CIES Football Observatory: Women's Football Survey results and application approvals revealed

Published with less than four months to go before women footballers take centre-stage at the Women's World Cup in Canada, the 84-page survey was produced by the CIES Football Observatory using data collected in 2014 by FIFA via an online survey.

Download the PDF version here: Women's Football Survey

The FIFA Women’s Football Survey was conducted in 2014 with the aim to gather information on six key areas related to women’s football. The areas range from governance and integration to perception needs and challenges within women’s football. 

• Overall development and leagues
• Governance and integration
• Female participation in football
• Investment in women’s football
• Awareness and media coverage
• Perception, needs and challenges

The survey was answered by 177 FIFA Member Associations (MAs), which amounts to a response rate of 85 per cent. This response rate has enabled FIFA to make conclusions and recommendations which can be applied across all confederations.

The main findings show that:

• Only 23 per cent of MAs have dedicated staff for women’s football.
• 80 per cent of MAs have a senior team and only 50 per cent have youth teams
• 78 per cent of MAs have a National Women’s Football League
• 82 per cent of the top women’s football leagues are managed by MAs
• Number of registered players: 4,801,360
• Girls at Grassroots programmes: 1,166,926
• Global participation: 30,145,700

Female representation was also covered in the survey with the results showing that only 8 per cent of women serve as members on their country’s executive committees. Seven per cent of coaches and ten per cent of all referees around the world are women. This shows a great need to provide more opportunities for women in football at all levels. The survey also highlighted the crucial role played by the Member Associations and the correlation between success and female participation at decision making levels.

Global investment by 177 Member Associations amounted to $38,934,824 USD during one calendar year, an average spend of $219,971 USD.

FIFA women’s football development programmes:
FIFA launched the new women’s football development programmes for 2015-2018 in September 2014. The response from the Member Associations was very high, with a record number of applicants and projects requested.

A total of 298 projects have been approved for 2015 for 120 Member Associations around the world so far.

This does not include applications for support through the Youth Development Programme, all Live Your Goals events and participants in the Female Leadership Development programme. These will be confirmed later in the year.

AFC: 59 projects for 23 Member Associations 
Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China PR, Guam, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Korea DPR, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

CAF: 61 projects for 23 Member Associations 
Algeria, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

CONCACAF: 75 projects for 29 Member Associations  
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Panama, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos.

CONMEBOL: 8 projects for 4 Member Associations
Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay.

OFC: 25 projects for 11 Member Associations 
American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga and Vanuatu.

UEFA: 70 projects for 26 Member Associations 
Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Finland, FYR Macedonia, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Wales.

Live Your Goals Campaign
In 2015 the Live Your Goals Campaign will take place across 48 Member Associations, 22 that have implemented the campaign in the past and our continuing with the activities. Nevertheless, we will have 26 new MAs implementing it for the first time this year including Portugal, Romania, Mexico, Cameroon, Tahiti, Gambia, South Africa, India, Guam and Laos.

Competition and league development projects
94 competitions will be supported in 2015 with equipment and financial support.

Women’s Football Coaching Courses 
57 courses have been approved around the world for 2015. At least 60 per cent of the participants will be female coaches. Women’s football is one of FIFA’s main development priorities for 2015-2018. FIFA hopes to reach as many women and girls that want to play football as possible, and to provide the best opportunities for them to be long term participants in the game.