An inspiring time for Women in Football Leadership Programme participants

Leading women in football from around the world have shared their advice for others to progress their careers in the game.

Earlier this month, 32 women working in national associations from all six confederations, took part in the Women in Football Leadership Programme (WFLP), a joint course run by the UEFA Academy, FIFA and the IMD Business School.

The WFLP is designed to elevate more top females into senior positions in world football, creating a powerful network of women set to advance their own careers, influence the improvement of the sport and provide an example for more women to aspire to.

What does it provide? Participants receive leadership training and one-on-one coaching, going through role-play situations and developing a sense of self-awareness as well as a strong global network of like-minded contacts.

As part of the course, we asked some of the participants to provide their own words of advice for other women in football and spoke to four inspirational figures from across Europe and one from Africa to understand why this course is so well regarded by its graduates.

Teresa Figueras - Andorra

"It's a normal thing to have men and women at the same level in all areas of leadership. Unfortunately, in football it can be difficult to find women in such positions, I did not have female role models, so it's a great opportunity to be here in this programme with UEFA and FIFA. It's really interesting to see other women in the same business and learn from their knowledge and experience."

Inge van Bogerijen - Netherlands

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience with such an international group and peers I want to learn from - that’s very inspiring. As a woman working in football, sometimes we have to raise our hands and our voices even more than our male colleagues. You have to believe in yourself, and diverse teams will make better decisions."

Diana Bulgaru - Moldova

"This course will help me be more confident, increase my self-awareness and self-belief and I really believe in it. It's a very powerful, beautiful group of women. Everyone comes from different backgrounds, but we are all powerful and the enthusiasm in the room is unbelievable."

Angela Platt - Northern Ireland

"It's a real opportunity to understand the football network, but also developing myself and understanding myself as a leader, understanding where I am now and what I will need to develop women's and girls' football in Northern Ireland and beyond. Meeting this diverse group from across the world and understanding their stories creates a network we are able to build on and learn from each other – and inspire other women in the future and support them on their leadership journey. That’s really important, not just in football, but in society as well."

Sainey Sissohore Mboge - Gambia

"Through the Women in Football Leadership Programme I learned the importance of building yourself as a great leader - strong, bold and with standards of ethics.

"I met amazing people during the programme and enjoyed many new experiences. I am ready to empower more women and girls, and give to the best of my ability to create many women leaders in my county and around the world."

What is the Women in Football Leadership Programme?

Studies have shown that organisations with mixed senior management teams tend to outperform those with no women in positions of power. Football has traditionally been dominated by men, but gradually more women are moving into leadership roles. Still, more work needs to be done.

Established in 2014, the WFLP brings together professionals working in football to share their perspectives of the game and how it can continue to develop, particularly around diversity and inclusion, as well as the obstacles blocking women from taking on more leadership positions within the game.