1. Fußball-Club Köln 01/07 e. V. commonly known as 1. FC Köln is the largest sports club in Cologne. The club was originally established on February 13, 1948; however, the women’s section was established on July 1, 2009, through a merger of FFC Brauweiler Pulheim 2000 with 1. FC Köln.
The club established an independent section in 2000, following the spin-off of the women’s football department from SV Grün-Weiß Brauweiler. This same club won the German Championship and the DFB Cup three times.
In 1974, Thomas Meyer founded a training group that would eventually become known as the women’s team of Grün-Weiß Brauweiler. Meyer coached this team for almost 20 years, during which they played in the Verbandsliga Mittelrhein, the highest league in Germany back then.
In 1987, the women’s football department became independent within the club, which led to their rapid rise. Between 1989 and 1991, they won the Mittelrhein Cup thrice in a row, but missed out on qualifying for the Bundesliga introduced in 1990.
In 1991, the club became the first and the only second-division team to date to win the DFB-Pokal. They had defeated the reigning German champions TSV Siegen 1-0.
On July 1, 2000, the women’s section of SV Grün-Weiß Brauweiler became FFC Pulheim.
They played in the newly created 2. Bundesliga and won the championship of the North Group and achieved promotion back to the top flight.
On April 9, 2008, the club was forced to file for insolvency due to tax demands from the tax office. On July 1, 2009, they transferred to 1. FC Köln.
Under the new identity, the team was strengthened for the 2009-10 season. In the 2014-15 season, Köln achieved their long-awaited promotion to the Frauen-Bundesliga under the new name. However, they were relegated in the same season.
The club plays their home games at the Franz-Kremer-Stadium in the RheinEnergieSportpark.
Debut in Frauen-Bundesliga:
The club originally debuted in the Frauen-Bundesliga in the 1991-92 season under their old name, SV Grün-Weiß Brauweiler.
Their debut under 1. FC Kölns name in the Frauen-Bundesliga came in the 2015-16 season.
Manager:
Britta Carlson is the current manager of the club.
Major Honours:
The club has won several major trophies, including 1 Bundesliga, 3 DFB-Pokal cups, 2 Super Cups, and a few regional titles.
Frauen-Bundesliga: 1997
2. Bundesliga: 2021 South
DFB-POKAL Frauen: 1991, 1994, 1997
Supercup: 1994, 1997
2nd Bundesliga North: 2005
2nd Bundesliga South: 2015
Record Players for the Club:
Most Appearances –
Sonja Fuss (199)
Tünde Nagy (188)
Bettina Wiegmann (179)
Sonja Bleibler (157)
Nicole Brandebusemeyer (153)
Most Goals –
Bettina Wiegmann (128)
Carmen Holinka (65)
Petra Unterbrink (62)
Patricia Menge (41)
Anja Koser (36)
Latest League Standing:
In the 2025/26 Frauen-Bundesliga season, they finished 7th on the table out of 14 teams in the league.
Next Fixtures:
Köln’s next fixtures are against 1. FSV Mainz 05, 1. FC Union Berlin, and FC Bayern Munich.
Against 1. FSV Mainz 05 – Saturday, 5th September, 2026
Against 1. FC Union Berlin – Saturday, 12th September, 2026
Against FC Bayern Munich – Saturday, 19th September, 2026
