FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin (women)

History

The women’s side of FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin got its start in the second tier after merging with LFC Berlin, taking over that club’s spot in the 2. Bundesliga Nord for the 2013–14 season. That campaign proved tough, and they were relegated to the Regionalliga Nordost, where they have played consistently since 2014–15. A first major trophy came in 2018, when they beat Blau-Weiß 90 Berlin 4–1 to win the Berlin Cup.

In the following seasons, Viktoria pushed for the top, finishing second to 1. FC Union Berlin in 2019 and to RB Leipzig in 2020. The pandemic-hit 2020–21 season saw them chosen for promotion playoffs, but they lost to SV Henstedt-Ulzburg. They claimed the Regionalliga Nordost title in 2023, only to fall to Hamburger SV in the playoff.

That year, they also won another Berlin Cup and reached the DFB-Pokal Round of 16 for the first time. In mid-2022, the women’s section professionalized by forming a GmbH. A group of investors, organized as Sports Idols 22 GmbH, bought 75.1% of this company. That group included entrepreneur Verena Pausder, former German international Ariane Hingst, business leaders Tanja Wielgoß, Felicia Mutterer, Lisa Währer from OneFootball, and Katharina Kurz from BRŁO Craft Beer.

Additional investors were former swimmer Franziska van Almsick and comedian Carolin Kebekus. The men’s team’s GmbH, FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin Fußball GmbH, held 23.9%, while the parent club FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin e.V. kept 1%. Sports Idols 22 GmbH increased its share to 81.7% in 2024, and to 99% in October 2025 when the men’s GmbH pulled out. In May 2025, Viktoria finished top of the Regionalliga Nordost, earning promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga.