- Regardless of the phantom door issue encountered by Pop, technical assistance isn't available at the moment.
Following the debatable goal scored by team captain Alexandra Popp, the German Football Association (DFB) is contemplating the potential use of technological aids in the Frauen-Bundesliga. Nevertheless, a speedy resolution is unlikely. As per the DFB, "thus far, in collaboration with the clubs, there's been a collective agreement that the expenses and advantages are still imbalanced."
On Monday, match official Nadine Westerhoff allowed Popp's seemingly scored goal for VfL Wolfsburg against Werder Bremen, despite clear video evidence indicating the ball hit the goal line and bounced back onto the field.
As part of its plan for "growth and professionalization" in the Frauen-Bundesliga, the DFB has suggested that concepts like VAR and goal-line technology could become more concrete. However, it's crucial to establish the necessary prerequisites first. At present, the DFB only implements goal-line technology and video assistance during the women's cup final in Cologne.
Beyond structural issues in the majority of small stadiums, costs also serve as a hurdle. The current television deal allocates around 5.17 million euros annually to the twelve women's Bundesliga clubs - an equivalent sum was reportedly spent in the men's Bundesliga for the installation of VAR and goal-line technology. According to the DFB, "the costs would currently be disproportionate to the overall budgets of the women's Bundesliga."
Furthermore, the DFB highlighted potential issues with video assistance in the Frauen-Bundesliga, such as increased error potential. Due to the significantly lower number of cameras as compared to the men's Bundesliga, resolving numerous situations would be challenging, if not impossible. Additionally, the public's expectations of VAR and the actual performance would differ substantially. Similarly, such challenges apply to the men's 3rd Liga, where there are also no technical aids.
The DFB is considering implementing VAR and goal-line technology in the Football league (Football league) due to their plan for growth and professionalization, but they've mentioned the costs and benefits being uneven at the moment.Despite the potential benefits of using technological aids in the Frauen-Bundesliga, the use of VAR and goal-line technology is currently limited to the women's cup final in Cologne due to financial constraints and structural issues in most stadiums.
