Women's football is experiencing growing popularity, and former German international, Philipp Lahm, advocates for increased investment in the sport.
Germany Boosts Investment in Women's Football
A surge in investment in women's football across Europe, including Germany, is gaining momentum, driven by growing commercial viability and public interest. This trend is evidenced by the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, part-hosted by Switzerland, which is expected to generate €128 million in revenue—more than double that of the 2022 tournament [1][2][4].
Philipp Lahm, the 2014 World Cup captain, is one of the advocates for this increased investment. In an article for "Die Zeit", he emphasised the need for a more equitable distribution of resources in football training [6].
The German Football Association (DFB) has taken significant steps in this direction, certifying its first three performance and three talent promotion centers in the female sector this year [5]. Lahm noted that players in women's football are more athletic, shoot better, and dribble faster compared to previous years [7].
UEFA's "Unstoppable" strategy aims to turn the European women's game into a billion-euro industry by 2030, focusing on greater player salaries, professional standards across all levels, and improved coaching and playing conditions [3]. The prize money and participation fees for national associations have increased substantially for the Women's EURO 2025, with mandates that portions of this money be reinvested in players and development programs [1].
Semi-finalists like Germany received over €3 million in prize money, providing both immediate financial benefits and a foundation for future growth of the women's game at a national level [5]. Future plans include sustaining this momentum by continuing to raise revenues through media rights, sponsorship, and ticket sales, while reinforcing quality development pathways and competition standards.
In a separate development, the DFB will partner with US sportswear manufacturer Nike from 2027, a deal that runs until 2034. This partnership is expected to bring the DFB 100 million euros per year, significantly more than they previously earned from their agreement with Adidas [8].
However, the German football team's performance in the 2028 European Championship remains to be seen. In a recent competition, they lost 0:1 to Spain in the semi-finals, despite the Spanish team's clear superiority in play. Lahm stated that the team needs to "keep up" [9].
Internationally, Lahm observed a trend of well-organised teams, technical skills, and great goals in women's football, particularly in Switzerland, Australia, and England [10]. As the investment in women's football continues to grow, the outlook is a sustained strengthening of women's football infrastructure, talent pathways, and commercial appeal in Germany through at least 2030.
References: [1] https://www.uefa.com/womensuefa/news/newsid=2831574.html [2] https://www.uefa.com/womensuefa/news/newsid=2832203.html [3] https://www.uefa.com/womensuefa/news/newsid=2828876.html [4] https://www.uefa.com/womensuefa/news/newsid=2832203.html [5] https://www.dfb.de/de/news/dfb-erzaehlte-erfolge-aus-der-womens-euro-2022/ [6] https://www.zeit.de/2022/07/deutschland-frauenfußball-philipp-lahm-ausgleich [7] https://www.sport1.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/philipp-lahm-sieht-den-frauenfußball-in-deutschland-auf-hochster-stufe-an-14183961.html [8] https://www.sport1.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/deutscher-fussball-bund-vertritt-die-nike-ab-2027-14174182.html [9] https://www.sport1.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/philipp-lahm-deutschland-muessen-mit-halten-14181051.html [10] https://www.sport1.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/philipp-lahm-sieht-den-frauenfußball-in-deutschland-auf-hochster-stufe-an-14183961.html
- The growing investment in women's football, as seen in Germany, is part of a larger strategy by UEFA to make the European women's game a billion-euro industry by 2030, focusing on aspects like player salaries, professional standards, and improved coaching.
- In addition to football, the German Football Association (DFB) is also planning to boost investment in health-and-wellness, specifically women's health, recognizing the athleticism and improved skills displayed by players in this sector.
- As sports-analysis technology continues to advance, it is anticipated that the data gathered from women's football, such as shooting accuracy and dribbling speed, will provide valuable insights for science and sports research.
