Inside the game changers from FC Viktoria Berlin

In southwest Berlin, rain cascades down on Sunday morning.

Three hours before the kick-off between the top teams in the Regionalliga Nordost, the third-tier German league, the scene at Stadion Lichterfelde bustles with activity. Despite the downpour, anticipation mounts as FC Viktoria Berlin squares off against 1. FC Union Berlin, with record attendance expected.

Even before entering Stadion Lichterfelde, its distinctive entrance commands attention. A round staircase tower divides the structure, leading to numerous training pitches on the left and the grandstand on the right, concealing the football stadium beyond.

Stadion Lichterfelde serves as the home ground for FC Viktoria Berlin.
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Building on a long club history, born from the merger of BFC Viktoria 89 Berlin and Lichterfelder FC Berlin, the women’s division witnessed a pivotal moment in 2022, six new owners took charge of the first women’s team, signaling a shift towards promoting women's football in a city long associated with its male-dominated counterpart.

Since July 2022, the all-female founders have spearheaded FC Viktoria Berlin's women's team. They operate like a football startup, aiming not only for on-field success but also to foster a sustainable and socially equal engaged movement.

This ethos was palpable this Sunday as volunteers, clad in jackets emblazoned with "Game Changer," buzzed around the stadium. The words are more than just the club's slogan—they represent a belief in change, a willingness and courage to challenge the status quo in women's football.

The difference in approach of the league’s two top teams is also evident when the teams arrive. A large bus with "Eisern Union" written in bold red and white pulls into the parking lot. The visiting players and staff step out of the bus while the staff continues to haul out one material box after another as if the entire bus had been packed with them.

Shortly after, two sponsored cars roll onto the blue running track surrounding the football pitch and park behind the goals, whose nets also bear the words Game Changer. Eight FC Viktoria Berlin players step out of them, all high-fiving and hugging each other. Unlike the visiting team, the home team doesn't have such a large staff; instead, there's a strong sense of community, with everyone actively involved in setting up merchandise, beer, and hotdog stalls while fans gradually begin to arrive.
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At FC Viktoria Berlin, there's a collective effort from all involved.

More and more fans arrive, and while most seek shelter in the stalls from the rain hanging over Berlin this Sunday, a small handful immediately start hanging both blue, white, and rainbow-colored banners and flags on the poles in the front row directly behind the home team’s bench.

At the opposite end of the stand, which is the only seating section at Stadion Lichterfelde, the red-and-white Union fans are seen adorning their stand with flags and colors. After some initial difficulties, they finally manage to set up their drum, greeted by cheers and chants.

"It's just like a family gathering," says Jule, a fan of FC Viktoria Berlin, on the stand. She’s been following the team since its new establishment in 2022. Jule has always followed women's football closely, but it wasn't until 2022 that she found a favorite team in FC Viktoria Berlin. She also volunteers at the club, where she helps wherever needed. As a volunteer, she has handled everything from ticket sales to setting up stalls and distributing flyers for home games.

"Every other Sunday, I’m meeting my friends here. It's outstanding with the all-female founders and the fan scene, which quickly developed. It’s a very friendly environment here, and it’s just like hanging out with all your friends."

"The atmosphere is very good. The food is good, and the merchandise is beautiful. It's just fun being here and meeting all the people," says Jules as she greets the fans filling up Stadion Lichterfelde.

This season's major rival is today's guests from Union Berlin from the city's southeast end. Thanks to their men's Champions League group stage participation this season, the club has invested massively in the women's division. New players have arrived, and the club is leading the league. In second place follows FC Viktoria Berlin, who before this 15th matchday had six points up to the first place. Next to twelve wins, two defeats have been suffered in the league, where, among other things, valuable points have been lost to the West Berlin local rivals from Hertha Berlin and, of all things, to Union Berlin in the first leg.
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As expected, the red-clad away team from Union Berlin dominates from the start of the match. The home team creates a few chances, but unfortunately for them, it never becomes truly dangerous. However, the danger does come at the other end, where Union Berlin goes into halftime with a 1-0 lead after a headed goal thirty minutes into the game.

The second half is only seven minutes old when a strong shot of the visitors finds the back of the net again behind an FC Viktoria Berlin goalkeeper with no chance.

With about fifteen minutes remaining, the away team earns another corner kick. Here, a Union Berlin player rises at the far post and heads the ball in to secure today's result of 3-0 to the away team, consolidating themselves solely at the top of the league table.

The story of FC Viktoria Berlin

After the defeat to Union Berlin, Lisa Währer recounts how she became a part of FC Viktoria Berlin in the nearby clubhouse. Next to Ariane Hingst, Felicia Mutterer, Katharina Kurz, Tanja Wielgoß, and Verena Pausder, she is one of the six co-founders.

During the pandemic, she contacted the Berlin brew house BRLO Craft Beer to host an online beer-tasting event with her then-employer. There, she connected with Katharina Kurz, co-founder of BRLO Craft Beer. They agreed on the event, but during the conversation, Katharina Kurz asked if Lisa Währer would like to hear more about a new football project brewing in the German capital.

German journalist Felicia Mutterer had closely followed the buildup of Angel City FC in Los Angeles. In 2020, a group of Hollywood stars and former US national team players announced the launch of the club to spotlight women's football in the city on the US West Coast.

Shouldn't a similar initiative be undertaken in the German capital, thought female football enthusiasts Felicia Mutterer and Katharina Kurz. So, they contacted Währer, who could contribute her vast experience in branding and marketing. Previously employed by the former Bundesliga giant Hamburger SV, she had also handled communications marketing for various agencies before joining the world’s largest football platform OneFootball, as the brand marketing lead.

"I thought it was an amazing opportunity, and they had made a great plan," Währer recalls her entry into FC Viktoria Berlin, where she is both co-founder and managing director.

Looking around the club's social media, it's evident that the branding aspect of FC Viktoria Berlin plays a significant role, something that the founders highly value. Währer emphasizes the importance of having a strong brand identity and successful performance on the field, as these elements complement each other.

"You can have the coolest brand in football, but if you fail on the pitch, it's really hard to keep that momentum and the audience entertained. On the other hand, it's also very difficult if you have success on the pitch but don't have a successful brand. It’s highly connected."

They won the league in the club's first season under the new founders. However, in the promotion playoff matches, Währer's former employer, Hamburger SV, defeated them. This season, Union Berlin has pulled ahead at the top and is poised for promotion, while FC Viktoria Berlin lags behind in second place with no chance of promotion this season.

After the match, the players arrive in the clubhouse for a late lunch after speaking up with fans, friends, and family. The fatigue from the match still hangs in the air, but despite the disappointing end to the match, there are smiles and small talk among the players.

Amidst the team’s lunch, nobody takes the defeat unusually hard. In fact, there's a birthday celebration for one of the club's fans who has rented the clubhouse's upper floor for the festive occasion. Loud birthday music blares from the speakers, and despite a deserved defeat to the club from the eastern part of the city, there are no angry faces.

This atmosphere in the clubhouse at Stadion Lichterfelde is a crucial part of FC Viktoria Berlin's DNA, demonstrating the close bond between players, fans, and the club as a whole.

Not all clubs have players and birthday-celebrating fans sharing the same lunch, but FC Viktoria Berlin does things a little differently, as Währer underscores.

"We have this family aspect, and we really want to be different from the normal matchday. We want to create a safe, open space for everyone to have fun and enjoy a nice Sunday."

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"The prospect of creating something substantial in Berlin, my hometown, excited me”

Simultaneously with Währer's involvement in the FC Viktoria Berlin project, a big football name was brought in to help with the sporting facets.

With an active career that included multiple World and European championships with Germany’s national team, former national player Ariane Hingst was an obvious candidate to be brought into the inner circle to manage the sporting aspect of the project. With an impressive career spanning several seasons in both European and Australian football, Hingst was now ready to contribute to bringing a spotlight on women's football in her hometown, where she never had the opportunity to play professionally. She didn't need many days to be persuaded about the new football project in Berlin.

"The prospect of creating something substantial in Berlin, my hometown, excited me. Having never had the opportunity to play professionally in my own country, I saw the potential to fill a void in Berlin, especially considering its status as a capital city. That's how it all began."

In 2022, the new founders set some goals, including two promotions to get the club to the Bundesliga within the first five years. Another goal is for the club to attract more eyes on women in sports. The German football world faces a challenge that FC Viktoria Berlin is determined to tackle.

Traditional teams rely on their heritage, but this formula doesn't always favor inclusion and the advancement of female teams. Their performance is often overshadowed by their male colleagues. Therefore, as Währer explains, it was crucial for the female team to develop a strong brand and create visually appealing merchandise that embodies its values from the outset.

According to Hingst, one of the reasons she joined FC Viktoria Berlin is the development that women's football is experiencing these days. The attendance figures in the third-tier German league reveal that more and more fans have been flocking to matches in recent years. Just a few years ago, there were 50-100 spectators, whereas several clubs attracted over 1000 fans to matches today.

“Everyone who watches us or women's sports for the first time says it's different. They only know the men's world. And obviously, it's different from that. Here, many families come, and it has a friendly atmosphere. We have both young fans, but we also see many elderly supporters. It’s just a great mix,” the two-time World Cup winner with Germany in 2003 and 2007 expresses.

Rooting for equal play, not equal pay

The club refers to itself as a "Game Changer," which is evident not only on the volunteers' jackets at the stadium but also on the club's website. Here, it describes how they are fighting to spotlight women's football and usher in a new era for the sport.

Despite both Hingst, owing to her active playing career, and Währer's previous work with Hamburger SV, none of the six co-founders have experience managing a football club. Therefore, they are trying new approaches, believing that the current methods of operating women's football clubs are not optimal.

“We operate as a startup, so we’re not like the typical club. We come with a really fresh mind, and it’s all about changing the game for women and giving them the awareness they deserve. It’s also about changing how football works because women’s football is not where it should be right now. We’re always rooting for equal play, not equal pay when it comes to men’s football. That's very important. We want to change how things work and challenge the way football has always been,” says Währer.

In the last two years,  more investors have joined the club. Overall, over 180 investors have committed and are building a strong network around the team. The club's inspiration comes from actress Natalie Portman, venture capitalist Kara Nortman, entrepreneur Julie Uhrman, and venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian’s project at Angels City FC. Many investors, not just venture capitalists, have bought into the club.

Thanks to a broad network due to the six co-founders' different careers, they have built a large pool of investors. Over 70% of the investors are female, which is unique in today's football business. Additionally, many investors attend the club's matches because they are drawn to the movement and not solely for financial gain.

“Having a lot of different investors helps build and grow the community around the club,” says Währer before explaining how they operate with investors.

“We don’t have one big investor because we want to do our own things. We agreed to give smaller tickets away to become an investor. This was to private people and not venture capitalists or agencies or anything like that. Just private people who are inspired by changing women's football and the community. We’re telling them that this is not the classic investment where you get your money back twice or four times. It’s more of an emotional investment.”

Investing in football has long been making headlines in German football. In German football, the 50+1 rule ensures that the members own at least half (50%) plus one club share. This means that the majority control of every football club remains with its members rather than external investors.

“If you say the word investors in Germany's men's football industry right now, you probably get punched in the face. But there's also the difference right now in women's football. It's not badly perceived because many people know it needs this investment to take the next step,” says Währer.

Aiming for the Bundesliga 

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Two days before the important match against Union Berlin, at the club office near Stadion Lichterfelde, Hingst explains that the club also aims to serve as a role model for other clubs, sports, and young girls aspiring to a football career.

“Everybody is saying that if you don’t have a strong men’s team, the women’s team will not survive. And we are here to say no. There are different options. Of course, it’s harder, but that’s also why we see ourselves as role models for different sports. We just try to do things differently,” expresses Hingst and continues.

“Our goal is still to play in the Bundesliga. Obviously, it's an ambitious goal. We've built an amazing brand, but there's pressure now because it's not just about the brand; it's also about achieving sporting success. The pressure is on for next season to really make it to the second league. But if we don't make it, we must reevaluate again and say, okay, what are the chances?” 

German women's football is developing significantly, with more clubs investing. Most recently, opponents from Union Berlin have been advancing through the ranks.

“We didn't expect women's soccer to grow at such a high speed. I'm happy that it does so. But also that gives us a bigger challenge. I'm slightly concerned that the gap between the first and second leagues is growing even higher. There is already a big difference, and I just hope it's not growing any bigger and that it's hard to make it to the Bundesliga.”

“Have you ever heard of a soccer club that is run by six females?”

In exploring what makes FC Viktoria Berlin unique, Hingst points to the club's pioneering approach to women's soccer management.

"I mean, have you ever heard of a soccer club that is run by six females?" she asks rhetorically, highlighting the club's standout feature. The structure, shaped by the founders and investors, emphasizes community, equal opportunities, and innovation.

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The club's payment structure reflects its philosophy. In the first year, all players received identical contracts for the first time. However, recognizing the need for performance-based incentives, they devised a tiered payment system based on player groups. Unlike typical arrangements involving agents, which can lead to unequal compensation, FC Viktoria Berlin has opted for transparent ABC categories, with players in each group receiving the same salary.

This commitment to fairness extends beyond the players' contracts. The club actively seeks innovative partnerships, such as bringing sponsors to broadcast live matches.

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“Veo helps us greatly”

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In the summer of 2023, Veo and FC Viktoria Berlin announced a partnership, which means the club will record all matches using Veo's AI cameras. Lisa Währer reflects on the instrumental role of Veo, one of FC Viktoria Berlin's earliest partners.

"I think Veo was one of our first partners. It helped us greatly because we only had the basics when we started. We had a team and a coach but no specific training and the players weren’t paid.”

She underscores the importance of infrastructure development in the club's initial stages, highlighting the significance of filming matches and training sessions. Währer emphasizes that having the ability to show players footage of their performances is pivotal in player development, enabling coaches to provide tangible feedback for improvement.

"For us, it was very essential to have that partner and have that possibility from the beginning to develop the players. That was also something we always said; we don't want to come to the club, throw the whole team out, and bring in 25 new players. But it was more about improving the infrastructure to help these women take significant steps forward."

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The crucial aspect of video feedback

Robin Renganathan is preparing for tonight's training session at the sports facility on Osdorfer Strasse, just south of Stadion Lichterfelde. 

The 29-year-old assistant coach has been responsible for video analysis for the past two years while also studying sports management. After each weekend, he prepares a presentation for the team’s video session with scenes from the last game.

It’s safe to say that Renganathan is a pretty busy man. In addition to the analysis session, the club trains on the field three times a week. During the analysis session, there is a collective video review for the entire team, and each player also receives highlights to analyze individually. And the analysis has an impact.

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“I can confidently say that players have changed something about how they play because of our Veo recordings," Renganathan says while unpacking the training gear, which will soon be taken out onto the training field.

“The more we engage in the analysis, the more impact it has,” he starts. “Yesterday, I had a conversation with a player, and I explained to her that she should try to be more courageous when playing in defense, taking the ball forward on the left side and playing more aggressively. I said, ‘Hey, do you remember the video from last week?’ We focused on a scene where a lot of play was happening on one side. Bringing her back to it helped her remember the scene and see where to improve. This direct feedback is crucial for player development.”

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During matches, the assistant coach utilizes the uploaded footage to select and edit highlights for video sessions. He's particularly enthusiastic about using the Instant Playback feature to review critical moments in real time and discuss them with the coaching staff during halftime.

"When a critical moment occurs, I can immediately review it and discuss it with the coaching staff. This allows us to address key points during halftime discussions, providing valuable insights to the players,” he explains in the locker room shortly before training begins.

One of the challenges that he identifies for FC Viktoria Berlin is the variability in training locations, which sets them apart from other teams. This evening, the club is training at Osdorfer Strasse, but it's not always the case. In fact, they train at up to four or five different locations around the southern part of Berlin."We adapt to the circumstances. Sometimes, we train once here, once there, and we have to wait until the evening to see if we're allowed to be on the pitch because of the weather, if the men trained before us, or something like that. They're saving the grass for the weekend to have a better pitch, or sometimes we must change again and move to another pitch within the compound."

The Mexican rolemodel

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"I wanted to challenge myself and not just stay in the Mexican League," says 20-year-old Carol Cázares at Schnelligkeitszentrum Berlin, where the team has their Monday recovery training after the Union Berlin game.

Inside the spacious athletic hall, the FC Viktoria Berlin players are engaged in various exercises, including strength training, stretching, and conditioning. Those who played the most minutes in yesterday's match gather for lighter training. The atmosphere is focused and determined, with athletes diligently working to improve their skills and fitness levels.

The Mexican defender has been in Berlin for a year, playing as the team's right back while also studying sports management at the University of Europe.

"Today, I had lectures from 8:30 until 1:30. Tomorrow, I have a full day at the university, which ends at 6:45 in the evening, but I've arranged with the teacher to attend an earlier lecture because we have a video session around 7. Otherwise, I can't make it to training," says the Mexican youth national team player, who represented her country at the 2022 U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica.

In Mexico, she played for the top-tier club Tigres. However, seeking a new challenge, Carol looked towards Germany, where her siblings were already studying. After trying out with a few clubs, FC Viktoria Berlin signed the talented defender.

Finding teammates was not always easy when Cázares began her career in Mexico. There were no girls' teams then, so she played with boys at school and on their teams.

“Right now in Viktoria Berlin, there are teams for girls to play, which is amazing. My day-to-day action is to be a role model for young girls who aspire to be professional footballers. It’s an honor to be part of this and see it grow. It's amazing.”

Here at FC Viktoria Berlin, the Mexican player has truly settled in and feels at home among her teammates and staff despite being far away from home.

“I would describe the club as one that takes care of its players,” she says before mentioning the team dinner after each match, which she greatly values.

“We can talk about anything. We discuss the match or what we will do in the evening or during the week. I think it's really nice to have that feeling of family. There’s a long way to Mexico, so having a family dinner after a match feels great instead of just going back to my flat and eating dinner alone.”

Cázares’ family – father, mother, brother, and sister – are also at Stadion Lichterfelde for the match against Union Berlin. Her father is in the stands, with a large Mexican flag on his shoulders, eagerly following the match. He does the same in Mexico when he's not visiting Berlin. After each match, she sends him the Veo recording link, and together, they review the match, identifying areas for improvement.

“I use Veo to assess my decisions and see if they were right or if I could have made better choices,” she explains, recalling an example from a previous match.

“I received a ball in the middle and thought I didn't have enough space or time to take a touch and then shoot. But then, in the video, I saw that I had more time and space to take even two touches before shooting. You think you don't have enough space, but then you see it in the video and realize you have more space and time.”

Reflecting on the value of video analysis, Cázares adds, “On the field, your vision is limited. You can't see all your teammates' runs or the passing options available. The camera offers a broader view, making it easier to identify these aspects. It's a valuable learning tool that informs my decisions in future matches based on what I observe in the recordings.”

A breath of fresh air

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In the stands of Stadion Lichterfelde, Danya Barsalona is watching the match between FC Viktoria Berlin and Union Berlin. Two days before the match, she sustained an injury during the final training session and, unfortunately, has to sit out today's top clash. The 36-year-old Canadian has otherwise been a regular player for FC Viktoria Berlin and, with a long international career, is one of the more experienced players among the Sky Blues.

She has been with the club since 2018, when she transferred from Union Berlin. At the same time, she took on a job as a reporter at the German media broadcaster Deutsche Welle and had to consider what the future would hold for her.

“I played for Union Berlin, and then I got a fantastic job opportunity that I just couldn't pass up. I then had to ask myself a few questions. What do you want to do in the future? As a women’s footballer, you will have to work. Hopefully, one day, you get to the point where you can play football for a few years and then retire. But right now, that’s not the case. So I evaluated and thought, ‘OK, now might be the time to focus on the career side of things.’ And then FC Viktoria Berlin was the opportunity to still play football at a high level without sacrificing the rest of my life.”

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In addition to being able to merge her professional life with her football career, Barsalona has found FC Viktoria Berlin to be a club that challenges traditional norms for women in football.

"Women can sometimes feel like they are trespassing in an area that's not theirs," Barsalona says and continues: “Viktoria Berlin is a breath of fresh air in that sense. It's a club that kind of challenges the normal rules for women and football. The fact that it's female-led, the fact that it's a club that is not second to the men's team, even though we also have a very good men's team. It's also a safe space for a lot of people. It's oriented toward strong values like family, acceptance, and tolerance of diversity. So it's more than a team.”

When the conversation turns to the development of technology in football, Barsalona begins to laugh.

"My God, at the beginning, people had camcorders and would try to stand as high as they could and videotape the match. Sometimes, it worked, but often it didn’t. You had to remember what happened on the pitch. Maybe the coach would draw it on the board. But as a player, how you see or remember the action is not often exactly what happens," recalls the player, who was born and raised in Canada to Italian parents.

Therefore, she is also delighted that the club has Veo cameras on the sidelines, as this technology contributes to the advancement of women's football.

"Technology in football is very important because it helps move the game forward," says Barsalona and elaborates.

“It helps move the game to a higher level, into a more effective level, and into a better place. And it's super important. You can see the results of technology like Veo in improving women's football. I'm not saying that it's just because of technology, but if you can learn more about your opponent, you can learn more about your team, tactics, shape, and how to move. Of course, the quality will then improve.”

Barsalona herself also does a lot to improve the sport for young girls. Earlier this year, she was in Kosovo with the UN as part of their campaign against gender-based violence. Here, they used football as a tool to empower young girls through the sport.

“When you play a sport, you feel good about yourself. When you feel good about yourself, you have confidence. And when you have confidence in yourself, it is contagious and seeps into other aspects of your life. And we try to give that to these young girls so they can grow up with that and open doors for them. Maybe you don't become a professional because most people who play don't become professionals, but you learn so much that you can take those skills and translate them into your life.” 

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The football future in Berlin

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At the clubhouse, co-founder Währer discusses German women's football and its development. She acknowledges the efforts made to market the Women’s Bundesliga better, including securing major sponsorship deals like the one launched last year with Google Pixel. Despite these advancements, she observes a sentiment of frustration among enthusiasts who envision greater strides and a more expansive vision for the women's game.
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When questioned about the clubs’ role in shaping the future of German women's football, Währer emphasizes their innovative approach.

"We aim to challenge conventions and inspire other clubs to think outside the box," she elaborates. "Our goal isn't to replicate our model but to encourage others to adopt new strategies and push boundaries."

Währer positions FC Viktoria Berlin as a catalyst for change, advocating for reevaluating norms and regulations within women's football.

"Through our success and growing fan base, we hope to influence broader perceptions and support for women's football in Berlin and beyond," she concludes, reflecting the club's ambition to drive meaningful transformation within the sport.

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Everything is growing in women’s football

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On the way to the training pitch, Renganathan highlights the notable impact of FC Viktoria Berlin within Germany.

"Anyone who has been in Germany has heard of Viktoria Berlin, even if they haven't delved deeply into it. The club's presence is significant," Renganathan explains. "The impact within Berlin is tangible. You can see the progress made by all the women's teams from last year to this year. Clubs are stepping up their game, focusing on improving their women's departments with better coaches and increased exposure through social media."

Renganathan emphasizes the visible change in attendance and fan engagement at women's games in Berlin over the past year. "The transformation is substantial," he notes. "FC Viktoria has played a pivotal role in driving this change. Additionally, Hertha Berlin has professionalized their women's setup since last year and is now actively competing."

Looking beyond the top clubs, Renganathan finds excitement in the progress of other Berlin-based teams. "Clubs like Türkiyemspor, SV Neuendorf, and FC Internationale are making steady strides," he remarks. "They possess unique qualities, such as a youthful squad or a dedicated fan base, that set them apart and allow them to establish a strong identity around women's football, distinct from their men's teams."

Adding to the conversation, Barsalona highlights the significant growth of women's football in viewership and on-field quality.

"If you look at the sheer numbers of women's football right now, it's on such an upward trajectory," Barsalona notes. "From viewership to metrics like the number of passes completed per match, everything is growing."

She emphasizes the importance of normalizing girls and boys playing football from a young age. "It's vital that young kids see it as completely normal for both girls and boys to play football," she explains. "As these kids grow up, societal attitudes begin to shift. We're seeing changes now, and I hope they continue, where it becomes completely ordinary for women players to be professional athletes, earning a living from their sport without any hesitation."

Back at Stadion Lichterfelde, the stands gradually empty out as families and fans make their way home. The pink-clad "Game changers" volunteers tidy the area, picking up stray items left behind. The lively beat of music fills the air inside the clubhouse, creating a relaxed atmosphere for the players as they savor their post-match lunch.

Before calling it a day, Jule plans to swing by the clubhouse to catch up with everyone before heading home.

“It’s really what football is all about, right? Being a big family for one day,” she ends.


Photo credits: Kai Heuser and Christian Schneider