Women's football in Upper Franconia: Championship without promotion!

Women's football in Upper Franconia: Championship without promotion!

In the East women's football district league in Upper Franconia, the situation that no team is entitled to promotion is causing a lot of discussion. SpVgg Weißenstadt II won the championship, but was denied promotion. The situation is anything but rosy: FFC Hof was relegated from the regional league, and SpVgg Weißenstadt was also faced with relegation from the regional league. This leaves numerous “blank spots” in women’s football in the southern part of the Hof/Tirschenreuth/Wunsiedel playing district, which indicate a dramatic decline in women’s sport. The decline is alarming as the number of women's football teams in the region continues to decline, leaving the future of women's football in doubt. The developments here are in stark contrast to the encouraging progress being made elsewhere, as frankenpost.de reports.

But there are problems in women's football not only in Upper Franconia. Things are also getting tight in MTV Barum in Lower Saxony. The only remaining player from the 2013 championship team, Laura Alvermann, is very worried. Your team is in a relegation zone four game days before the end of the season. A win against SG Rodenberg is seen as crucial for staying in the league. Alvermann, who has developed into a leading player, is particularly under pressure. “This is the closest situation I have ever experienced,” she says, describing the challenge. Coach Bernd Wischnewski emphasizes her speed and athleticism, which could be crucial for the team. So far, MTV Barum has only gotten eight points from eight games in the second half of the season, which makes the situation even worse. It will be exciting to see whether they can still get out of this predicament, as az-online.de reports.

The rise of women's football

FIFA has launched a comprehensive women's development program that offers support to many member countries to promote the development of women's football. League development programs, trainer training and club advice are intended to strengthen the foundation for equal participation in football. FIFA's strategy aims to increase the number of girls and women playing football to 60 million by 2026, and Football Australia aims to achieve equal access for players by 2027. In order to promote engagement in this area, significant funds were made available to support women's football during the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by fifa.com.

So while there are both setbacks and progress in the sport, the question of the future of women's football remains exciting. It remains to be seen whether the fear of relegation in the regional leagues comes true or whether the national and international upswing will also strengthen the local football circuit. However, one thing is certain: women's football continues to be very important and will continue to be a focus in the future.