The World Cup bridging tournament is a German women's football tournament, which, after its first two events in 2003 and 2007, was held for the third time under the name of the Bundesliga Cup in the run-up to the 2011 Women's World Cup . Previously, the tournament took place twice during the 2003 and 2007 Women's World Cup . In 2011 the tournament bridged the time between the end of the Bundesliga season, which ended much earlier due to the World Cup (only the clubs 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and FCR 2001 Duisburg , which were represented in the UEFA Women's Champions League , remained in active play) and the start of the World Cup. Tournament.
The DFB had decided to put the Bundesliga on hold during the 2003 World Cup (September 20 to October 12) and 2007 (September 10 to 30). So that the players who do not participate in the World Cup get match practice, the DFB held a World Cup bridging tournament. The DFB had previously decided that players from the Bundesliga teams were not allowed to play in the second teams of their clubs.
In 2003, the Bundesliga season was interrupted between the 3rd matchday (August 31) and the 4th matchday (October 19), and in 2007 between the 2nd matchday (August 26) and the 3rd matchday (October 7). In 2011 the Bundesliga season ended with the last matchday on March 13th.
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In 2003 and 2007, the twelve teams were divided into three groups of four teams each according to regional criteria. Within the groups, each team played each other once. In the 2003 tournament, the two teams with the highest points and goals (regardless of their group affiliation) played the final, the third and fourth best teams the game in third place; So it went on until the game for eleventh place. In 2007 the finals were not played. Overall winner was the group winner with the highest points and goals. In 2011 the teams were divided into two regional groups of six teams each. The two group winners played a final in Ingolstadt on May 21, 2011 over the shortened playing time of two times 30 minutes.
In 2009 and 2010, further bridging tournaments were held in preparation for the respective season under the name Sommerliga West - with North Rhine-Westphalian teams from the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga (2010 also a regional league) and with SC 07 Bad Neuenahr. In 2009 the time of the European Championship and 2010 the U-20 World Championship was bridged. After a group stage with two groups each, a final four tournament took place. In 2009 FCR 2001 Duisburg won in Leverkusen 7: 6 on penalties against 1. FC Köln . The game for third place went 2-0 to Herford SV against SC 07 Bad Neuenahr. 2010 won again the FCR 2001 Duisburg, who won the final in Herford 3-0 against SC 07 Bad Neuenahr. In the game for third place, SG Essen-Schönebeck prevailed 3-0 against Bayer Leverkusen .
