Borussia Dortmund's women's team, currently a third-tier side, have signed high-profile names Manuela Zinsberger and Alexandra Popp as part of an ambitious push to reach the 2. Bundesliga after narrowly missing promotion last season. The move underlines the scale of Dortmund's ambitions to eventually challenge established German women's football powers such as Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, and reflects a broader effort to strengthen German women's football, which has not produced a Champions League winner since 2015.

Dortmund missed out on promotion last season despite finishing with a goal difference of +101, ending two points off top spot and a playoff place. Austria goalkeeper Zinsberger, who previously played for Bayern Munich and Arsenal, has joined alongside Germany international Popp, while former Wolfsburg sporting director Ralf Kellermann has also taken up the same role at the club. Managing director Svenja Schlenker acknowledged the project will require significant investment, noting the club started life in the seventh tier of German football and still has ground to make up on rivals in England and elsewhere.