Terms around the proposed joint venture (JV) between the clubs in German women’s soccer’s Frauen-Bundesliga, and the country’s DFB national soccer body, have still not been reached.
The latest development in a saga that has run since late 2025 came last Thursday, when the recently established Women’s Bundesliga FBL e.V rejected the DFB’s JV proposals at its inaugural general meeting.
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The club representative body was launched in early December, initially to form a new association alongside the DFB. However, they quickly changed plans and announced their intention to go solo, and to establish a league body in the mould of the DFL, which operates the country’s top two divisions of men’s club soccer.
The clubs' original agreement with DFB would have seen the league association and the DFB each hold a 50% share in the "Frauen-Bundesliga Gesellschaft" (Women's Bundesliga Company), with the DFB pledging to invest €100 million towards the professionalization of the league over eight years.
However, reports after the women’s clubs' body had its change of heart, referenced
“unacceptable demands” being made by the DFB – after the contracts had already been finalized.
Eintracht Frankfurt, one of the 14 Frauen-Bundesliga teams, have now said that “the positions and framework conditions communicated by the DFB in recent weeks for cooperation within the framework of a joint venture cannot be met.
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By GlobalData“Based on these discussions, FBL eV will seek further talks about alternative forms of partnership between FBL eV and the DFB.”
Katharina Kiel, president of FBL eV, added: “For us, it is crucial that the future of the Women's Bundesliga be shaped where the sporting and economic engine lies – with the clubs. They bear the greatest responsibility for investment and implementation and therefore need clear responsibilities, a high degree of operational capability, and governance that accelerates growth and increases competitiveness.”
It has been reported that discussions last Thursday revolved around who exactly would have the final say on various key issues around the women’s league.
In response, the DFB has stated that it “regrets the decision by FBL eV that the Women's Bundesliga will not be organized under the umbrella of a joint venture in the future. However, the DFB remains fundamentally willing to discuss the further professionalization of the Women's Bundesliga with FBL eV and the clubs.
“We want to move forward with this matter and remain interested in finding good solutions. The ongoing international development of women's football demands it.”
The German national team has, for a lengthy period, been one of the powerhouses of women's soccer – of the 13 UEFA Women’s European Championships to have taken place so far, they have won eight, and have also won the FIFA Women’s World Cup twice.
So far in this season's Frauen-Bundesliga (due to run until mid-May), meanwhile, Bayern Munich sit top of the table, nine points ahead of VFL Wolfsburg.
