Training, testing, developing — Women's football enjoys home advantage in Magglingen
Before the start of the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 in Switzerland, the Swiss women's national team stayed at the National Sports Centre Magglingen (SCM) for one week. The Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen (SFISM) and the Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO) provide ideal conditions for elite sport that includes professional infrastructure, medical care and academic support – all in one place.
Around 55 players, coaches, and staff stayed at the SCM for a week to train for the EURO 2025, taking advantage of the wide range of services FOSPO has to offer. The facilities and services at the SCM and the SFISM, which include individual performance tests and medical check-ups, provide a professional environment for training and recovery.
The Swiss Football Association (SFV) often takes advantage of the ideal conditions in Magglingen, where physiological tests are available. The Swiss Olympic Medical Centre also provides sports psychology services, medical support and physiotherapy.
From the kitchen to the laboratory and bookings – a winning team
For Claude-Alain «Coco» Steinmann, who organises courses and events and has been the SCM contact person for several years, a visit from the women's national team is always a highlight: «It's an honour for me and my colleagues when the team comes to stay.»
The visits are well coordinated in culinary terms too: the team brings its own chef, who works closely with the SCM kitchen staff to accommodate the players' dietary needs. «When the women's national team comes to visit, many people are involved – from catering and building operations to bookings – so the days can be quite long», Coco says with a smile.
Research and promotion of women's football
However, cooperation between the SFV and the SFISM goes beyond just supporting the national team. The Footura Programme, for example, is a joint initiative for the sustainable development of young talent in women's football, providing targeted support for young female footballers. Other ongoing research projects and programmes focus on injury prevention for female athletes, talent selection, and new forms of play.
Hélène Maystre, a research assistant in sports physiology at the SFISM, emphasises the multidimensional nature of what the Institute offers: «We support players and the Association in sports-related physiological, psychological and medical matters, and promote well-grounded and integrative development in close cooperation with the SFV.»
Magglingen is the ideal location for this. «Experts from many different fields come together at the SFISM, where we have top infrastructure and years of experience in elite sport, all in close proximity.»