FIFA workshop in Abuja focuses on women in sports management

FIFA has concluded a dedicated capacity-building workshop in Abuja focused on elevating women in sports management, bringing together administrative leaders from across Africa.

FIFA successfully concluded a dedicated capacity-building workshop in Abuja focused on elevating women in sports management. The programme brought together administrative leaders across football associations to enhance governance, technical operations and leadership pathways for female executive personnel across the continent.

The workshop is part of FIFA’s broader efforts to promote gender equality in football administration. Women remain underrepresented in leadership positions in African football, and the workshop is designed to address that gap. The focus on governance and technical operations reflects the need for women to be equipped with the skills needed to lead football organisations.

This echoes the 2019 FIFA women’s leadership programme, which also sought to promote gender equality in football administration. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a recognition that women must be included in football leadership.

The winners: women in African football administration, who gain new skills; and FIFA, which has demonstrated its commitment to gender equality. The losers: the football associations that do not participate; and the Nigerian government, which must support the initiative.

Bottom Line: FIFA has held a workshop for women in sports management in Abuja. The goal is to elevate female leaders. The question is whether the training will translate into leadership roles.