Planet Nusa on the FCK partnership: Opening the doors to football for more women and girls

🇩🇰 Du finder den danske version af denne artikel her.

The partnership between Planet Nusa and FC Copenhagen’s new women’s team drew significant attention when it was first announced. Now, six months later, we’ve checked in on the partnership—reflecting on both the past and the future. What has the collaboration meant for Planet Nusa, and how has it contributed to the development of FCK’s women’s football? We also take a look at how women’s football has developed in Denmark overall.

We sat down for a conversation with the two co-founders of Planet Nusa, Kristine Esmer and Mille Skat.

You’re now six months into your partnership with FC Copenhagen – what have been the biggest highlights so far?

Kristine Esmer, co-founder of Planet Nusa:
“It has been fantastic to see how the community around FCK’s women’s team has grown. One of the biggest milestones was, without a doubt, when we first saw our logo on the shirts – a strong symbol of the partnership we’ve created. Additionally, our community activities, such as RUNS, participation in home games, and the upcoming TALKS event, have given us a unique opportunity to bring our community into a new arena and create even more connections between fans, players, and our community.”

What has surprised you the most?

Kristine Esmer, co-founder of Planet Nusa:
“The incredible support! We knew that women’s football had momentum, but experiencing the dedication and energy surrounding the team has been something truly special. From the sold-out styles to the atmosphere at the games, it has been overwhelming to see how much engagement there is from both fans and our community.”

Planet Nusa is a key player in building FCK’s women’s football. Where have you made the biggest impact?

Kristine:
“We’ve brought our community-focused approach into FCK’s universe – both through our physical presence and the events we’ve created, as well as our joint clothing collections. From our Nusa RUNS x FCK event to the way we aim to activate the community on matchdays. We want to make women’s football even more accessible, inspiring, and connected to what’s happening off the pitch as well.”

How has the partnership with FCK strengthened Planet Nusa’s community?
Mille:
“Being part of FCK’s women’s football has given us a new platform to bring our community together – both in the stands and through our events. We can feel how our community is engaging with the team and the sport in a new way, and it has created a stronger sense of belonging. At the same time, it has also opened the door to new faces in our community that we wouldn’t have met otherwise.”

You have launched two drops (collections) together with FCK – how has the reception been?
Mille Skat:
“The reception has been fantastic. With long queues outside F.C. Copenhagen’s fanshop and several styles selling out instantly, we managed to reach a wide audience, including new target groups. This means that more girls and women are visiting F.C. Copenhagen’s fanshop. And that’s exactly our shared wish – for more people to feel at home in the world of football. There should be something for everyone, and we can see that our styles are helping to open up football for those who haven’t felt directly included.”

You’ve also launched a podcast that will take a closer look at FCK’s women’s team over four episodes – what do you hope listeners will take away from these four episodes?
Kristine:
“We want to give people a closer insight into the team, the culture, the personalities, and the collaboration behind FCK’s women’s football. The podcast is an opportunity to go behind the scenes, hear the players share their stories, and get a sense of what drives them – both on and off the pitch. It should offer an authentic glimpse into what it has been like to start a team, from various perspectives. We hope that it can help create even more engagement and give listeners a deeper understanding of why women’s football deserves the attention it is getting.”

What are the next steps for Planet Nusa in the partnership with FCK?
Mille:
“We still have a lot we want to explore and develop in the collaboration. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our community activities and finding new ways to bring the community even closer to the team. Additionally, we are, of course, working on upcoming collections that will build upon the values we’ve created with FCK. And we’re really excited about an upcoming Nusa Talks with some of the women.”

How do you view the development of women’s football in Denmark in general?
Mille:
“We see a movement that is only going one way – forward! There’s increasing interest, more spectators at the stadium, and greater recognition of women’s football than we’ve ever seen before. But we’re not there yet. It requires continued attention and support to ensure that women’s football gets the space it deserves. We’re proud to be part of this development and hope to contribute to pushing it even further.”

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