Former Germany and Switzerland head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg will return to management with FC Zürich Frauen on 1 October 2026. The 58-year-old has signed a two-year contract running until the summer of 2028 and will succeed Renato Gligoroski.
Alessandro Mangiarratti will remain in interim charge until Voss-Tecklenburg can begin the role in October due to existing commitments.
The appointment marks her first coaching position since leaving the German national team in autumn 2023. It is also her first club role since departing FF USV Jena to take charge of Switzerland in 2012.
Appointment Snapshot
- Coach: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
- Club: FC Zürich Frauen
- Start date: 1 October 2026
- Contract: Until summer 2028
- Predecessor: Renato Gligoroski
- Interim coach: Alessandro Mangiarratti
- Previous role: Germany head coach
- Previous Swiss role: Switzerland head coach, 2012–2018
Why Switzerland Is a Logical Place to Return
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s six years with Switzerland represented one of the most important periods in the national team’s development. Appointed in 2012, she guided the country to its first Women’s World Cup and European Championship finals. Her influence also extended into the structures surrounding the team as Swiss women’s football moved towards greater professionalisation.
Returning with FC Zürich brings her back into a footballing environment she already understands, but the nature of the role will be very different. International management is built around short camps, qualification cycles and tournament preparation. Club football will require daily player development, recruitment input and continuous tactical work across an entire season. Voss-Tecklenburg has not held that type of position for 14 years.
A Return to the Club Game
Her previous club career demonstrates that this is not unfamiliar territory. Voss-Tecklenburg took charge of FCR 2001 Duisburg in 2008 and led the club to the UEFA Women’s Cup in 2009, the predecessor of the modern Women’s Champions League. She also won the DFB-Pokal twice before later coaching FF USV Jena.
Those achievements established her reputation before she moved into international football. Much has changed in the women’s club game since then. European competitions have been restructured, domestic leagues have professionalised and the demands placed on coaches have expanded significantly.
FC Zürich will be gaining a coach with major tournament and international experience, but Voss-Tecklenburg will also need to readjust to a form of management she last experienced more than a decade ago.
Her Germany Tenure Carried a High Peak
After six years with Switzerland, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg returned to her home country to lead Germany. The high point arrived at Euro 2022, where Germany reached the final and finished runners-up. Her side restored belief through an energetic tournament before losing narrowly to hosts England at Wembley.
Her tenure ended in autumn 2023. FC Zürich now offer a very different type of challenge: working away from the intense scrutiny surrounding one of the world’s most historically successful national teams and returning to the daily process of building a club side.
The two-year agreement gives both parties enough time to create something beyond an immediate change in results.
Why the Delayed Start Matters
Voss-Tecklenburg will not take charge when the season begins. Mangiarratti will continue on an interim basis until 1 October, meaning FC Zürich must navigate the opening weeks before handing the team to their permanent coach.
That arrangement creates an unusual transition. Early results and tactical decisions will belong to the interim setup, while players know a new head coach is preparing to arrive.
Clear communication will be important if Zürich are to prevent the first two months from feeling like a holding period. Once Voss-Tecklenburg takes over, she will inherit a squad already involved in competitive football rather than having a full pre-season to introduce her methods.
Experience With a Point to Prove
Voss-Tecklenburg brings one of the strongest coaching résumés available to a Swiss club. She has won a European club trophy, led two national teams and reached a European Championship final. Her 125 appearances as a Germany international also give her direct experience of elite football from both sides of the touchline.
Yet the appointment is not significant only because of what she achieved previously. The more interesting question is what she can build now.
FC Zürich have appointed a coach who helped change the direction of Swiss women’s football at national-team level. Beginning in October, she will attempt to make a similar impact through the daily work of a club.
Source: FC Zürich
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