Within just a few years, something has emerged at the club with the red chest ring that is virtually unrivalled in German women’s football. The women’s football department at VfB Stuttgart was only established on 1 June 2021. Four seasons later, promotion to the German top flight had already been secured. Oberliga, Regionalliga Süd, Women’s Bundesliga 2, Bundesliga: VfB overcame every challenge at the first or second attempt and were promoted three times on the trot. So the clash with FC Bayern Women at 18:00 CEST on Monday evening is more than just a typical away fixture for a newly promoted side. fcbayern.com takes a closer look at the Stuttgart women ahead of this first-ever encounter.
A young club with historical significance
VfB are certainly a relatively new Bundesliga club in women’s football – but by no means a club that has emerged onto the current scene without a solid foundation. When establishing its women’s department, the Swabians joined forces with VfB Obertürkheim, a club deeply rooted in girls’ and women’s football in the region. In the 2022/23 season, the first team began competing in the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg. The beginnings were not without their disappointments, and immediate promotion to the Regionalliga failed to materialise. After that, however, VfB developed a momentum that soon went far beyond the usual trajectory of a promotion drive. Two league titles and two Württemberg Cup victories marked the journey, accompanied by individual highlights such as Mandy Islacker’s 28 goals in the Regionalliga Süd – a league record that still stands to this day. In May this year, VfB completed their triumphant run with promotion to the top flight of German football.
A promoted side who have made no secret of their arrival
The early phase of the Bundesliga season has shown that Stuttgart are not merely riding the wave of post-promotion euphoria. After six matchdays, they've recorded two wins, two draws and two defeats. With eight points, VfB sit at the lower end of the middle of the table – precisely where the teams who must prove their worth week in, week out currently find themselves. They kicked off the campaign with a 2–1 win at Hoffenheim, followed by another victory against Hamburger SV. The newly promoted side snatched a 3–3 draw at 1. FC Nürnberg, before suffering a 2–0 defeat to VfL Wolfsburg. Then, in Bremen, Stuttgart held their own with a 1–1 draw. The most recent matchday, however, brought one of those setbacks that even a bright start cannot avoid. VfB lost 4–0 to 1. FC Union Berlin at their home ground, the GAZi-Stadion.
Nico Schneck & a team caught between two worlds
39-year-old Nico Schneck has been in the VfB dugout since the spring of 2026. He took over the side after the club parted ways with Heiko Gerber – the coach who had led the team since it first strted playing professional football and had guided it through the early stages of its promotion. Schneck, in turn, completed the transition with impeccable consistency: Stuttgart remained unbeaten in their last six league matches and secured the Bundesliga 2 title. For the native of Swabia, the leap into the top flight was by no means a journey into uncharted territory. Before his tenure in Stuttgart, he worked at SC Freiburg, amongst other clubs, and led MSV Duisburg back to the Bundesliga in 2022. His task at Stuttgart is, however, of a special nature: he must maintain the winning spirit of a side who have become accustomed to winning, whilst at the same time acclimatising them to a game where the pace is higher, the individual quality greater and every mistake is punished more ruthlessly.
Experience between the posts and in the centre
Laura Giuliani is one of those signings who particularly clearly illustrates VfB’s lofty ambitions. The Italian goalkeeper moved to Stuttgart from AC Milan, bringing with her not only the experience of numerous appearances for the national team, but also that international composure which is difficult to train for and almost impossible to simulate. In defence, former Bayern player Maximiliane Rall embodies a combination of pace and experience.
In the centre, Chantal Hagel stands out as another high-profile new signing. The Baden-Württemberg native returned to Germany from Sevilla, bringing with her not only a thorough understanding of the Bundesliga from her time at Wolfsburg, but also the ability to provide stability and organisation at the heart of the midfield. Finally, in attack, VfB have in Nicole Billa a goalscorer who has proven her quality in the Bundesliga over many years. The Austrian had a long spell at Hoffenheim; between 2024 and 2025, she played for 1. FC Köln.
A reunion with current and former Bayern players
There's also a direct link to FC Bayern: Luzie Zähringer moved to Stuttgart on a season-long loan from Munich. She was recently called up to the senior Germany side for the first time. So, for Zähringer, the match at the FC Bayern Campus will be a return to a place she knows well. She's familiar with the structures, routines and standards in Munich – and will now face the German champions with VfB. Alongside Rall and Zähringer, Dafina Redzepi – who played for the Bayern reserves between 2021 and 2024 – is another player with a Bavarian past.
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Here’s how the FCB women fared on international duty: