Borussia Dortmund Women Plot 2. Bundesliga Promotion with High-Profile Signings

Borussia Dortmund’s women’s team, currently in a pre-season training camp in Austria, is gearing up for a push to the 2. Bundesliga after narrowly missing promotion last season. Finishing two points off the top with a +101 goal difference, the team has made significant offseason moves, including the signings of Austria goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger from Arsenal and German legend Alexandra Popp.

Managing Director Svenja Schlenker highlighted the team’s ambitions, citing the arrivals of Zinsberger and Popp, alongside new Sporting Director Ralf Kellermann, as key to their strategy. Zinsberger, who made a surprising move from Arsenal, attributed her decision to family reasons, conversations with Schlenker, and the desire to challenge herself in a new environment. She praised the club’s vision, infrastructure, and commitment to women’s football, noting the high standards already in place for a third-division team.

Schlenker emphasized the club’s wide-ranging ambitions, including the construction of a dedicated training facility next to the men’s campus, aiming to create a “great second home” for players. Zinsberger supported this initiative, stressing the importance of proper infrastructure for future generations.

While acknowledging the financial investments required, Schlenker focused on the immediate goal of promotion, recognizing the broader impact success could have on women’s football in Germany, where no team has won the Champions League since 2015. Zinsberger echoed this, highlighting the need for hard work to achieve their goals and acknowledging the current gap behind England in women’s football development.

The team’s strategy and high-profile additions signal a determined push for the 2. Bundesliga, with eyes on eventually competing with top-tier teams like Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg, and Eintracht Frankfurt.