Sweden is lagging behind Europe and several clubs in the women's league are bleeding financially.

An "economic growing pain", say many of the 14 clubs that SVT Sport has been in contact with.

They believe that overheads have increased while revenues are constant.

Kif Örebro's chairman Fredrik Stengarn says:

- We are in a phase where a lot is happening internationally, when we were in the Champions League in 2015 it was a pure loss affair.

That is about to change, but it is still tough, he says and wonders:

- How should we handle what are like growing pains in the industry?.

Begged for money

During the autumn, Umeå, Linköping and Eskilstuna told about difficulties in getting the economy together.

And now SVT Sport can tell you that the financial situation is also strained in Vittsjö and Piteå.

- Diesel and energy prices have made it impossible to continue as before.

We passed our budget that we had set for fuel and electricity on July 31st, it was based on the previous year.

It has been constant for many years, but now came a shock.

That means we have to wrestle with it and try to hold back on other costs, says Vittsjö's sports manager Erika Nilsson.

The club has acted.

- We have gone out and asked for help from the audience, focusing on something that we want extra help with usually works.

The ability to keep up in terms of salary is important.

Piteå's problem: The trips cost a lot

For Piteå, it is the long journeys that largely affect the economy negatively.

- We have a level of SEK 1.5 million for travel, board and lodging for away games per season, and then we include youth teams as well - we will exceed that, says Per Embretsen, sports director in Piteå and continues:

- We will have to work, but it is easy to understand that when Chelsea and Bayern Munich decide that women's football is important, then it will be difficult for Piteå IF to compete, that goes without saying.

Want to see the audience in focus

Kif Örebro's chairman Fredrik Stengarn believes that a series of changes are required to bring the women's league into financial balance.

- I think the keys are to have a continued focus on the audience issue and not to fall behind when it comes to game development.

It is extremely important to work with our partners as well, that they are on the journey.

We also need to be good at telling about what the growing pains entail financially, he says.

SEE MORE: Johannesson on the financial crisis: "It's the worst scenario"

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60 seconds: "It's a horror scenario" Photo: SVT/Bildbyrån