Best practices highlighted at FIFA Regional Women’s Football Seminar for Concacaf member associations

Jinelle James took notes and photos of each presentation, even though she knew she would receive them later by email. This is the methodical approach of the Director of Women’s Football of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, who took advantage of the regional women’s football seminar organized by FIFA for Concacaf member associations in Santo Domingo , in the Dominican Republic.

“This forum represents, for Trinidad and Tobago, the opportunity to exchange, to create a network, and of course, to keep up to date with what is happening in the rest of the region. However, it also offers an insight into what FIFA is capable of achieving for associations like ours, to enable us to present ourselves on the global stage,” a smiling James explained to Inside FIFA.

All 41 Concacaf member associations were present at the seminar held from November 1 to 3 in the Dominican capital – simultaneously with the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024™.

“The idea of ​​having a space dedicated to the Women’s World Cup creates a stronger connection. This makes more palpable the results that associations achieve – or can achieve – if they work in this direction, thanks to the processes that can be put in place,” James added.

It was the third FIFA regional women’s football seminar in 2024; the AFC organized one in Jakarta, Indonesia et CONMEBOL did the same in Bogota, Colombia. Sarai Bareman, Director of the FIFA Women’s Football Division, outlined the objectives of the forum in her opening speech.

“In this room are gathered the most influential figures in Concacaf women’s football. The work we have undertaken for this sport is incredible,” she said. “I want to thank you for your passion, for your tenacity and for your daily work in favor of women’s football. During these three days, we will celebrate your successes and work together to overcome our challenges.”

“We hope that this seminar will provide you with the tools and motivate you, so that you return to your associations with an even greater desire to promote women’s football in your country,” she added.

Sonia Fulford, FIFA Council member and President of the Turks and Caicos Football Federation, was one of the first to speak. “Over these many years, there have been many tears and many happy moments in this region. We have come a long way. This seminar is much more than just a meeting,” she said.

“Our mission here is to empower, inspire those who lead women’s football in their home countries. This seminar is a space where a shared vision can cause real and lasting impact. The discussion today is a step in an ongoing adventure, which links each of our member associations, Concacaf and FIFA,” she concluded.

Trinidad and Tobago is one of the associations most benefited byFIFA Women’s Football Development Programs. Currently, the Caribbean nation is leading a campaign to promote women’s football: two league development projects (one for youth and one for seniors), a licensing system for clubs, training for managers and administrators and a scholarship program for female coaches.

As a result, James attended one of the seminar’s workshops, which allowed other associations to learn more about the tools FIFA is using to help develop this initiative.

“We are taken as an example, because although we are not up to par from a competitive point of view, we are trying to put in place the necessary procedures and processes – with the support of FIFA – to become one of the “We are the strongest member associations in women’s football in the region. However, our goal is not just to get to the top, but to stay there,” James said.

“We realized that there is a monumental gap between senior and youth football in Trinidad and Tobago, and that opportunities for young women remained few and far between. We concluded that we needed to sow seeds for the future, especially for girls aged 12 to 14. This age category does not have high visibility, but if we want to think long term, we have to start from the basic levels,” he said. -she detailed.

James demonstrated that this is how the domino effect occurs. “As more girls play soccer, the need for tournaments grows. As part of our Girls Soccer Program, we created the G League. We have already seen positive results: two of our teams U-15s qualified for Concacaf tournaments.”

More competitions also mean a greater need for female coaches “The G League U-12 and U-14 teams need to be coached by women. We would like them to be coached, but also to live their lives their own experiences and make mistakes from time to time. FIFA has also played a fundamental role here.

What is the next step in the development of football in Trinidad and Tobago? “Now the goal is to refine our existing systems, encourage more teams to join us in order to increase participation rates, and bring in female coaches,” James responded.

“Then we can select the best coaches and focus on the elite. For now, development, encouragement and support must be maintained. We must not rest on our laurels… We are grateful to FIFA for putting these programs in place and for continuing to help associations such as ours move towards best practices.”