Fifa and football’s continental confederations have been challenged to grow the number of women in decision-making position to at least 30 per cent, by the Women In Football network.
The group’s move comes in the wake of the sexism row that has rocked the sport since Spain’s now-suspended football federation president Luis Rubiales kissed World Cup-winning forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips. Women In Football are also responding to Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s speech during the World Cup, where he told women in the game that doors were open for them at Fifa.
Of the 47 nations who had either men’s sides taking part in 2022’s men’s World Cup or 2023’s women’s tournament, only four of those 47 national associations have female presidents. Meanwhile, using the example of Spain’s football federation [RFEF], among the 140 members or delegates of the RFEF, only six are women, while in April, Debbie Hewitt was elected as Fifa’s first female vice-president, starting a four-year team.
Separately, a Women In Football survey earlier in 2023 found that 82 per cent of women working within football have experienced gender-based discrimination, up from 66 per cent three years earlier.
A statement from Women In Football, which has 8,000 members working in the game, launching their ‘Open Doors agenda’, said: “[WIF] is today calling upon FIFA and the game’s governing bodies to ensure that women working in the game, on and off the pitch, feel safe, welcome, and supported.
“WIF’s Open Doors Agenda comes in response to FIFA’s invitation at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Sydney last month for women to “just push the doors” and say what football needs to do. Events in Spain following the final show that there is much to do, as do findings from WIF’s 2023 survey which make it clear that despite progress towards greater inclusion for women in the sport, their career progress is still held back by misogyny and sexism in too many cases.
“WIF leads with a call on FIFA, UEFA, and the other confederations to mandate diverse leadership in national associations. This should include setting a roadmap to achieve an initial target of at least 30 per cent female membership of their top decision-making bodies, together with other targets to ensure that these bodies reflect the demographics of the communities that they aim to serve.
“WIF’s proposals also include measures dealing with abuse to be written into the rules of football’s governing bodies. Central to these is the principle that no player or employee should be subjected to discrimination, abuse, harassment, or inappropriate physical contact, with violations punishable including by dismissal where appropriate.”
The WIF network are also calling for better safe-guarding measures in the sport, and added: “Other sectors have accelerated the rate of change by the use of targets for gender representation. The FTSE Women Leaders Review set a goal of 40 per cent female membership of boards and attained that goal more than three years ahead of the December 2025 target. Organisations have reported substantially improved performance and corporate culture as a result.”
Fifa has been contacted by Telegraph Sport for a response.
