Bochum

Women's football in Bochum starts with TuS Harpen, which opened the city's first women's section in 1970. In 2008 Harpen began working alongside VfL Bochum; two years later the section moved across for good. The merged team took the field from 1 July 2010 under the VfL name.

Nothing about the early years suggested a quick climb, but the Regionalliga West title arrived in 2013 under Artur Matlik and carried the side into the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga. Kira Malinowski took the team back up in 2024, winning the third division a second time. The Frauen-Bundesliga has stayed out of reach.

Anneke Kraan played for Harpen before winning the World Cup in 2007, and since 2024 she has been sporting director of the women's department. Thomas Reis passed through as coach in 2011, on his way to the men's Bundesliga.

Home is the Lohrheidestadion, which holds 16,387.