Austria's women's football team to face Brann Bergen in Champions League play-off

Carina Wenninger sees chances

On the Vienna Austria side, the match is also being anticipated with excitement. Stefan Kenesei, coach of the Vienna Austria women's team, has released several players for the ÖFB squad. The club sees the duel as an opportunity to gain reputation on the European stage and to make its own youth programme more visible.

Brann Bergen relies on a well-established spine and home strength at the Brann Stadium. The Norwegian club has one of the best-developed women's departments in Scandinavia and foreign players with Champions League experience. This represents a high hurdle for Austria in the first leg.

Structures as a prerequisite

The ÖFB officials simultaneously emphasise the structural prerequisites that make such appearances possible in the first place. Christos Papadimitriou, women's coordinator of the Vereinigung der Fußballer (VdF), pointed to the fundamentals of professional daily life. „Professioneller Fußball beginnt unter anderem mit klaren Verträgen, pünktlichen Gehaltsauszahlungen, angemessener Ausrüstung, einer verlässlichen medizinischen Betreuung und einer Infrastruktur, die Leistung ermöglicht“, said Papadimitriou.

These framework conditions are intended to have an effect beyond the match itself. The VdF sees international appearances as a lever to permanently raise standards in domestic women's football. Should the ÖFB team clear the Bergen hurdle, it would be a further step towards establishing itself among the European elite.

Brann Bergen as a high hurdle

Within the ÖFB team, the focus is on discipline and tactical compactness. The coach and backroom staff have carried out video analysis in recent days and specifically trained set pieces. The team is travelling to Bergen early to acclimatise to the climate and pitch conditions.

For fans in Austria, the duel is a benchmark following the recent positive performances in European Championship qualifying. Should the team reach the group stage, they would face European top clubs and gain valuable match practice. The association expects strong media coverage of both legs.

Alongside the sporting task, the duel also stands as a symbol for the further development of Austrian women's football. Clubs such as Vienna Austria are investing specifically in female coaches, youth work and media appearances. The European comparison with clubs such as Brann shows what progress has already been made – and what steps still need to follow.

Papadimitriou therefore sees more than a sporting event in the match. International comparisons would increase the pressure to implement professional structures across the board, he said. The ÖFB team itself wants to provide answers with their performance on the pitch.