Frauen-Bundesliga Clubs Found Independent League Body as Joint Venture With DFB Stalls

All 14 top‑tier teams formally launched the Frauen-Bundesliga FBL e.V. in Frankfurt, with Katharina Kiel set to lead a new presidium. The planned FBL GmbH joint venture with the DFB is on hold as core issues remain unresolved, including voting rules, repayment terms, a possible exit clause and the legal seat. Club leaders say they will shoulder far higher investment than the DFB’s roughly €100 million over eight years, citing needs that total several hundred million euros. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf reaffirmed the federation’s financial pledge and called for continued, constructive negotiations. The step shifts commercialization efforts away from the DFB for now, after the federation said it was surprised by the clubs’ coordinated move and noted it was not due to join the Ligaverband’s founding.