The German Football Federation is setting up a dedicated company to run the women’s Bundesliga and will fund it with a grant of €100 million ($116 million) over the next eight years.

The plan was formally set in motion at a major meeting of the federation in Frankfurt on Friday.

“This is a strong and bold signal, which in my view is urgently necessary,” federation president Bernd Neuendorf told delegates.

“Like with the men’s Bundesliga, we want to be among the leading leagues in the world in the women’s game. The course for this is being set now.”

The money is to be distributed from 2026. The aim is to prevent the best players from moving to richer foreign leagues such as England. This season the German women’s top flight was expanded from 12 to 14 clubs.

Not all players can yet make a living from playing in the Bundesliga.
The new business model is a joint venture between the clubs and federation.

Women’s national team coach Christian Wück has described the growth plan and the investment as “justified and absolutely necessary.”

Germany is bidding to host the women’s Euros in 2029.