Austria’s record champions Rapid Vienna want to get involved in women’s football in the future. A Rapid women’s team is to take part in competitions by 2024, as President Martin Bruckner explained at the Hütteldorfer Annual General Meeting on Monday evening. At the end of November they want to present a precise proposal to the members.
“We decided unanimously in the Executive Committee that, subject to the approval of our club members, we as SK Rapid will take a place in the Austrian women’s soccer landscape in the future,” said Rapid boss Bruckner.
The club announced in a press release that the further timetable should be developed within the framework of a new project group, which is expected to be headed by an “external personality with expertise in women’s football”.
“We will deal with a possible cooperation with a club that is already involved in women’s football as well as with a club-internal solution. In terms of infrastructure, we will be excellently positioned in Hütteldorf and also in the Prater in the future,” says Bruckner. “Clubs from Eastern Austria are interested in a cooperation, and we have already had initial talks.” A women’s team should then be active and play for points by summer 2024 at the latest.
Salzburg still without a women’s team?
In Austria, as of the coming season, eight teams from the representatives of the first men’s performance level are involved in women’s football – some as cooperation partners of other clubs: Sturm Graz, Austria Vienna, Altach, Austria Klagenfurt, LASK, Ried, Austria Lustenau and WSG Tyrol. As a result, apart from Rapid, only Red Bull Salzburg from the top teams has no women’s team.
Also on Monday, the now eight-strong Rapid Executive Committee was expanded. With Michael Hatz (51), the committee will in future have an ex-player who played 269 competitive games for green and white and also became champion in 1996 in rapid dress.
