As Arminia Bielefeld celebrates 50 years of women’s football, the milestone is a reminder of the power of long-term investment, vision, and belief in the women’s game. For South Africa, it also offers an inspiring example of how clubs can grow women’s football from the grassroots level. Christoph Wortmann © Getty Images Speaking in an interview, CEO Christoph Wortmann reflected on the club’s 50-year journey. “Women’s football started here 50 years ago,” he said. “That shows how deeply rooted this department is. Even back then, the club wanted to show that we stand for diversity and equal chances.” The vision was ahead of its time. At a period when equality in sport was almost non-existent, Arminia Bielefeld made a deliberate decision to invest in women’s football. Today, that vision continues to guide the club. Visibility, Sponsorship, and Progress While attendance numbers still differ between men’s and women’s teams — with around 21,000 fans attending men’s matches compared to lesser ...
For nearly two weeks, Polokwane is about to turn into the heartbeat of women’s football as the Hollywoodbets COSAFA Women’s Championship kicks off from 18 February to 1 March. Banyana Banyana The city will live and breathe football, with Old Peter Mokaba Stadium and Seshego Stadium hosting the group-stage battles before the action moves to the grand stage of the New Peter Mokaba Stadium for the semi-finals, third-place playoff and the final. This is where champions are made and rivalries are settled. Banyana Banyana COSAFA Fixtures This year’s tournament promises more than just competition — it brings global stars back home. Fans will have front-row seats to watch Malawi’s lethal forward Temwa Chawinga, who continues to shine in the NWSL with Kansas City, bringing her pace and finishing touch to the COSAFA stage. Zambia will arrive stacked with attacking power, led by Barbra Banda of Orlando Pride and Racheal Kundananji of Bay FC, two forwards who have proven they can deliver at the hi...