Football Trailblazers Revel in Celebration: Women's Euro 2025 Hits Swiss Turf
In the picturesque town of Sion, two pioneers of women's football in Switzerland, Rosemarie Siggen and Madeleine Boll, reflect on the evolution of the sport that they both helped shape. The journey began in the late 1960s for Siggen, and even earlier for Boll, who at just 12 years old in 1965, became the first woman in Switzerland to obtain a license to play football, with FC Sion's boys' youth team.
However, her license was taken away from her just months later due to an alleged error by the club. Undeterred, Boll later played for FC Sion, one of the earliest women's football clubs in Switzerland. The mascot of the upcoming UEFA Women's Euro 2025, a Saint Bernard puppy named Maddli, is named in her honour.
The beginnings of Swiss women's football took root in Sion, where Boll played. Today, the sport has grown significantly, with over 40,000 registered women players and 134 female referees in Switzerland, according to the Swiss FA. The organisation aims to double this number by 2027.
Switzerland is currently participating in the UEFA Women's Euro 2025, which is being played across eight cities over the next month. However, their first match ended in a 2-1 loss to Norway. Despite this setback, the tournament is seen as a key moment to support women's football in Switzerland by Siggen and Boll.
The Swiss women's team is coached by Pia Sundhage and includes prominent figures such as Alisha Lehmann, a central face of Euro 2025 for Switzerland. The domestic league has been modernized and rebranded as the Women's Super League since 2020, aiming to raise the standard and visibility of the women's game in Switzerland.
Hosting the tournament for the first time is a landmark moment that is expected to boost the popularity and development of women's football in Switzerland. The final on July 27 will be held at St. Jakob-Park, the largest football stadium in Switzerland. As of 2025, UEFA has announced that 600,000 tickets have been sold for the tournament.
The Swiss FA hopes that hosting the tournament will inspire a new generation of female footballers and increase support at both grassroots and professional levels, contributing to the overall growth of women's football in Switzerland. Siggen emphasises the need for stronger support and real investment for young girls to progress in football. Boll shares this sentiment, believing that for a good Swiss team to be formed, girls need to become professional.
Looking back, both Siggen and Boll express a sense of pride in their contributions to the growth of women's football in Switzerland. Despite the challenges they faced, their passion for the sport remains undiminished, and they look forward to seeing women's football continue to thrive in the years to come.
In the spirit of inspiring a new generation, the Swiss FA aims to double the number of registered women players and female referees by 2027, igniting a brighter future for women's health through sports, such as football. Alisha Lehmann, a central figure of Euro 2025 for Switzerland, brings her invaluable expertise to the women's Super League, an aspiring domain that rebrands the domestic league, striving for greater standards and visibility in health-and-wellness initiatives, encompassing women's health.
