Overview
- The 14 first-division clubs formally founded the Frauen‑Bundesliga FBL e. V. and unanimously elected Katharina Kiel as president, after the DFB admitted the body as a non‑voting ordinary member.
- Tensions flared at the Frankfurt launch as DFB president Bernd Neuendorf’s address drew sharp criticism from club officials, who described it as a mood‑killer.
- Key governance disputes include a reported late DFB demand for a two‑thirds majority and a four‑year exit clause, diverging from earlier understandings on equal board seats and an FBL operational tiebreak.
- Financing proposals cited by club leaders envisage €100 million from the DFB over eight years versus roughly €800–900 million from the clubs, fueling the push for decisive authority.
- Most clubs still prefer DFB involvement, though Union Berlin and Wolfsburg are open to proceeding without it, as talks press toward a 2026/27 joint‑venture start and a media‑rights plan for 2027/28 while the DFB retains competition control until at least 2027.