Kathleen Krüger appointed Hamburg's head of sport

Hamburg announced on Tuesday that Kathleen Krüger would become the club's new board member in charge of sport as of July 1.

"By appointing Kathleen Krüger, HSV (Hamburg) is securing the services of a highly respected figure who has worked at the highest international level for many years at FC Bayern München," the club said in a statement on its website.

"Over the course of 17 years, she has gained extensive experience in the sometimes emotionally charged environment of an elite club, helped shape key processes and demonstrated exceptional organisational and leadership skills."

The former midfielder has held several positions at Bayern and was most recently serving as head of organization and infrastructure at the club.

"I’m absolutely delighted by the trust that has been placed in me. It is a genuine privilege to help shape Hamburger SV, one of the biggest names in German football in such a decisive sporting role, building for the future on the sporting level," she said.

As a player, the now-40-year-old Krüger made 33 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern between 2003 and 2009.

Hamburg had been in the market for a new head of sport since former Germany striker Stefan Kuntz departed at the turn of the year amid allegations of serious misconduct – all of which he denies.

First permanent board member for sport

Krüger is not the first woman to serve on Hamburg's executive board, as Katja Kraus became the first in the Bundesliga to do so from 2003 to 2011. However, she becomes the first permanent female board member responsible for sport. Kraus also held that position on an interim basis after Dietmar Beiersdorfer left Hamburg in 2009.

At RB Leipzig, Tatjana Haenni of Switzerland has served as chairperson of the executive board since the start of 2026.

Krüger's appointment will be seen as a further step towards gender equality in German football.

Last month, Union Berlin turned to Marie-Louise Eta as interim coach for the rest of the season. In doing so, they became the first club in Europe's top five leagues to appoint a woman to the role. She got her first win as Union head coach in Sunday's 3-1 victory over Mainz.

Edited by: Jonathan Harding

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