FIFA and ASEAN, together for the development of women’s football

FIFA and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continued their cooperation by organizing a symposium on the development of women’s football. This saw the two organizations join forces to discuss how women’s football could serve as a catalyst for social development and healthy lifestyles in the region.

Rodora T. said: Babaran, Director of Human Development, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Society: “Coherence of policies and programs to enhance women’s leadership in male-dominated sports federations and organizations deserves to be explored as a strategic method for ASEAN’s efforts to mainstream gender.” ASEAN Secretariat Section.

The women’s soccer workshop is the result of the Memorandum of Understanding between FIFA and ASEAN signed in 2019 which aims to increase the number of women and girls playing sports in the ASEAN region; Encouraging women’s leadership in sport and providing women and girls with greater access to sport in safe environments.

During the interactive workshop held around December, ASEAN member states joined FIFA and ASEAN through the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sport and FIFA Member Associations to discuss how women’s football can be a driver of change in the community and imagination in the region.

FIFA staff presented topics such as FIFA’s leadership, communication and women’s development programmes, along with an inspiring presentation by young speaker, Jessica Hoting of the Kampus Diakoneia Modern Foundation in Indonesia, which works to save street children and empower society through football.

Speaking with the ASEAN government and representatives of member associations during the official opening of the seminar, the Director of Women’s Football at FIFA, Sarai Barman, spoke about the unparalleled opportunity that women’s football offers to promote the positions of women and girls in our company.

“This is a very important occasion for women’s football in the region, which will not only bring ASEAN countries closer, but also FIFA will bring you closer,” Barman said. “We all share the same goals in the women’s game and it’s up to us to achieve those goals.

“Women’s football is an incredible catalyst for social development and for strengthening the positions of women and girls in society. The opportunity that football offers to change the lives of girls and women is unparalleled. Our game has the power to change perceptions and overcome barriers.

“As we look forward to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™, the importance of this workshop cannot be understated. Hosting the world’s largest women’s sporting event in your own backyard will have a profound impact on women’s football in your region for decades to come,” said Barman. .

Five ASEAN nations – Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam – will participate in the Women’s Asian Cup in India from January 20 to February 6 2022, which will serve as the Asian Women’s World Cup 2023 qualifiers finals in Australia and New Zealand.

Five teams will advance directly through the knockout stage (including play-offs for fifth or possibly sixth place), and two more teams will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.