Frauen-Bundesliga Preview — Part 1
In less than one month we will begin coverage of the Frauen-Bundesliga, Germany’s top flight of women’s football and UEFA’s second highest ranked league, only behind France’s Division 1 Féminine (D1F).
Unlike the men’s Bundesliga but similar to Division 1 Féminine and the Barclays Women’s Super League the Frauen-Bundesliga consists of 12 clubs. Those clubs play a home and away round robin schedule for a total of 22 matches with the team with the most points being declared league champions at the end of the season. Concurrent to the league season the 12 clubs in the Frauen-Bundesliga also participate in the DFB-Pokal Frauen alongside all first teams from the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, the previous seasons five Frauen-Regionalliga competition winners, and the winners of the previous seasons 21 regional association cup tournaments.
League History
The Frauen-Bundesliga was founded in 1990 following the West German women’s national team’s win at the 1989 European Competition for Women’s Football. The West German’s drew Italy 1–1 in the Semi-Finals before defeating them 4–3 on penalties and then trounced Norway 4–1 in the final. Just over one year later the inaugural season of the country’s first nationwide women’s league, the Frauen-Bundesliga, kicked off.
From 1990/91 through 1996/97 the league was made up of two groups (North and South) of 10 teams each, except for the 1991/92 season, which expanded to 11 sides each to add in East German clubs to the competition. The season would consist of an 18 match (20 in 91/92) season with the top two from each group participating in a four team knockout tournament; with a two legged Semi-Final and single leg Championship Final. The bottom two (three in 91/92) sides would be relegated to the Regionalliga level during those seasons.
Starting with the 1997/98 season the Frauen-Bundesliga would abandon the North/South groups and move to a single 12 team competition. To facilitate this an extra stage was added to the season. Following the 18 match regular season the top four in each group were guaranteed spots in the Bundesliga while the bottom two sides would be relegated. Teams finishing 5–8 in each group would join 8 Regionlliga sides in playing for the final spots for 1997/98. The 16 sides would be split into four groups of four playing a six match, home and away round robin, with the group winner earning spots in the Frauen-Bundesliga. Turbine Potsdam, Fortuna Sachsenroß Hannover, SC 07 Bad Neuenahr, and SC Klinge Seckach all won their respective groups giving them spots in the league for the following season. Fortuna Sachsenroß Hannover would decline due to financial reasons which gave the spot to 2nd place Hamburg.
Since 1997/98 the format of the league has remained unchanged with 12 teams competing, playing 22 matches, with 1–3 sides (depending on season) qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League (FKA UEFA Women’s Cup), and two sides being relegated to the 2.Frauen-Bundesliga each season.
Stay tuned for Thursday when we break down each of the 12 sides that will play in the Frauen-Bundesliga in 2022/23.
