On an August day in 2024, 5,165 fans gathered at Vanløse Idrætspark to watch FC Copenhagen (FCK) take on B73 Slagelse in their first league match. For Denmark’s most successful men’s club, with 16 league titles, it marked the realisation of their desire to establish a women’s team, through collaboration with the existing FC Damsø, and an ambitious project with aims of having a wide-reaching impact on and off the pitch.

The 26 months since have brought a whirlwind of success, the club securing back-to-back promotions to reach the A-Liga. Now they are in the top division and “playing with the big dogs”, as their head of women’s football, Romaney Pinnock, coins it, and they must adapt to stay there.

“The plan was always to get here as soon as possible,” Pinnock says, “with a bit of breathing space in case that didn’t happen … Now we have to figure out how to establish ourselves. I think the massive opportunity here is to join something so new but under the umbrella of a very established strong brand and club. It feels as if it’s startup-like but there’s a nice safety net.”

Having the infrastructure of the wider club behind them is a positive. They have drawn on their marketing and commercial expertise to build a distinct identity for their women’s team, giving them a different kit, bringing in their own sponsors and establishing a unique matchday experience. Their most recent derby against Brøndby drew 8,047 to Parken, an A-liga record.

Secure foundations, however, take time to build. Operating in a semi-professional environment, their first season at the top has come with teething pains. They parted ways with their head coach Kasper Klarskov Nielsen after three matches and sit second from bottom after 10 fixtures. Many players continue to juggle football with work or study while trying to adapt to the physical demands of the top flight.

“It’s been tough so far,” the forward Maria Hovmark says. “It’s our first year in the league and we have to get used to that. Around 80-90% of the girls have never played in the top league so it’s a challenge … It’s also a huge challenge for the club because they’ve never been through this as well. It’s a chance for all of us and we’re slowly getting there.”

FCK’s rise is being played out in the context of a league working to establish itself. The country has produced highly technical players such as Pernille Harder, and the Danish Football Association (DBU) is trying to develop a stronger domestic game through greater investment, increased exposure and the establishment of minimum standards while also featuring in European competition. The champions, HB Køge, have returned to the main Champions League for the first time since 2022 and Brøndby will be involved in the Europa Cup last 16.

“I expected more of an egalitarian setup because of the politics of Denmark and what I’ve found is actually women’s football is still at the early stages of a journey,” says Pinnock, who is South African and was previously head of women’s football at Bristol City. “There are a few clubs who are really pushing the envelope but the majority need to lift their game. That is also an opportunity. It’s exciting to see how we can look to our neighbours and say: ‘How are they doing it?’”

FCK are operating on a different model to Køge, who have been able to invest immediately on the pitch. FCK’s longer-term ambition is to challenge for trophies, compete in Europe and become players in the global transfer market. They also want to develop homegrown players who regard staying in Denmark as an attractive option, while bringing experienced talent, such as Hovmark, back home.

“The league is going more professional in terms of some teams being more full-time now,” Hovmark says. “It is getting more serious and I think that attracts people. That also brings the level higher.”

The wider societal impact the club can have is key for FCK. Their “Hall of Femmes” campaign with their main partner, Andel, gives young female footballers the opportunity to be featured on banners at Parken and offers two annual scholarships for players aged 14-19. FCK are also testing an academy model in which girls and boys train together according to their age, ability and development needs rather than by gender.

For now, the priority is to ensure they remain an A-Liga side. The club, however, have an eye on on-field success and patience will not last for ever. “We’re going to get a grace period of two or three seasons,” Pinnock says. “Then we’ve really got to embrace the FCK model, which is that we’ve got to be winners and we’ve got to head for the top.”

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