Fifa bid to attract women players
– Fifa, the governing body of world football, wants to double the number of women players, saying this week it has set out “concrete projects” to achieve that goal.
Fifa is aiming for 60 million women footballers worldwide by 2026, while professionalising clubs and national leagues.
“The three overriding objectives that we have are: increasing participation, enhancing the commercial value and building the foundations,” Sarai Bareman, Fifa’s Chief Woman Football Officer, told AFP.
She said one aim is “developing the coaches, the referees, the administration, the people who are around the women’s game in order that everything we do can be sustainable and have a strong structure.”
She said Fifa wanted change off the field as well, “bringing more women into the decision-making body.”
She said that increasing revenue was an important part of the strategy.
“If we are really able to commercialise women’s football, that will help us a lot in terms of overcoming some of this resources that exist within the structure of the women’s game.”
Asked about the budget and staff dedicated to the project, Bareman said: “We are a small team and we are here to provide the expertise and to drive the project,” she said.
She went on to praise Fifa general secretary Fatma Samoura and president Gianni Infantino.
“Fatma Samoura, our first female general secretary, gave me amazing support.”
“And Gianni Infantino is big on developing women’s football.” – AFP