AZ Alkmaar (women)

AZ
AZ logo
Full nameAlkmaar Zaanstreek
Short nameAZ
Ground
ManagerMark de Vries
LeagueAzerion Vrouwen Eredivisie
2023–249th
WebsiteClub website

AZ or AZ Vrouwen is a women's association football club based in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. They are affiliated with the AZ men's team. They were founding members of the Eredivisie Vrouwen in 2007 and won the league's first three championships. In February 2011, AZ announced they were withdrawing support for their women's club for financial reasons.[1]

As AZ folded, Telstar fielded a team in the 2011–12 season, and most of the AZ players signed with the newly formed club.[2] Telstar was replaced in the region by VV Alkmaar in 2017.[3]

In January 2022, AZ announced they were exploring restarting a women's club.[4] Two months later, AZ announced they were going to financially support and were working closely with VV Alkmaar.[5] As AZ and VV Alkmaar intensified their collaboration in 2022, AZ took the place of VV Alkmaar in the Women's Eredivisie starting in the 2023–24 season.[6]

On 23 March 2023, Mark De Vries was named the team's manager.[7][8] The club finished 9th out of 12 teams in its first year back in the Eredivisie.

  1. ^ "AZ stopt met vrouwenvoetbal". AZ.nl. 22 February 2011. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  2. ^ "Telstar vrouwen in eredivisie". I J Muider Courant. 27 May 2011. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
  3. ^ "Vrouwen van Telstar zoeken hun heil onder de vlag van Alkmaar". nos.nl (in Dutch). 2017-03-01. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  4. ^ "Keert AZ terug in vrouwenvoetbal? "Serieus aan het onderzoeken"".
  5. ^ "AZ maakt stappen met VV Alkmaar: "In heel goede harmonie"".
  6. ^ "AZ Vrouwen: selectie, voorbereiding & meer".
  7. ^ "Trainer Mark de Vries verhuist mee van VV Alkmaar naar AZ Vrouwen". www.nhnieuws.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  8. ^ Diamond, Drew (2023-10-16). "Vrouwen Eredivisie: Telstar take hard earned 1-0 victory over AZ Alkmaar". Her Football Hub. Retrieved 2023-10-23.