The players’ union wanted to organize a camp for female footballers without a contract – and did not receive a single registration

The "NZZ am Sonntag" newspaper was actually planning to publish a report from Glattbrugg this week. The players' union SAFP holds its summer camp there for out-of-contract footballers, a frequently used bridging opportunity for those players who have been thrown off the transfer carousel and forgotten.

It's a contrast to excesses like João Pedro's recent move from Brighton to Chelsea for nearly 60 million Swiss francs. In Glattbrugg, some are happy if they don't fall behind on their rent.

An identical offer for female footballers was scheduled to launch on Monday. They want to be on the right side of history when it comes to equality, especially in the summer of the European Championships at home. The SAFP produced a glossy brochure and offered the same conditions as the men: daily sessions with professional coaches and meals, both free of charge. For players living more than 100 kilometers from Zurich, they also offered free accommodation.

But now the camp is canceled. For a simple reason: there weren't a single registration. In 2024, only one player had registered: Bulgarian Simona Stefanova, who then trained with the men before finding refuge at FC Thun.

The lack of interest in the camp is easily explained. There are far fewer players, especially those with professional status, and the mechanisms of the transfer market work differently. The pitches rented in Glattbrugg are only available to the SAFP during the day, which poses a problem for many female footballers because they often earn so little, even in the top league, that they can't make ends meet without a second job.

This usually means that training can only take place in the evenings. "Many women simply can't afford to use the camp," says João Paiva, who has led the men's camp for many years and is the head coach of the GC women.

Paiva, 42, points out that the league needs reforms, professionalization, and an upgrade of the infrastructure. He says: "I was also in the stadium in Basel on Wednesday. The European Championship is great, a wonderful thing. But I'm worried about whether we can carry the momentum into everyday life." The FC Basel women haven't played a single game at St. Jakob-Park this season. And that was during the European Championship season. "I fear that the European Championship will be like fireworks. It lights up the sky wonderfully brightly, we all clap enthusiastically, but in the end, nothing remains."

That would be a bleak prospect. The English women's national team is demonstrating that things can be different in Glattbrugg. The English women, based at the luxury Dolder Grand Hotel, are training at the Au sports facility, have brought their own greenkeeper, and have extensively expanded the infrastructure for the three weeks of the tournament. It's a contrasting program that could be somewhat disillusioning for players without contracts. Or inspiring.

An article from the « NZZ am Sonntag »