September 9 – World governing body FIFA is rolling out a new women’s football development program that will supplement both the Forward Programme and Covid-19 relief measures, allowing all member associations to apply.
The women’s development programme aims to provide all 211 member associations with an opportunity to apply for and access additional resources and specialist expertise to develop women’s football at a national level. Member associations will be able to apply for support across eight key areas of women’s football development during the 2020-23 period.
In a release FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura, said: “FIFA’s commitment to supporting our member associations in developing women’s football remains one of our top priorities. In addition to the funding currently available via the COVID-19 Women’s Football Grant and the FIFA Forward Programme, the FIFA Women’s Football Development Programme will provide more support and assistance to member associations so that they can invest in the women’s game at all levels.”
The new programme, that also seeks to assist national associations through experts, additional equipment and technical support, comes on top of the $500,000 member associations can get specifically for the women’s game as part of FIFA’s covid-19 relief fund and the governing body’s Forward Programme. The development programme includes women’s football strategy, football campaign, league development, club licensing, capacity-building for administrators, coach education scholarships, coach mentorship and women in football leadership.
All members can apply but must meet FIFA’s requirements and fit the new programme into their larger women’s football strategy, something that the world federation stresses throughout a 46-page document that details the criteria to apply for each of the individual eight programmes.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713999839labto1713999839ofdlr1713999839owedi1713999839sni@o1713999839fni1713999839