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EM in England: DFB President: “Women’s football at the top of the agenda”

EM in England
DFB President: “Women’s football at the top of the agenda”

With their successes at the European Championships in England, the German players should ensure an upswing in German women’s football. Photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa

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Once again, the DFB is hoping for a boost from a major women’s tournament. There is not only a lack of players, but also of coaches and referees.

DFB President Bernd Neuendorf is hoping for the much-needed upswing in women’s and girls’ football from the European Championships in England.

“Overall, we have to get better at it. Of course, I hope that the big tournaments, as they are now pending, will give society a push and that we will make progress there, »said the 60-year-old of the German Press Agency.

offspring problem

The German Football Association has been struggling with youth problems in the female field for years. The national team missed out on participating in the 2019 World Cup quarterfinals. In the Bundesliga, the average attendance is still below 1000, while other top European leagues are making great strides in all areas.

“Women’s football is at the top of my agenda. He has to, too, »assured Neuendorf. “We have good numbers in football overall. But when it comes to women’s and girls’ football, you just have to say that we could use a lot more players there. Significantly more girls in particular, but also referees and coaches.”

The new DFB boss will also be there at the start of the German women’s European Championship on July 8 (21.00 CEST/ZDF) in London-Brentford against Denmark. Other preliminary round opponents of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s team are Spain (July 12) and Finland (July 16).

More visibility

“It is important that women’s football becomes more visible,” said Neuendorf. “Our goal is also to bring the 2027 World Cup to Germany. I’ll work hard to make it happen.” The DFB is applying together with Belgium and the Netherlands for the title fights. The next World Cup will take place in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.

The DFB had not been able to use the World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007 as well as the Olympic victory in 2016 for decisive progress. The effect of the home World Cup in 2011 had also fizzled out.

“Strategy Women in Football FF27”

The German Football Association has lost half of its girls’ teams since 2010. This was confirmed by DFB representatives at the presentation of the “Strategy Women in Football FF27” in Frankfurt/Main. The association wants to counteract the negative trend, for example among spectators in the female Bundesliga and the national team, with ambitious goals.

“We really have to step on the gas now,” said Doris Fitschen, overall coordinator and head of the “Women in Football” project. The “FF” in the 34-page strategy paper also stands for “Fast forward” (“Fast forward”), the 27 for the time goal of numerous measures and the 2027 World Cup. The DFB has applied for this together with Belgium and the Netherlands.

By then, the DFB wants to increase the number of female footballers, referees and coaches by 25 percent. The media coverage of women’s football should double across all platforms.

According to its new Vice-President Sabine Mammitzsch, the DFB is setting a “really bold exclamation mark” with the project in time for the European Championships in England, which begin on Wednesday. According to ex-national player Fitschen, the state associations also want to support “developing their own women’s football strategies”.

dpa

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