by Agnes Amondi

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, released its new Women’s Football strategy on Thursday, that focuses on building women’s football foundations, creating clear player career pathways and professionalizing women’s football. 

The strategy, to be implemented from 2020 – 2023, is to be used as a roadmap to guide CAF’s stakeholders in it’s five key focus areas and pillars in the development of Women’s Football.

The five focus areas and pillars include:

1. Development
2.  Competitions
3.  Marketing and Promotions
4. Professionalism and Leadership
5. Social Impact

More information on this new strategy is to be released later by CAF.

It is not the first time that CAF is making its women’s football development wishlist known. In 2018, CAF held its first ever women’s football symposium in Marrakech, Morocco. It brought major stakeholders – former and current players, coaches, referees, members of the media and experts from world governing body FIFA  to discuss and curve a pathway for the growth of the game in the continent.

Amongst the things that were discussed include: sponsorship in women’s football, competitions, governance, the media and the expansion of the women’s game.

The decisions were to be presented to CAF’s Executive Committee for review and implementation. 

It is not yet clear whether this new strategy can be linked to the two day event in Morocco but one thing is clear. CAF needs to urgently demonstrate its strategies from paper to the playing field.