Women’s Australian Football in Switzerland: A Proud Legacy and a Bold Future
Women’s footy has been central to AFL Switzerland since the league began in 2018. From the earliest days, women have shaped the competition not only as players but as founders, presidents, committee members, administrators and volunteers. Without them there would be no AFL league in Switzerland.
Pioneering Players
Several trailblazing women helped establish the sport in its first seasons. Ulrike Senti, originally from Liechtenstein, discovered Australian football while studying in Tasmania and joined the Winterthur Lions in 2019. She later played a key role in founding the Zürich Giants and went on to serve as AFL Switzerland’s second president from 2021 to 2022.
Katherine Dellar, from Western Australia, was the Geneva Jets’ pioneering women’s player. She co-captained the first Swiss Heidis national team and finished runner-up in the Jets’ 2019 Reserves Best & Fairest.
Svenja Müller-Byrnes, a dual German-Australian who grew up in Geelong, had already played women’s footy in New South Wales before becoming the first female player for the Basel Dragons.
Yaël Weissmann, from Switzerland, remains the only original 2019 women’s player still active in the league. After her playing days with the Winterthur Lions she now serves full-time as an umpire while remaining a dedicated club member.
Pioneering Administrators & Leaders
Women have also been instrumental off the field. Kelli Donnelly was the inaugural president of the Basel Dragons AFC in 2019 and one of the club’s founders. She continued to serve the club as treasurer from 2020 to 2022.
Kerry Huggler, one of the founders of the Zürich Giants AFC, has been a cornerstone of the league’s administration. She joined the AFL Switzerland Committee in 2023, was instrumental in holding the competition together through the challenges of 2024, and has served as the league’s CFO since 2025.
Since 2025, Antonella Vukic Nanjara has been AFL Switzerland’s first official photographer, documenting the growth of the game across the country.
Rebuilding the National Team
In 2025, Molly Coleman — a Winterthur Lions player originally from country Victoria, Australia — was appointed Head of Women’s Football. With extensive playing experience in Australia, Vietnam and Switzerland, Molly brought deep knowledge and infectious energy to the role. She took on the challenge of rebuilding the women’s national team (then known as the Swiss Heidis) after logistical issues prevented participation in the 2024 and 2025 Euro Cups. Her work laid essential foundations for the program’s revival. In early 2026 Molly relocated to the USA for work.
A New Era and Historic Achievements
In early 2026, Emilia Heufelder and Alina Pirkheim (both of the Bern Bears Australian Football Club) took over as Co-Heads of Women’s Football. The duo have driven player recruitment and established the new women’s national team — the Swiss Lynx. Participation numbers across the league have grown noticeably since their appointment.
On Grand Final day in 2026, the Bern Bears women’s team faced a combined side of women’s players from the northern clubs known as the Swiss All Stars, captained by Carmen Bunge. The match highlighted the growing depth and spirit of women’s footy in Switzerland.
Later in 2026 the Swiss Lynx competed at the Euro Cup in Newcastle, UK — the first time since 2023 that Switzerland sent both a men’s and a women’s team. Fielding a squad made up mostly of beginners, the Lynx achieved their best result yet, finishing 7th out of 10 teams and recording a historic win over the German women’s team.
Looking ahead, the next major goal is to send a women’s team to the Gallia Cup Women’s Tournament in 2027.
One League, Inclusive Rules
While there are not yet enough players to sustain a fully separate women’s competition, AFL Switzerland is looking to launch it’s first women’s league in 2027. Since the beginning there is no men’s or women’s league — just one unified AFL Switzerland competition.
Women play under standard AFL rules against other women. When matched against men, modified tackling rules prioritise safety and fairness: male players may only use a safe wrap to prevent a woman from kicking, handballing or bouncing. If a male player cannot execute this safely, tackling is not permitted. Under no circumstances may a male player take a woman to the ground. All clubs educate new players on these rules, and the system has operated successfully since the league’s inception.
AFL Switzerland’s history of women’s involvement stretches far beyond the field — into volunteering, administration, photography, club leadership and the highest levels of the league’s governance. The pioneers of 2019 and the leaders of today continue to build a stronger, more inclusive future for Australian football in Switzerland.
Have you ever dreamed of representing Switzerland on the national stage? We’re looking for passionate players to wear the red and white jumper at the 2027 Euro Cup. If you’re interested, reach out to Alina and Emilia at info@aflswitzerland.ch for more information.
