FIFA aims to boost women’s football over the next four years, making it a priority for the organization. Despite stereotypes, there are already 29 million women and girls playing football globally, with 12% of them being female players. However, there is a significant lack of women coaches and managers in football. FIFA’s focus is to address this issue and promote women’s football by providing financial support.
The director for the development of women’s football within FIFA, Mayi Cruz Blanco, emphasizes the need for more women coaches involved in football. FIFA aims to see more women participating in various roles within football, including players, coaches, and referees, with the goal of reaching 50% representation among coaches.
The FIFA Women’s Football Development Program Guidelines from 2012 to 2015 outline the organization’s main focus on women’s leagues and championships. This includes supporting events like the U17 Women’s World Championship. The program aims to provide opportunities for women in football, fostering greater gender equality and representation.
In many African countries, women’s football has not received as much attention as men’s football. FIFA’s initiative is expected to revive women’s football in several countries, including those in Africa, where regular women’s football championships are limited, with only a few exceptions like Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, and South Africa.
