DENMARK Law and Practice Contributed by: Frederik Bruhn, Tim Krarup Nielsen, Robert Jønsson and Rasmus Theis Madsen, DAHL Law Firm
Recent Trends and Key Developments • Equal Pay for National Teams: In 2025, the DBU and the Players’ Association agreed to equal bonuses for the women’s and men’s teams in key areas, including Nations League and home qualification wins. The agreement reflects the rapid growth and increasing rec - ognition of women’s football in Denmark. • F.C. Copenhagen’s Women’s Team: A major milestone was F.C. Copenhagen’s formation of a women’s team for the 2024/25 sea - son. Unlike in some countries where major clubs are fast-tracked into top divisions, F.C. Copenhagen had to qualify through the exist - ing league structure, sparking debate over balancing competitive integrity with the need to accelerate the development of women’s football. This move followed UEFA’s new regulation requiring clubs participating in its tournaments to support a women’s team. • Sponsorship and Investment Growth: Danish women’s football is attracting increased com - mercial interest, with top clubs securing major sponsorships. F.C. Copenhagen’s women’s team has partnered with Carlsberg and Adi - das, while FC Midtjylland’s women’s team has secured a headline sponsorship with inter - national retailer NORMAL. These high-profile deals highlight the sport’s rising commercial appeal and expanding corporate investment. • Media Rights and Attendance: Women’s football in Denmark has gained expanded media coverage, attracting greater investment in broadcasting and sponsorship. Broadcast - ers now allocate more airtime to the women’s league, and sponsorship agreements are becoming increasingly lucrative. Although attendance figures remain lower than in men’s football, there is steady growth in stadium attendance and television viewership, further strengthening the sport’s commercial appeal.
According to the Danish League’s Tournament Rules, clubs are subject to the so-called home - grown rules, according to which clubs must include at least eight home-grown players. Four players must have been developed by the club itself and four players must have been devel - oped by another Danish club, with player devel - opment being defined as having been registered in the club for a minimum of 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21. While the Danish Anti-Discrimination Act does not necessarily prohibit home-grown player rules, any regulation that directly or indirectly disadvantages players based on their national - ity could be subject to legal scrutiny. However, as in EU law, the Danish Anti-Discrimination Act allows such indirect discrimination if it pursues a legitimate objective and is proportionate. Visa and Work Permit Requirements Athletes from EU/EEA countries and Switzerland can freely live and work in Denmark without the need for a visa or work permit. However, non- EU athletes must obtain a residence and work permit to play professionally in Denmark.
8. Women’s Sport 8.1 Women’s Sport Overview Development and Growth
Women’s sports in Denmark have seen substan - tial progress, with increased investment, pro - fessionalisation, and greater media exposure. Football has been a key driver of this growth, supported by initiatives from the DBU aimed at strengthening the women’s game. DBU has worked to enhance visibility and provide profes - sional opportunities for female athletes, contrib - uting to the sport’s growing commercial appeal.
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