The women’s Bundesliga will no longer be organized by the German Football Association from next summer.
The DFB has agreed on a basic agreement with the FBL league association for the spin-off of the league. As both partners announced, responsibility for the Bundesliga will be transferred from the DFB to the FBL on July 1, 2027 after a 2026/27 transition season. The model is based on the structure of the German Football League (DFL) in men’s football.
With the agreement, the spin-off of the women’s Bundesliga, as desired by the 14 first division clubs, is imminent. The basic agreement regulates the legal, organizational and financial relationships between the DFB and FBL for an initial period of seven years. According to the FBL, over 20 million euros will flow from the DFB to the FBL during this time. A seat for the FBL President on the DFB Presidium is also planned.
FBL President Kiel: “Historic step”
“This agreement on the basic contract is a historic step for professional women’s football in Germany,” said FBL President Katharina Kiel. “We will shape the future of the league on our own – with clear responsibility for the clubs, professional structures and the aim of becoming more internationally competitive.”
The plan includes, among other things, a rental fee to be paid by the FBL and, from the fourth year of the contract, financial contributions, including from ticket revenue, to the regional associations. The DFB also wants to continue to pay for the secondment of national players and invest in the professionalization of refereeing and in certified youth training centers.
DFB President Neuendorf sees a “viable compromise”
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf spoke of a “sustainable compromise”. The association will continue to live up to its responsibility for the development of women’s football and support the Bundesliga, particularly with refereeing and the promotion of young talent.
DFB General Secretary Holger Blask said that clear responsibilities were necessary, especially for marketing the league. As early as autumn there will be a new media rights contract that the FBL is supposed to negotiate. In the future, the DFB wants to concentrate more on the women’s national teams, the DFB Women’s Cup and women’s and girls’ football in the other leagues, emphasized Blask.
The final decision on the new structures will be made at an extraordinary DFB Bundestag convened by the DFB Presidium and Supervisory Board. The consent is considered a formality. The FBL side wants to have the resolutions approved at its general meeting in June.
