New Zealand Focuses on Women's Leadership

There is no doubt that the opening match of the 2023 Women’s World Cup will be a landmark in New Zealand sporting history. For just over 90 minutes, the match representatives and the 42,137 spectators at Eden Park – the hideout of the legend all blacks – It has enthralled an entire nation traditionally committed to the cause of rugby. Before that unforgettable 1-0 win, few New Zealanders had heard of the ambitious legacy plan that has been developed over the past three years: to leverage the world’s biggest women’s competition to accelerate the growth of women’s football and thus open up new perspectives to as many people as possible. Strategy The legacy begins now. It began as soon as the competition rights were awarded in 2020. Alongside the various engagement and inclusion programmes, increasing the number of women in management positions was quickly identified as one of the priority objectives of the campaign. Since then, 79 women have benefited from a leadership programme designed for this purpose. “Our aim is to bridge the confidence gap among women and challenge the biases that hinder women in management positions,” explained Annaleigh Longo, Head of Women’s Development at New Zealand Football. “The idea here is to bring together women who want to gain influence, but also to provide them with the tools that will allow them, in turn, to organise seminars on this topic in their regions.”

The investment seems to be paying off. Indeed, four New Zealanders have already been selected to take part in FIFA’s Women’s Leadership in Football initiative. Only 24 carefully selected candidates benefit from the training each year, which is delivered in Zurich. Helen Mallon is one of the lucky ones. The Capitals FC president is also the first woman to join the NZFA’s Nominations Committee. Under her leadership, women’s participation in her region exceeded 40% for the first time. The FIFA training has given her the confidence and the realisation that “she is not alone”.

“It changed everything for me. Before, I was so worried about not being able to hold a senior position in a male-dominated sport.” Malone is always happy to share her knowledge with other women to encourage them to follow their own path, whether as coaches, administrators, referees or leaders. “We have all sorts of programmes to help everyone find their way. The important thing is to develop in an environment where there is security and trust.” Her vision for the legacy of the Women’s World Cup is evident in her image, which focuses on efficiency: “It’s about inclusion and opportunity. Wherever you are and whatever your situation, there is still a place for you in football.”

Laura Menzies, who also took part in FIFA’s Women in Football initiative, seems to be on the same page. She is now CEO of the Northern Territory Football Association, New Zealand’s largest sporting association. “In the whole country, we only had one professional team, men’s and women’s. The national championship wasn’t televised, but the Women’s World Cup changed that,” she says. “During the tournament, we were able to watch high-profile games every day, and the stadiums were full.” “Even people who weren’t interested in football heard about our win against Norway in the opening World Cup,” she says. “It was a unique opportunity and we were able to use it to show the extraordinary power of football.” Today, women’s sport is “finally getting the recognition, investment and attention it deserves” in New Zealand, something that clearly doesn’t bother her.

Initiative Train the trainer Contributing to this development: In order to fully play their part, female leaders are being invited to organize leadership programs at the local level. “This World Cup will undoubtedly change the lives of women and girls who want to take on leadership roles,” said Menzies. Ultimately, the legacy of the Women’s World Cup should be felt across New Zealand; right now, the stakes are high.