doragon sports

In German football, a revolution is brewing, and it wears the iron-clad red and white of 1. FC Union Berlin’s women’s team. Known as the Eisern Ladies (Iron Ladies), they have completed a breathtaking climb from the regional leagues to the top-flight Frauen-Bundesliga with back-to-back promotions. This is not just a story of sporting success; it’s the story of a unique club culture, a record-shattering fan base that redefines support, and an unshakeable ambition to challenge the very best. This is the story of how a club’s indestructible soul found its voice on the pitch, creating a roar that Germany’s elite can no longer ignore.

——————————————————————————–

1. A Club Like No Other: The Union Spirit

To understand the women’s team, one must first understand the soul of 1. FC Union Berlin. The club is defined by an identity that transcends results, where the collective comes before everything else.

• The Union Philosophy: At Union, the fan motto is “Wir gehen nicht zum Fußball, wir gehen zu Union”—”We don’t go to football, we go to Union.” This captures the essence of a culture where support is for the club itself, an unbreakable bond that makes no distinction between the men’s and women’s teams. It’s an identity forged in adversity, exemplified by the thousands of fans who famously helped rebuild their own stadium brick by brick.
• The Fortress (“Alte Försterei”): The Stadion An der Alten Försterei is more than a venue; it is the “heart of the club” and a “safe place” for its supporters. Crucially, the women’s team plays their home games in the very same stadium as the men, reinforcing their central place within the club’s identity and allowing their fan culture to flourish on the biggest possible stage.
• Club Values on the Pitch: The team’s style of play is a direct reflection of the club’s core values and the energy thundering from the stands. The fans have their own rules: “Put your phone away. And you are not allowed to leave until the team has left the pitch.” This unwavering commitment is mirrored by the players.
  • Passion and Togetherness: The club stands for “passion and togetherness,” and this unity is the foundation of the team’s success on the pitch.
  • Power and Intensity: Matching the vocal support of their fans, the team plays with immense “power and intensity,” creating a formidable presence for any opponent.
  • Fighting Spirit: After a hard-fought 1-4 loss against powerhouse VfL Wolfsburg, coach Ailien Poese summed up the team’s ethos perfectly: “We left our heart on the pitch.” That the statement came in defeat proves that total commitment is the minimum expectation, win or lose.

It is this indestructible spirit that has fueled the team’s remarkable ascent through the ranks of German football.

——————————————————————————–

2. The Meteoric Rise: From Regionalliga to Bundesliga

Just a few seasons ago, Union Berlin played in the third-tier Regionalliga. Today, they are in the top flight, a result of a deliberate and ambitious club strategy to professionalize the women’s team.

• The Turning Point: The men’s team qualifying for the Champions League in 2023 provided a significant financial boost, and the club’s leadership immediately reinvested in the women’s section. In March 2022, they began executing a clear and audacious four-step plan to transform the team from a regional competitor into a professional powerhouse.
  1. The club appointed a full-time head coach, Ailien Poese, a former player with deep roots in the club.
  2. Jennifer Zietz was brought in as the managing director for professional women’s football, providing dedicated leadership.
  3. Starting in the 2023 season, every player was given a professional contract, allowing them to focus entirely on football.
  4. In July 2024, the club opened the new Oberspree training center, providing state-of-the-art facilities for the women’s and youth teams.
• Back-to-Back Promotions: These investments yielded immediate and historic results. The team achieved consecutive promotions, culminating in their promotion to the top flight and winning the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga championship at the end of the 2024/25 season, capping their incredible run with a decisive 6-0 victory over FSV Gütersloh. For the first time in the club’s history, both the men’s and women’s teams compete in the Bundesliga together.

But their historic promotions were not achieved in a vacuum; they were amplified by a tidal wave of fan support that would shatter records and redefine expectations for the women’s game.

——————————————————————————–

3. The 12th Woman: Record-Breaking Fan Support

The story of Union Berlin’s rise is inseparable from its fans. The numbers behind their second-division campaign are not just impressive; they are a direct challenge to the established norms of women’s football attendance in Germany.

• Attendance by the Numbers: The figures speak for themselves, showcasing a level of support that is the envy of clubs across Europe.

Event	Attendance	Significance
Pre-Season Friendly vs. Real Madrid	13,213	A massive crowd for a non-competitive match.
Promotion-Clinching Match	14,047	Set a new 2. Bundesliga women’s attendance record.
Title-Winning Final Match	20,132	Shattered their own record to lift the trophy in front of a top-flight-sized crowd.
2024/25 Season Average	7,190	An average crowd larger than any team in the Frauen-Bundesliga.

• The Impact of the Crowd: Managing director Jennifer Zietz describes the atmosphere as “unique.” The fans are “crazy” and “make no distinction between the women and men.” This passionate, non-stop vocal support creates an environment that both inspires the home players and intimidates opponents, giving the Eisern Ladies a powerful advantage at the Alte Försterei.

Now, that energy is being tested against the best teams in Germany as the club navigates its debut season in the top flight.

——————————————————————————–

4. Life in the Top Flight: The 2025/26 Season

As newcomers to the Frauen-Bundesliga, Union Berlin has faced the steep learning curve of competing at the highest level, showing flashes of brilliance alongside the tough realities of elite football.

• First Taste of the Bundesliga: After 9 matchdays, the team sits in 10th place in the league, with a record of 3 wins, 1 draw, and 5 losses.
• Key Match Highlights: Two recent matches perfectly illustrate the team’s journey so far.
  • The High (5-0 vs. RB Leipzig): In a dominant performance against a fellow eastern German club, Union secured a stunning 5-0 victory. The match was a perfect showcase of the team’s potential, where their “courage and joy of playing” were on full display.
  • The Challenge (1-4 vs. VfL Wolfsburg): Facing the league runners-up, Union fell to a 1-4 defeat. However, they demonstrated their fighting spirit by taking an early lead with a spectacular goal, as Antonia-Johanna Halverkamps scored directly from a corner kick.
• Overcoming Adversity: The team’s start to the season has been complicated by a significant number of injuries, with the squad often described as “ersatzgeschwächt” (weakened by injuries). Key players including captain Tanja Pawollek, Slovenian international Korina Janez, and Belgian forward Hannah Eurlings have faced spells on the sideline, highlighting the resilience required to compete despite these challenges.

This resilience is a credit to the core group of players and leaders who are writing this new chapter for the club.

——————————————————————————–

5. Meet the Eisern Ladies: Players and Architect

The team is a blend of homegrown heroes who embody the club’s spirit and ambitious new signings who are helping to elevate its quality for the Bundesliga.

• The Heartbeat of the Club:
  • Lisa Heiseler (Captain): A true local hero, Heiseler is a Berlin native who has been with the club since she was 13. She is living her “dream” of playing in the Bundesliga with her girlhood club. A prolific goal-scorer, she was the second division’s top scorer with 22 goals.
  • Dina Orschmann: Another key Berlin native, Orschmann has been with Union for over a decade. Alongside Heiseler, she forms a potent attacking duo and is a crucial part of the team’s identity.
• The New Ambitions: The club’s summer transfer activity signaled a clear intent to compete, not just participate. The signing of Tanja Pawollek, the established captain of title-rivals Eintracht Frankfurt, was a major statement, while proven Bundesliga goal-getters like Sophie Weidauer (Werder Bremen) and Eileen Campbell (SC Freiburg) added immediate top-flight firepower.
• The Architect:
  • Ailien Poese (Head Coach): The tactical mind behind the team’s success, Poese has guided them through their back-to-back promotions. Her connection to the club is profound; she is a former Union player whose grandfather also played for the club.

With this foundation in place, the club has set its sights on an audacious future.

——————————————————————————–

6. The Future is Eisern

While survival is the immediate focus, 1. FC Union Berlin has a clear and ambitious long-term vision for its women’s team.

• Short-Term Goal: The primary objective for their debut season is to establish themselves in the Frauen-Bundesliga and avoid relegation.
• Long-Term Vision: The club is not content with just being in the top flight. As stated by managing director Jennifer Zietz, the audacious long-term goal is to “play in the Champions League” and “win the title” within four years.
• Concluding Thought: Union Berlin’s women are not just a new team in the league; they are a new standard for what a football club can be—for its players, for its fans, and for the future of the sport.