One of a handful of women’s leagues around Europe to bring on a new title sponsor over the summer, the FLYERALARM Frauen-Bundesliga is still regarded as one of the premier divisions on the continent. Now into its 30th season, the question on everybody’s lips is, “Can anyone displace five-time champions VfL Wolfsburg?”

Historically, there have always been two or three teams contesting the title. Before the Wolfsburg-Bayern Munich duopoly it was independents Turbine Potsdam and FFC Frankfurt, with [now defunct] FCR Duisburg nipping at the heels of both. As the league has evolved, and after an increase in investment in and by Wolfsburg and Munich, it’s left part-time clubs unable to break back into the top two.

As both Wolfsburg and Munich have strengthened over the summer, picking up players from around the league more than looking elsewhere, it’s hard to argue that any team is poised to upset the odds.

Who to watch

UEFA’s women’s player of the year for 2018 Pernille Harder remains one of the brightest stars in the league, the Danish captain a vital component in a strong Wolfsburg team. Her partnership with Polish dynamo Ewa Pajor one of the most profitable in Europe. Yet the She Wolves’ real strength comes from its midfield, and it’s the likes of Cláudia Neto, Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir and summer signing Ingrid Syrstad Engen that will keep the team ticking over.

Having lost a large amount of their core since the end of the previous season, and seeing a managerial change, Bayern will have a job to keep up with the champions. Two players key to their charge will be summer recruits Giulia Gwinn (who has followed coach Jens Scheuer from SC Freiburg) and SGS Essen’s Linda Dallmann. Again, the midfield is likely to be key for the Bavarians this season, despite the club’s penchant for signing attackers.

From those other teams trying to upset the odds, players like Lena Lattwein (TGS Hoffenheim), Rieke Dieckmann (Potsdam), Lea Schüller (Essen), Géraldine Reuteler (Frankfurt) and Merle Frohms (Freiburg) are likely to stand out from the rest. Whether it be young German international Schüller firing in the goals for Essen, or Frohms keeping them out for SCF, there will always be plenty of interest around the league.

Frankfurt change with the times

The story for the coming season, that it will be the last year of FFC Frankfurt (seven-time league, four-time UEFA Women’s Champions League winner) before it combines with Eintracht Frankfurt. Founded in 1998, the team has done a huge amount to set the standard for what a club independent of a successful men’s team can do but after a year or two of speculation coupled with the team’s slide down the table, the deal is as good as done.

Although Frankfurt has historically been a hotbed for FBL success (with local rivals FSV Frankfurt a dominant side in the late 80s and early to mid 90s), it’s been clear for some time that FFC haven’t been able to keep up with those who can invest heavily. The merger with Eintracht (as well as a growing youth programme) will likely be the shot in the arm the Hesse team need to get back to their former glory.

The onus not just on the other clubs around the league that are affiliated with men’s clubs that run only on a part-time model but on the other four independently run teams (Essen, Potsdam, SC Sand and USV Jena) to find a way of keeping up and not falling casualty to the evolution.