Controversial increase
Updated on 23.06.2024, 16:34
From 2025, two more teams will compete for the championship trophy in the women’s Bundesliga than before. © IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Memmler
The clubs have decided: From the 2025/2026 season, two more teams will play in the women’s Bundesliga than before. Not everyone will like the plan.
The women’s Bundesliga will be expanded from 12 to 14 clubs for the 2025/2026 season. This was announced by the German Football Association (DFB). The majority of club representatives were in favor of an increase.
The upcoming 2024/2025 season will serve as the qualification season. There will then only be one team relegated from the Bundesliga instead of two, and the best three teams from the 2nd division will be promoted instead of two. If one of the clubs promoted decides not to take part in the new 14-team Bundesliga, there will be no relegation.
“Broader competition and more visibility for all teams will continue to focus on the league,” said Sabine Mammitzsch, DFB Vice President for Women’s and Girls’ Football. “The appropriate framework should promote the development of our players and strengthen the loyalty of the fans.”
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At the beginning of May, Ralf Kellermann, director of women’s football at runner-up VfL Wolfsburg, was critical of such an increase. The 55-year-old warned, among other things, that this could lead to scheduling problems for internationally playing clubs such as Wolfsburg or FC Bayern. In addition, the income from the TV contract, which runs until 2026/2027, must be shared by more clubs.
Bundesliga has only one relegated team
The 2nd league remains unaffected by the increase. As before, the field of participants in the lower house will consist of 14 teams, of which three will be relegated. For the 2024/2025 season, in which there will be three first division promoted teams but only one first division relegated team, this means that all champions from the five regional leagues will be promoted directly to the 2nd league.
The Bundesliga reform is not the first in the history of German women’s football. After the Bundesliga was founded in the 1990/1991 season, there was initially a northern and a southern division with ten teams each. Germany’s top league has been single-tier since the 1997/1998 season with twelve teams. (dpa/jum)
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2024-06-23 14:17:09
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