October 27 – CONCACAF completed its first Women’s football development summit yesterday with 39 of its 41 member associations present in Philadelphia, coinciding with the finals of the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship at PPL Park in nearby Chester, Pennsylvania.
The message to delegates was that much has been done but there is more to do to build the women’s game nationally, regionally and globally.
Themed ‘Let’s Develop Women’s Football’ sessionsincluded: elite player development; football pathways; and Women’s professional leagues.
Next year Canada hosts the Women’s World Cup 2015 and the conference had a session looking at the planning required for the tournament and how the tournament can transform the game in the country. The issue of whether the tournament will be played on grass or turf (Canadian stadiums have turf, women players have mounted a legal campaign for grass surfaces) remains unresolved.
CONCACAF holds a lead position in Women’s football globally with more than 26 million registered female players, the strongest performing confederation group of nations internationally, the leading professional league in the world, and a raft of regional women’s competitions, including the newly introduced U-15 girls tournament this summer.
But the message was that still more development needs to be done.
“The priority for all our Member Associations should be development,” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “This is an opportune time to be a part of women’s football – regionally and globally. I encourage each of you to utilize your strengths to start your own programs, with the confidence that CONCACAF and FIFA are with you. I want us all to believe in a new movement for women’s football.”
FIFA executive committee member and president of the Turks & Caicos FA, Sonia Bien-Aime, addressing the federations said: “As an administrator you have to play a key role and take a firm stand to create future opportunities for other women.”
Tatjana Haenni, FIFA Deputy Director of Competitions, Head of Women’s Competitions, brought global perspective to the debate. “We need more high-level women’s football and a proper business plan, strategy and resources. We have to be more focussed if we really want to develop women’s game,” said Haenni. “I’m dreaming of a FIFA Women’s World Club competition.”
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