We Wanted More – The Miracle of Taipei

Before the Women’s World Cup and women’s Olympic soccer, there was the Women’s World Invitational, the world’s most prestigious women’s soccer event held in Taipei from 1978 to 1987. Women’s soccer was not well supported in West Germany—the German Football Association kept its distance from the tournament and women were banned from play as recently as 1970. So when the reigning club champions SSG Bergisch Gladbach were invited to Taipei to represent their country in lieu of a national team, its players knew they were in for a much tougher fight than just a soccer match.  

Through archival footage and commentary, We Wanted More – The Miracle of Taipei follows the team as they fund their own way to the tournament by selling waffles, play match after grueling match in front of thousands of spectators, and prove their worth to the managers back home. It’s a tale of perseverance, a pieced-together history of women’s sports fandom, and a high-spirits sports documentary narrated by soccer's most tenacious pioneers. 

Streaming as a part of “Breaking Lines”. The triumphs of teamwork, broken glass ceilings, the devotion of fandom—soccer lovers of all stripes find solidarity and perseverance both on and off the field. To mark the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s arrival in North America this summer, this collection of films celebrates the empowering, unifying force of “the beautiful game”. Stream for free through July 31! 

Image © Corso Film-und Fernsehproduktion