Frauen DFB Pokal

The DFB-Pokal Frauen is the premier knockout cup competition in German women’s football. Established in 1981 and administered by the German Football Association (DFB), it is open to all clubs from the first two domestic football league divisions, the Frauen-Bundesliga and 2. Frauen-Bundesliga.

Over 40 clubs compete in this tournament, which runs from August to May. Participation is open to teams from the previous season's Frauen-Bundesliga and 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, although not all second-division sides enter. Newly promoted clubs to the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga can also participate, along with the Regionalliga (third division) champions and regional cup winners.

If a regional cup winner qualifies for the DFB-Pokal Frauen through promotion to the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, their spot is given to the next best team from that cup tournament. Reserve teams are ineligible to enter the competition.

The tournament begins with two preliminary rounds, leading to the final 16, with all matches following a single-elimination format. Each game is played as a single leg, with extra time and penalty shootouts if required, except for the final, which goes straight to penalties if tied after 90 minutes.

Bergisch Gladbach made history in the DFB-Pokal Frauen’s early years by lifting the inaugural trophy and winning back-to-back titles the following year. Since then, 1. FFC Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg have emerged as the dominant teams, with Wolfsburg winning 10 consecutive titles from 2014 to 2024, while Frankfurt secured five straight trophies from 1998 to 2003.