FELICIA MUTTERER
“Success in sport is not only about trophies, but about who feels they belong.”
Meet Felicia Mutterer, co-founder and CEO of FC Viktoria Berlin who is part of a new generation redefining what women’s football can be. Originally from Freiburg, Felicia previously led a communications agency and worked as a sports journalist, presenter, magazine founder, and podcaster. In 2022, she and five other women took over FC Viktoria Berlin with the vision of building a new model for professional women’s sport at the intersection of business, media, and social impact.
“My journey in sports began as a sports-obsessed kid playing football with the boys in my local club up to under-16 level, while also playing a lot of tennis and earning a national C-level coaching license. Right after finishing school, I went straight into sports journalism, starting at a newspaper and then spending about 14 years with a public broadcaster as a presenter, reporter and writer. Sport has been the constant thread from my childhood on the pitch, to my professional life in the media and now in club management.”
PIVOTAL MOMENTS IN FELICIA’S SPORT JOURNEY
“There isn't just one person who changed everything for me, but a few early champions in both media and sport. At my local newspaper and during my time at DASDING (youth program of SWR public broadcaster), editors showed me that if I speak up and pitch ideas, I can shape the agenda and develop new formats – they even trusted me early on to write a profile of a women's national team player that ran in the main section, which was hugely empowering.
In sport, people like the youth coordinator at my local football club who invited me to become the first girl in the under‑8 boys' team, and my first tennis coach, who gave me enormous trust and confidence, played a pivotal role.
But so did the moment when I was no longer allowed to play with the boys because of my gender. That moment opened my eyes to the barriers girls and women still face in football – and it has never stopped driving me.
Sport has given me some of the greatest joys of my life, lifelong friendships and a deep sense of belonging.
Another experience that expanded my perspective was seeing the work of HÁWAR.help and the Scoring Girls initiative. Watching how their programs use football to create safe spaces, confidence and opportunities for girls who often face exclusion showed me how powerful sport can be as a tool for social change.
It reinforced my belief that sport is not just about performance, but about dignity, community and opening doors for those who are rarely invited onto the pitch.”
WHAT IS ALLYSHIP IN SPORT?
“For me, allyship in the sports industry means not only showing up where the big marketplace, billion‑dollar deals and packed VIP stands already are, but going where visibility, money and structures are still missing. It is about investing time, resources and reputation in women’s and other underrepresented sports, even if success and impact often take time.
True allies choose partnerships, jobs and sponsorships that help shift power and opportunity, not just maximise short‑term returns.
Allyship has a huge impact because it turns individual idealists into a collective force that can actually build change. When sponsors, clubs, teammates, media and fans actively choose to back women's and other underrepresented groups in sport, they create safer, more visible and better-resourced spaces to grow. Allies help shift who gets access to pitches, budgets and attention—not just in moments of celebration, but especially in difficult, quieter phases. Without that kind of long-term support, even the best ideas for a more inclusive sports culture often remain dreams instead of becoming reality."
ALLYSHIP IN PRACTICE AT FC VIKTORIA BERLIN WOMEN
"At FC Viktoria Berlin Women, our 279 committed network supporters, generous sponsors and strategic partners are a powerful example of effective allyship. They choose to back a women's club that is still building its structures and audience, rather than only investing where attention and revenue are already guaranteed. They contribute time, expertise and funding, and they stay when things are challenging or slow, not just when it is glamorous.
This long-term commitment helps us create real opportunities and a more equal future in football."
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE TO BELONG
"I hope my journey shows that you can change football from within by building clubs where women and other underrepresented people help shape the story. I feel very privileged to work in an environment like FC Viktoria Berlin, where we roll up our sleeves together to create a more inclusive, values-driven model for professional women's sport.
The message I want to leave behind is that success in sport is not only about trophies, but about who feels they belong, who gets a seat at the table, and how we use our platform for social change."
"Support other women genuinely and celebrate their wins. It is still harder for women in sport, who are often expected to be perfect, so be kind to yourself and forgive yourself. Be patient, but don't wait for the perfect moment: start, take responsibility, and learn along the way. Work hard and dare to be loud and visible, even when it feels unfamiliar, and keep your joy in what you do. Life is a game, and it is better when played as a team."
