The 14 clubs in the Women's Bundesliga have announced a plan to go it alone in establishing a league association similar to the German Football League (DFL), which operates the men's Bundesliga. 

The new association is to be known as the "Frauen-Bundesliga FBL e.V.," and is to be formally established in a meeting at Frankfurt's Waldstadion next Wednesday, December 10. The stated purpose of the new organization is to take the league's marketing and professionalization to a new level.

The announcement came as something of a bombshell, not so much because of its timing, a day after Germany was chosen to host the 2029 Women's Euros, but because the 14 clubs now intend to work independently on the project. The original plan had been for the clubs to form the association in partnership with the German FA (DFB).

"In discussions with the DFB, the key points for founding a joint FBL GmbH had already been agreed upon, so it was all the more surprising for us clubs that the negotiated key points were called into question at this point in time — even though the clubs will invest many times more in the Women's Bundesliga in comparison," Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said in a statement announcing the move. He said the clubs had taken the decision "unanimously… so as not to waste any more time."

The original plan foresaw the league association and the DFB each holding 50% of the shares in the "Frauen-Bundesliga Gesellschaft" (Women's Bundesliga Company). The DFB wanted to invest €100 million towards professionalization over a period of eight years.

"We are disappointed that agreements already made with the DFB are not reflected in the contract materials from our point of view," said Axel Hellmann, spokesman for Eintracht Frankfurt's board. "For this reason, the founding act will now take place without the involvement of the DFB."

At the same time, though, Hellmann appeared to leave the door open to the DFB reuniting with the project at a later date.

"How the process will unfold and whether it will result in a joint venture with the DFB or whether the clubs will go their own way is completely open at this point in time."

While little detail of the apparent rift between the clubs and the DFB has yet emerged, a report in the mass-circulation daily Bild said the German FA had made "unacceptable demands" after the contracts had already been finalized.

DFB 'committed to agreements made'

The DFB reacted with bemusement to the criticism included in Thursday's announcement.

"The founding of the league association by the 14 clubs is a prerequisite for the planned joint venture. Participation by the DFB in the league association was never planned," the DFB wrote in a statement. 

"Contracts ready for signature have not yet been presented. The clubs' negotiators
had sent the DFB extensive additions and requests for changes,to which the DFB responded in the usual manner," DFB General Secretary Holger Blask said

"The DFB remains committed to the agreements made and investments made in the course of the planned joint venture. We are convinced that the joint establishment of FBL GmbH is the right way forward for all parties involved."

Edited by: Jonathan Harding
This article was originally published on December 4, 2025. It was updated with the reaction from the DFB on December 5, 2025.