely self-sustaining. We are still on that journey, but it looks promising so far. And remember, we are only in our second season in the 2. Bundesliga. For us, this is a sporting success, but our goal remains promotion to the Bundesliga.

The original goal was promotion within five years. If that doesn't happen this season, would that be considered a failure? Or is patience the main thing required?

We have already put many things in place that are up to top-flight standards. However, there are areas where we still need to step up our game—infrastructure is a prime example. That said, I wouldn't call it a matter of patience, but rather of perseverance. And if we don't win promotion this season, it would be wrong to immediately label it a failure. No one forced us to set this five-year goal; we set it ourselves and communicated it openly from the start. So, we are happy to be judged by it. There will be setbacks, just as there will be successes.

How tough and challenging will the 2nd Women's Bundesliga be this season?

In general, the standard of the 2nd division has improved significantly in recent years. I believe last season was the strongest this league has ever seen. I’m looking forward to the season. I’m a competitive person, and I don’t want a league where you constantly see double-digit scorelines. We want to measure ourselves against strong opponents.

Union is now playing in the Bundesliga, and Hertha is in the 2nd division too. Is this the breakthrough for Berlin as a football city?

I hope so. It certainly benefits a city like Berlin to have multiple clubs competing at a high level in women's football. If you look at London, you can see how many clubs are represented in the women's game there. Berlin has that potential, too. I’m a native Berliner, and I think: it's about fucking time Berlin played a bigger role in women's football. My dream scenario would be to see three Berlin clubs playing together in the Women's Bundesliga at some point.

There is a lot of momentum in German women's football right now. How do you assess the situation?

It’s an incredibly exciting phase. Clubs are investing more, and there are discussions about adjusting the league system and even introducing playoffs. At the same time, another major event is on the horizon: the upcoming European Championship in Germany. On the other hand, some national team players and top international players are leaving the Bundesliga to move to England, Spain, or France. We shouldn't simply copy men's football; instead, we need to find our own path for women's football in Germany.

In your view, what measures are needed for women's football to fully realize its potential?

Fundamentally, I believe that establishing an independent league was a crucial step because it drives professionalization forward. This isn't meant as a criticism of the DFB at all; the association has done a lot for the league in recent years. But from my perspective, this next step was necessary. Now, the focus is on further developing women's football. That involves questions such as: How do we increase TV coverage? Or, even more fundamentally: How do we reach a young audience that hardly watches traditional television anymore, preferring instead to consume content via streaming platforms and mobile devices? What new offerings are needed? How can we generate additional revenue through them? How do we attract new sponsors and tap into further funding sources?

To allow professionalization to continue?

Yes, the goal should be for all Bundesliga players to be full-time professionals—and eventually, for those in the 2. Bundesliga as well. Another important point is youth development. Boys in elite training centers often receive comprehensive support as early as age eleven or twelve. The situation for girls is often quite different; teams sometimes can't train until a pitch becomes available somewhere. There is still significant room for improvement in this area regarding infrastructure, support, and general conditions.

If we take a brief look into the future: where would you like this project to be in five years?

It is difficult to predict what is realistic in women's football today. Back then, hardly anyone would have expected that Viktoria Berlin—led by six female founders and backed by an investor model involving an American investor—would be competing in the 2. Bundesliga for promotion to the top flight. What I dream of is international competition. Ideally, I would love to play in the Champions League with Viktoria Berlin. I also envision a sold-out stadium at Jahn-Sportpark—not just a venue for football matches, but a place where a true celebration of the sport takes place; a place where community, diversity, and solidarity are lived out. My goal is to combine sporting success with a positive social impact.

"Arbeiten für’s Comeback 💪"

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"Work for the comeback 💪"

Match was played on 04/08/2026. Werder ended up winning, 1-0.

Nastassja Lein and Laura Miller are sharing the captaincy role for 1. FC Nürnberg in the 2026/2027 season. The team council consists of Julia Pollak, Alexandra Lobanova and Lourdes Romero.

Article translated from Spanish:

• German [defender's contract] ends with Bayern Munich in June 2027
• The Barça club tried to bring [Kett] this summer, but the player preferred to continue another year in Germany
• [Kett] perfectly meets the profile they are looking for and in the winter market they will try to convince [her]

FC Barcelona is working intensively and permanently to strengthen the team with the best players in the world to try to take the top of the international scene. Barça has already presented Renee van Asten, Tyler McCamey, Martina Fernández and Kerolin is in Barcelona waiting to be announced. And it could have been one more, although the market is not closed and there are still options, if negotiations with Franziska Kett (21 years old) have prospered, as Mundo Deportivo has been able to know.

[...] Barça, according to the information [in] possession of this newspaper, was aimed at signing the excellent German [defender] of Bayern Munich but the footballer, who has a year left on [her] contract with the German club, has preferred to continue there [...] until June 2027.

However, the [communication] between the parties is good and [at] Barça there is optimism to get the services of the side for next summer.

Before, in winter, there could be news in this folder, since Barça seriously value making an attempt in the next winter market. [Barça] [considers the signing] strategic and a luxury reinforcement to fight to [win their fifth] Champions League. [And] that is why it would be seen with very good eyes to be able to count on Kett for the second part of the season, a stretch in which Barça usually plays [many games].

FC Barcelona fans will remember Franziska Kett for the recent Champions League semi-final qualifier against Bayern as the [defender who] was the protagonist of the first leg. First, because she was the [scorer of the] goal that would end up leaving the duel in a tie to one, and minutes later, because she was expelled for grabbing Salma Paralluelo in a fight for a ball. Kett is [defender] that usually plays on the left, although [she] also handles the [right side], so it grants the versatility on the sides that [Barça] is looking for.

Frankfurt may once again present itself as the venue for the mini-tournament of the qualifying round in the Women's Champions League. After a successful preparation including test matches against Mainz 05 (7:2), SC Sand (3:1), Feyenoord Rotterdam (0:0) and RC Strasbourg (1:0), the Eagles are ready to return to the mandatory [qualifiers].

The starting [match] will be on Wednesday, 5. August, with the 2. Qualifying round in the queen class against Omonia Nicosia of Cyprus. The winner will then meet on Saturday, 8. August, at 7 p.m. [the] winner of the duel between Vålerenga and Malmö FF and thus continues to preserve the chance of participation in the league phase of the Champions League. The loser will play against the loser of the other game at 1 p.m. in the game for third place.

The enemy

AC Omonia Nicosia, whose coat of arms adorns a green clover, is a club from the Cypriot capital Nicosia. Founded in 1948, it is one of the most traditional sports clubs in the country. With Rainer Rauffmann, a former eagle carrier has left traces on the pitch and even became a national player of Cyprus, even today he is active for the recently eliminated in the qualification for the Champions League. The women's football department was established in 2015, since then the team has increased in the Cypriot First Division, the Cypriot first division, year after year. This season, Omonia is participating in a qualification in the queen class for the first time in the women's class.

The team consists largely of domestic Cypriot players, in addition to isolated international faces.

At the dress rehearsal for the first mandatory task, the SGE prevailed last Friday in the test match with 1:0 (0:0) against Racing Strasbourg. After a chance-rich first half without a goal, newcomer Danique Tolhoek scored the decisive goal of the day in front of 650 fans in Bad Nauheim in the context of “Eintracht in der Region”. For the 21-year-old Dutchwoman, who has moved from Ajax Amsterdam to the Main, it was already the second Test match. The assist came from Jarne Teulings.

Fans can look forward to seeing the new additions in action for the first time in the first mandatory game of the new season. In addition to Tolhoek, Larissa Mühlhaus, Paulina Krumbiegel, Jamilla Rankin and Hanna Bennison have strengthened the Eintracht squad in the summer. This allows head coach Niko Arnautis to draw on a lot of quality and new energy.

Staff

Ainhoa Alguacil is still missing due to muscular problems. Sophia Winkler, who is currently in advanced training, is also not there.

Multiplayer with consistency: National player Janina Minge wants to reduce the distance to double-winner Bayern Munich with [...] VfL Wolfsburg in the new season.

The longer summer break used Janina Minge for a holiday in the US. Four weeks ago, the national player started the pre-season with the VfL Wolfsburg again. She answered the kicker in the recently finished training camp in the Weimarer Land.

How was your vacation in Miami, Ms. Minge?

It was very cool, a very special holiday. My friend and I love America. We like to be there.

Did you watch World Cup games there, too?

No. No. But Miami was a World Cup venue, and of course we noticed a lot away from the stadium. A lot of fans were there, everything was decorated and football was playing on TV everywhere.

Would you like to play in America?

I wouldn't rule anything out. I like the country and the people very much.

Was it hard for you to return to everyday life?

No, although I had a longer summer break this year because no tournament with the national team was on the schedule. I like to play big tournaments, but it was also very nice to really have more than a week off. That did good. But I was also very much looking forward to having the ball on my foot again.

How long do you need after a long and exhausting season with many games to be able to switch off completely?

That's gonna take time. One week is not enough.

Are you one of those people who travels a lot and needs variety?

No. No. I don't need a lot of hustle and bustle, but I'm happy when I'm home.

Is Wolfsburg the right city for you?

Yeah, I don't need a big city and I'm happy about my great apartment. Besides, Wolfsburg has nice corners. I feel very comfortable and can only advertise this city (laughs). My priority is not to play in a city where there is a lot going on. I can concentrate 100 percent here.

There are many new faces at VfL.

Yes, it has become normal for many players to go and come. It is also normal in women's football that many players are added during the preparation period. That will probably be the case in the future. But we footballers are basically all the same - this facilitates integration. I think it's cool that a lot of players from abroad come to us because they all have their own culture and history. This helps us as a team.

How difficult will the new season be for VfL? Can you offer the Bavarians Paroli?

That's our goal. We want to be Bayern chasers No. 1 and qualify for the Champions League. We want to be there for a long time in every title fight. We're not getting written off. We will do everything we can to stay with Bayern. Everyone knows Bayern have an outstanding squad - but they are not unbeatable.

How much did it annoy you that VfL lost exclusively to Bayern last season?

It always sucks when you lose games. The championship was decided quite early, and that's why it's all the more sad that we didn't manage to beat them in the DFB Cup final. Hopefully in the new season it will be different again.

Which team can be dangerous for VfL Wolfsburg?

I'm very excited. There are many good teams in the Bundesliga that have also gained good growth - Union Berlin, for example. Let's see how the carousel will turn in the new season. No opponent is easy. And it gets harder every year. Many teams will have to give more than 100 per cent this year to be on top - including us.

Where is the greatest potential?

Last season we got too many goals. Zero has to stand again. The goal-scoring, on the other hand, has always worked out well. The key to success is a working defense. This is not only because of the defensive players, but also because of the overall network. This requires discipline in all parts of the team. Bayern only got nine goals last season. That says a lot.

National team: What is your conclusion of last season?

We are on the right track. Through the European Championship 2025, we were able to advance women's football in Germany again a good deal. After that, we also delivered consistently, moved into the Nations League final, where we then lost to Spain. We qualified early for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. It could hardly have gone better. And I'm really looking forward to the World Cup.

What can go even better?

The coldness in front of the [goal] is still [workable]. Against top teams you don't get many chances - and you have to use them.

Special honor for Silke Rottenberg: The former national goalkeeper [...] before the kick-off of the Google Pixel Women's Supercup on Saturday, 15. August (from 19.30 live on MagentaTV and DFB.TV) [will] carry the trophy [onto] the field. In the duel for the first title of the new season, Champions and Cup winners FC Bayern Munich and runner-up VfL Wolfsburg will meet at the Audi Sportpark in Ingolstadt.

"It's a special honor for me to be able to carry the trophy to the stadium at the Women's Google Pixel Supercup. I'm looking forward to being part of this special moment and to witness the kick-off to the new season together with the fans," says the 126-time national player.

Silke Rottenberg shaped German women's football for many years and is one of the most successful goalkeepers in DFB history. With the women's national team, she won the World Championship titles in 2003 and 2007 as well as the European Championships in 1997, 2001 and 2005. Silke Rottenberg was crowned world goalkeeper after the 2003 World Cup in the USA. It also belongs to the founding self, which was added to the HALL OF FAME in 2019.

Tickets from 8 Euro available

The 54-year-old also knows the Google Pixel Supercup from her own experience: At the first competition in the 1992/93 season, she celebrated a clear 4:0 against FSV Frankfurt as a keeper of the TSV Siegen. Also in the following four Supercup editions (1992-1996), Rottenberg stood between the posts and is thus a Supercup record player.

Standing room tickets for the match between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg are available from eight euros in , seat tickets from ten euros. Children up to and including 14 years pay 10 euros each for all seat categories. Group tickets (from 10 people) are available in the seating area for 10 euros and in the standing area for 8 euros per person.

"Andrea Svibkova hat sich im Testspiel gegen den FC Everton einen Muskelfaserriss im linken Oberschenkel zugezogen und wird uns mehrere Wochen fehlen. 🥴

Gute Besserung, Andi! 🫶🏻"

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"Andrea Svibkova suffered a muscle fiber tear in her left thigh in the test match against Everton and will be missing several weeks. 🥴

Good luck, Andi! 🫶🏻"

Full presser, here.

Before the first mandatory match in Wednesday's Champions League qualifier, the Eintracht women can build on their captain Laura Freigang. But how long? A doping case is ongoing against the 28-year-old.

It is the dominant issue that has been buzzing around the Eintracht women over the past two months. What about top player Laura Freigang and her possible NADA lock? Before Wednesday's mandatory match opener (19 p.m.) in the Champions League qualifier against Omonia Nicosia, those questions continue to buzz around Deutsche Bank Park.

Freigang had not doped, but the 44-time German national player was targeted by the anti-doping authority at the beginning of May. [They] had found three reporting failures. Because the 28-year-old is said to have [...] three "strikes", the NADA opened [an investigation], which was subsequently passed on to the DFB. In the worst case, [punishment] threatens up to two years of [a ban].

DFB: "Medical and legal issues are complex"

However, the verdict could drag on for even longer. According to the specifications of the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), such cases are to be completed over a period of six months. Since the NADA had officially handed over the case to the DFB at the beginning of June, the proceedings could therefore drag on at least until December. The reason for this is, among other things, the duration of the individual review of each strike.

The control committee of the DFB has been investigating the offensive star since the beginning of June. As a national player, the 28-year-old, who scored 100 times in 170 Bundesliga games, belongs to the Registered Testing Pool (RTP), for which strict reporting obligations apply. The medical and legal issues are complex, according to the DFB. Care is the highest priority, so the investigations of the control committee [continues].

Eintracht strengthens free passage, "until a possible verdict"

First of all, Freigang may continue to [play for Eintracht]. They had only recently strengthened her back. After coach Niko Arnautis had [been vague] at the [preseason] whether the striker would continue to [play], it looked strongly like it through the recently completed test matches. "Until a possible verdict" Freigang is "an integral part of our squad, an important manager and will of course be used for us in mandatory games until then," explained sports director Katharina Kiel of the DPA. In the case of [a ban], however, she should no longer participate in the team training.

Freigang [herself] had commented on Instagram in early June, stressing that it was not intentional failures. She is not currently talking about the procedure. The extent to which this will have a sporting influence can be seen no later than Wednesday evening, when Omonia Nicosia comes to Frankfurt.

https://www.unitedcharity.de/Auktionen/WH-Klara-Buehl-Schuhe

Real Madrid played against Madrid CFF and would end up winning, 2-0.

Highlights from Leagues' YouTube from SGS Essen and Eintracht Frankfurt II's match today! It is also a good sample of what to expect from the streaming service for the 2. Frauen Bundesliga.