The DFB Cup has existed since 1935. It is organized annually by the German Football Association, is the second most important title in national club football after the German championship and is played in the knockout system. The women’s DFB Cup was played for the first time in the 1980/81 season – at a time when there was no women’s Bundesliga.
A lot was drawn to determine a Westphalia representative
While the professionals are used to playing in the DFB-Pokal competition, it is something special for every amateur. It is nice that the city of Castrop-Rauxel will be represented several times in the 2021/22 season.
A drawing of lots is never the ideal solution in sport. But because the Women’s Westphalia Cup 2020/21 was not played to the end, there was no other solution to find a Westphalia representative for the first DFB Cup main round. There were 23 lots in the pot. And Landesligist Spvg Herne-Horsthausen was drawn.
“We all sat in front of the Internet and cheered. When we were drawn as a lucky ticket, all the girls and the entire club were really happy, ”explains player Nadine Kirsch, who lives in Pöppinghausen. “To play in the DFB Cup as a national division team is a great thing. But we are also a good group and we don’t just want to have fun – we want to advance one lap. “
Incidentally, Nadine Kirsch is not the only Castrop-Rauxelerin in the 20-man squad who will play in the DFB Cup with the women’s team of Spvg Horsthausen. Annika Gil, Katharina Marschallek and Daniela Koj also come from or live in the European city.
Whether this lucky ticket for Horsthausen also includes monetary advantages like in men’s football is nowhere guaranteed. For men, 175,500 euros will go to each club in the first round of the DFB Cup.
For 37-year-old Nadine Kirsch, after a serious injury (“Everything in the knee was broken except for the outer ligament”), a long career has come full circle with participation in the DFB Cup. This also led them to Lütgendortmund and Duisburg up to the 2nd Bundesliga.
At 1. FFC Recklinghausen, Castrop-Rauxerler once played in a team with national player Alexandra Popp. The mother of three recently extended for another year at Spvg Horsthausen. “After a long break from injury, I didn’t want to stop playing football.”
Back to the DFB Cup: In women’s football, the clubs in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga, promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga, five regional league champions and the representatives of the 21 regional associations are qualified. The first round will be played on August 20th and 21st. The draw will take place at the end of July.
In the women’s DFB Cup, the first three rounds are drawn according to regional criteria in order to avoid driving too long. Bayern Munich is therefore not an issue for Horsthausen. But a home game for a national league team. “There are some attractive opponents we could face. Hopefully there is no district league team in the lottery pot – and we have to go there, ”was Nadine Kirsch’s wish in round one of the DFB Cup.
