F.C. Copenhagen Women's team to form with FC Damsø
F.C. Copenhagen and FC Damsø have entered into a cooperation agreement on a superstructure that means that an F.C. Copenhagen women's team can become a reality from 1 July 2024. The agreement still needs to be approved at a general meeting of FC Damsø at the start of the new year before it can come into force.
The cooperation agreement means that F.C. Copenhagen's women's team will take FC Damsø's place in the 2nd Division. The team will compete as F.C. Copenhagen from the 2024/25 season. FCK is establishing a women's department in a subsidiary under FCK and fully owned by FC København P/S.
Three parent clubs for the women's team
FCK Kvinder (FCK Women) will have three parent clubs: B1903, KB and Damsø. A cooperation committee will be set up between the four partners (FCK, B1903, KB and Damsø) and Damsø will also get a seat on the board of FCK Women.
The agreement only covers FCK Women. FC Damsø will not become part of FCK men's football.
FC Damsø, which was founded in 2002, is one of Copenhagen's largest women's and girls' clubs. The club has been a cooperative club with F.C. Copenhagen since January 2023.
Thoroughness and patience important aspects
The new FCK Women's team will train at Frederiksberg side by side with the men's team, while it has not yet been decided where the team will play its home games.
"It is a big and important step for the establishment of a large women's team in Copenhagen, which is one of the objectives we have in our strategy at F.C. Copenhagen," says director of F.C. Copenhagen, Jacob Lauesen.
"We are very much looking forward to developing women's and girls' football in the city and in Denmark, together with FC Damsø.
"There is no doubt that we have high goals and big ambitions for the future. But as we have always said, it is crucial for us that we are thorough and patient, so that we create a solid and strong platform for women's football at FCK and in Copenhagen.
"The goal is to bring Copenhagen together again and create the best framework for the most talented girls to develop, and for even more to start playing football."
Good dialogue with FC Damsø
FC Damsø currently compete in the second division, but the ambition is to raise the sporting level considerably in the future.
"We have had a very good dialogue with managers, staff and players at FC Damsø, and we want to protect the club and the strong culture and mentality, while at the same time we want to develop a top club," says Project Manager at FCK Women's Football, Rebecca Steele.
"Damsø are a club that have worked dedicatedly with women's and girls' football and has been at the forefront of that area for two decades. This has given the club enormous experience and know-how, which is crucial for taking the next steps. At the same time, they, like us, have an ambition to raise women's and girls' football to a new level, and we can do that together."
Anker Thisted, chairman of FC Damsø, says: "We are very excited about the prospect of the new collaboration with F.C. Copenhagen, which we see as a unique opportunity to develop women's football both at FC Damsø, in Copenhagen and across Denmark. Now our members have to make a final decision on the project, but we are very optimistic about it."
Concrete plans for talent work
In addition to the establishment of a first team, a talent department will also be created. There is dialogue with several clubs about this, and we will be able to reveal more about these plans at the beginning of the new year.
"Talent work will be a decisive piece in the development of FCK's women's football, and we also have great ambitions here with that part," adds Rebecca.
"KB and B1903 will play an important role, and F.C. Copenhagen have a talent department at an international level for men, which we want to use as a model for the future girls teams."
Great commercial demand
Before the team's first match, a number of new commercial agreements around the team will also be presented.
"Since we revealed our plans to create a women's team, there has been massive interest in being part of the project from many sporting, and not least commercial, partners. Now we can sit down with them and get the concrete agreements made. It all looks very positive," says Rebecca.
The general meeting of FC Damsø will be held on 3 January and if the cooperation agreement is adopted there, then the new company will be established.