May 7 – The onward march of equal gender opportunity at FIFA has seen the world governing body introduce two new awards to its annual ‘Best’ accolades.
Matching the number and categories of men’s awards, FIFA will now add Best goalkeeper and FIFPro Women’s World11 for the first time. They are added to the Best player and coach awards for women.
How the awards are to be voted for is still to be released but with what promises to be the highest profile ever Women’s World Cup in France this summer, the award additions will fill in what would have been an awkward gap in the ‘equality-perception’ around the women’s game.
“FIFA is certain that France will host a groundbreaking edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup this year, so I cannot think of a better moment to introduce these new awards. It is yet another step in the right direction to raise the profile of women’s football,” said Zvonimir Boban, FIFA’s Deputy Secretary General (Football).
After two years in London, the 2019 awards will be held in Milan on 23 September at the historic Teatro alla Scala.
The 11 award categories will be:
- The Best FIFA Men’s Player
- The Best FIFA Women’s Player
- The Best FIFA Men’s Coach
- The Best FIFA Women’s Coach
- The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper
- The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper
- FIFA FIFPro Men’s World11
- FIFA FIFPro Women’s World11
- The FIFA Puskás Award
- The FIFA Fair Play Award
- The FIFA Fan Award
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