 | |||
| Founded | 2017; 8 years ago (2017) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld | ||
| Capacity | 15,000 | ||
| Chairman | Ralf Schmidt-Röh | ||
| Manager | Christopher Heck | ||
| League | Frauen-Bundesliga | ||
| 2024–25 | 11th of 12 | ||
FC Carl Zeiss Jena is a Germanwomen's football club fromJena,Thuringia. The club currently plays in theBundesliga, the highest level of women's football in Germany. It is part of theFC Carl Zeiss Jena club.
Carl Zeiss Jena played regional women's football since 2016–17 but became more prominent, when it merged withFF USV Jena in 2020.
The roots of women’s football in Jena date back to the days ofEast Germany, where USV Jena (then HSG Uni Jena) became theRegionalliga Nordost champion in 1991, earning promotion to the unified Frauen-Bundesliga in1991–92. However, the team was immediately relegated. After several years in the lower tiers, the club resurged in the early 2000s.
In 2003, the women's football section split from USV Jena to form FF USV Jena.[1] That same year, the team won the Regionalliga Nordost but narrowly missed promotion. In 2004, they qualified for the newly created2. Bundesliga and quickly established themselves as contenders. After finishing runners-up in2006–07, they won the southern division title in2007–08 and earned promotion to the Bundesliga.[2]
FF USV Jena enjoyed its greatest success in 2010 when it reached the final of theDFB-Pokal, narrowly losing 1–0 toFCR 2001 Duisburg.[3] The club maintained its Bundesliga status for a decade before being relegated at the end of the2017–18 season.
In the2018–19 season, Jena finished fourth in the 2. Bundesliga, but with higher-ranked reserve teams ineligible for promotion, FF USV was promoted back to the top flight. Financial struggles followed, with reports indicating a budget shortfall in 2018, prompting fan-led fundraising efforts.[2] Amid ongoing financial difficulties and organizational shifts, the club announced in May 2020 that all women's teams and competition licenses would be transferred to FC Carl Zeiss Jena, effective July 1, 2020. This marked the end of FF USV Jena as an independent club.[4]
Carl Zeiss Jena had already entered women's football in 2017 by taking over USV Jena's third team, which competed in the Thüringenliga and won promotion in its third season.[5] Following financial challenges and relegation in 2018, FF USV Jena formally merged with FC Carl Zeiss Jena on 1 July 2020, transferring all teams and playing rights.[6]
In the2020–21 season, Carl Zeiss Jena competed in the 2. Bundesliga Nord under coach Anne Pochert and achieved immediate promotion to the Frauen-Bundesliga.[7] However, the2021–22 campaign ended with relegation after the team finished last. Following this, the club restructured its women's department, appointing Isabelle Knipp as sporting director and hiring former FF USV Jena manager Steffen Beck as head coach.[8] In2023–24, the club finished runners-up in the second division, securing promotion back to the Bundesliga.[9]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Coaching staff | |
|---|---|
 Florian Kästner | Head coach |
| Matthias Buszkowiak | Assistant coach |
| Luis Urbig | Goalkeeping coach |
| Mikkeline Braun | Fitness coach |
Anna BlässeGriseldis MeißnerJana BurmeisterKathleen RadtkeKathrin LängertMelanie GrollSteffi ScheitlerSusann UtesSylvia ArnoldTessa RinkesCarolin SchieweIvonne HartmannSabrina Schmutzler
Doreen MeierHeidi VaterPetra Weschenfelder
Nike Winter
Carol Carioca
Crystelle-Ida Ngnipoho-Pokam
Amelia PietrangeloErin McLeodShannon WoellerTiffany Cameron
Iva Landeka
Genoveva Añonma
Adjoa Bayor
Mirte Roelvink
Aimee PhillipsAmber HearnRia PercivalAbby Erceg
Dolores SilvaLaura Luís
Jackie Cruz
Fata Salkunič
Stenia MichelLara Keller
Hannah KeaneHeidi VaterMartina Voss-TecklenburgHugo WeschenfelderThorsten ZaunmüllerDaniel KrausKatja GreulichSteffen Beck
