Borussia Dortmund Sets Record Attendance in Derby Victory over Schalke

Borussia Dortmund’s women’s football team secured a dominant 4-0 victory against Schalke 04 on Sunday, playing in front of a record-breaking crowd of 17,555 spectators at the Stadion Rote Erde.

The match, which saw the host team maintain their perfect record in the Regionalliga West, surpassed the previous third-tier attendance record of 14,500 set in May during a match between Hertha BSC and 1. FFV Erfurt at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

The result marks the 13th win for Dortmund in their 13th league match of the season. With 39 points and an impressive goal difference of 63-1, the team continues to lead the table decisively. The victory was observed by high-profile club leadership, including BVB President Hans-Joachim Watzke and Schalke’s sporting director, Frank Baumann.

Former German national team star Alexandra Popp proved instrumental in the derby, scoring a hat-trick to dismantle the Gelsenkirchen side. Popp opened the scoring in the third minute and added a second goal with a header shortly before halftime. She completed her three-goal performance in the 86th minute, while teammate Frederike Kempe added a final goal in stoppage time to bring the score to 4-0.

Ahead of the match, Popp emphasized the need for focus despite the high-stakes atmosphere. “It will be important to channel the emotions. Not just because of the spectators, but also because of the derby character on the pitch,” she told DIE WELT. The 35-year-old forward, who joined Dortmund this past summer, currently leads the Regionalliga West scoring charts with 20 goals.

The current dominance of the BVB women’s team, managed by Markus Högner, follows a deliberate strategy to strengthen the squad with experienced talent. During the summer transfer window, the club recruited several players with extensive Bundesliga backgrounds to strengthen their lineup.

Among these additions is Popp, a three-time German Footballer of the Year who arrived in Dortmund following a long tenure at VfL Wolfsburg, where she recorded 336 Bundesliga appearances.

While Schalke 04 managed to keep the match competitive for stretches, they were unable to overcome the offensive efficiency of the league leaders. The record-setting attendance at the Stadion Rote Erde highlights the growing interest in the women’s team, which has been marketed locally under the “Dortmunder Mädchen” banner.

With this win, Dortmund extends its lead at the top of the Regionalliga West. The team remains the only undefeated side in the division, having conceded only a single goal throughout their 13-game campaign thus far. The club has not yet announced the details for their next competitive fixture following the derby victory.