- Women in men's teams: Association concludes positively
The Saxony-Anhalt Football Association (FSA) has drawn a positive conclusion from the deployment of women in men's teams. Players from rural areas have the opportunity to continue participating in organized games in their home clubs, an FSA spokesperson explained upon request. The association is not aware of any incidents related to discrimination following the first season of the pilot project.
In places like Tangermünde, Magdeburg, Gehrden, and Halle, there were men's teams in which women played. Mostly, these were teams playing at a district league level.
The FSA launched a pilot project last season, about a year ago, to deploy women in men's teams. The reason behind this is the low number of pure women's teams. There are only 21 large-field teams at the state and league level, the association reported. This also results in significant travel requirements.
Only a quarter of clubs in Germany have at least one female football team registered. Many players therefore do not have playing opportunities in their clubs. Last football season, 20 players applied to play mixed games, according to the association. Currently, there are five applications pending with the FSA.
The success of the pilot project in integrating women into men's teams has been widely acknowledged within The Community of Saxony-Anhalt football clubs. This inclusion has allowed several players from smaller towns to maintain their passion for the sport in their local men's teams.
