Kathleen Krüger Appointed as HSV's First Female Sportvorstand Starting July 1

Hamburger SV (HSV) has confirmed the appointment of Kathleen Krüger as the club's new Sportvorstand, effective July 1, 2026. Krüger, 40, is set to become the first woman to hold a full-time Sportvorstand position in the Bundesliga. She succeeds Stefan Kuntz, who was dismissed from the role at the end of last year due to serious misconduct.

Krüger brings 17 years of extensive experience gained at FC Bayern München. Her roles there included Team Manager from 2012 to 2024 and most recently Senior Leading Expert for Sport Strategy & Development. Her background combines sports competence with strategic thinking, which impressed the HSV supervisory board led by Michael Papenfuß.

The hiring process involved a thorough selection led by personnel consultant Henrik Mook, with other candidates considered, such as Markus Krösche and Sebastian Kehl. Ultimately, Krüger's clear vision and leadership qualities set her apart.

At HSV, Krüger will have overall responsibility for the sporting operations and will collaborate closely with the club's financial head, Eric Huwer, to continue HSV's positive development. She expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, emphasizing her excitement to work with the existing team and to shape the future of one of Germany's prominent football clubs.

The supervisory board praised her exceptional organizational and leadership skills, along with her experience managing high-pressure settings. The duration of Krüger's contract has not been publicly disclosed yet.