Number of female members in soccer clubs grows strongly
There are more girls and women in soccer clubs in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern than five years ago. In 2023, the number of female members in clubs rose by 47% compared to 2018 to just under 6,100. However, the proportion of active female players among all soccer players in the state is the lowest in Germany. This is according to data from the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Football Association (LFV).
The number of active female players has grown by around six percent since 2018 and stands at 1,450 this year, the association's spokesperson and deputy managing director, Robert French, told the German Press Agency. Girls and women would thus make up almost five percent of all eligible footballers in the state.
This puts Mecklenburg-Vorpommern "in last place nationwide", said French, explaining: "Ultimately, there is also a historical dimension here." After all, the four associations immediately ahead of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are all located in eastern Germany.
However, the association spokesman also emphasized that outdated structures and a possible lack of acceptance would gradually be dismantled through a broader perception of women's and girls' soccer. "The current figures and case studies of team foundations and trial offers, which basically cover the whole of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, already give cause for hope in this respect."
One example of such a team being founded is the Hansa Rostock soccer team. The largest soccer club in the state has had a women's team and a D-junior girls' team in play since this season.
The expansion of women's soccer in Hansa Rostock is noteworthy, as they introduced a women's team and a D-junior girls' team this season. Despite Mecklenburg-Vorpommern having the lowest proportion of active female soccer players in Germany, efforts are being made to dismantle outdated structures and increase acceptance.
Source: www.dpa.com
