Tag: Women's World Cup

The top 10 moments that shaped women’s football in 2023 | Football News

It was the year that saw Australia and New Zealand host the biggest and most-watched FIFA Women’s World Cup, which culminated with Spain’s crowning moment as first-time champions with a win over one of the pre-tournament favourites England.

Women’s football giants United States faltered at the quarterfinal stage and several minnow nations lit up the group stage.

The World Cup was packed with high-quality action, as well as shocks and feel-good stories and culminated with the launch of Spanish football’s #MeToo movement.

Elsewhere, US Soccer delegated Emma Hayes with the job of reviving their fading glory as the highest paid women’s football coach in the world.

As the year comes to a close, here’s a look at 10 moments that shaped women’s football in 2023:

‘Ever-growing ACL club’

Months ahead of the World Cup, England captain Leah Williamson, New Zealand striker Katie Rood and several other top players were left to rue their luck after being sidelined with ACL injuries.

Rood announced the news with a post on Instagram saying, “I’m sad to say that I’ve joined the ever-growing ACL club”.

In order to understand the widespread prevalance of the injury among women footballers, Al Jazeera spoke to a wide range of experts and players, who pointed at a number of factors, including the biological differences between men and women, the difference in their kits and boots, physical stress and workload. Researchers also underlined how women’s menstrual cycles could be a factor in their vulnerability to the injury.

Player revolt precedes Spain’s historic win

Nearly a year before Spain’s glorious run at the World Cup, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) and its players were embroiled in a months-long stand-off.

The “Las 15” – a group of 15 players demanded changes to the national team set-up and made themselves unavailable for selection, directing the majority of their complaints at coach Jorge Vilda. They sought improvements in working conditions, blaming them for their poor emotional and physical health.

Later, the players entered talks with the federation and three of them, including Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, were included in Spain’s World Cup squad that landed the La Roja their first world title.

The player revolt continued after the World Cup in the wake of the scandal surrounding Luis Rubiales’s forced kiss on player Jenni Hermoso’s mouth. However, the squad agreed to end their boycott in October after Rubiales was banned for three years by FIFA and the Spanish federation promised to make “immediate and profound changes.”

When Hannah Dingley took over as the head coach of English League Two club Forest Green Rovers, albeit temporarily, she became the first woman to manage a professional men’s football team in England.

Dingley stayed at the position for two weeks but was credited for breaking the glass ceiling for young girls taking up managerial roles in men’s football.

Previously, Portuguese coach Helena Costa became first woman to coach a men’s football team in France when, in 2014, she took charge of then-league two French club Clermont Foot.

Several women have taken up coaching roles in men’s academy teams, but not many have been handed the reins of top-flight men’s teams.

Morocco shine at historic first World Cup

Football fans and experts may have believed that Morocco had done their bit by becoming the first Arab team to qualify for the Women’s World Cup, but the Atlas Lionesses were out to prove them wrong.

“It’s amazing to keep creating history,” star striker Rosella Ayane told Al Jazeera after her team made it to the round of 16 at the tournament.

Back home, from Fez to Marrakech and beyond, fans gathered in cafes, homes and on the streets to get behind the women in red and green as they took on their former coloniser France in the knockout round.

Despite their disappointing loss at the hands of the French, the rise of the Atlas Lionesses, several of whom play league football in Europe, endeared them to the football-mad African nation.

Hijab-clad Nouhaila Benzina breaks barriers

Morocco had plenty to say at the tournament Down Under as Nouhaila Benzina became the first Muslim woman wearing a hijab to play at the World Cup.

Football fans, especially Muslim women, lauded Benzina for breaking the barrier. Millions around the world watched as she stepped on the field in the hijab a month after France banned the Islamic headscarf during games.

Activist Shaista Aziz was among the scores of Muslim women who backed Benzina on social media.

“The significance of this is HUGE for many #Muslim girls and women including myself,” Aziz wrote on X.

Nouhaila Benzina
Morocco’s Nouhaila Benzina, left, and France’s Kenza Dali compete for the ball during the Women’s World Cup round of 16 soccer match between France and Morocco in Adelaide, Australia, Tuesday, August 8, 2023. [James Elsby/AP Photo]

The USWNT juggernaut comes to a halt

Most of the pre-tournament predictions and talks were centred at the US Women’s National Team’s prospects of completing a “three-peat” or an unprecedented third consecutive and fifth overall world title.

The women’s football giants began their campaign with a 3-0 thrashing of minnows Vietnam, but cracks began to show as they struggled against a strong Dutch side in their second group-stage match, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Needing to avoid a loss to stay in the tournament, they earned a goalless draw against Portugal.

However, the juggernaut came to a halt on August 6 as Sweden knocked out the holders in a madcap penalty shootout (5-4). The talismanic retiring great Megan Rapinoe came off the bench to replace forward Alex Morgan in extra time but was unable to create a winner for the Americans who slumped to their quickest exit.

Debutants and minnows shine

The Philippines and Zambia made impactful World Cup debuts, recording stunning wins over New Zealand and Costa Rica. The Philippines’ win over the co-hosts, in particular, made waves back home as delirous crowds celebrated the shock win.

Playing in their second World Cup, Jamaica and South Africa were the other surprise packages as they advanced to the knockout stage.

In what was arguably the biggest moment in women’s football – and women’s sport – in the year 2023, FIFA bannd the powerful Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Luis Rubiales from the sport for three years for misconduct at the Women’s World Cup final where he forcibly kissed Spain’s Jenni Hermoso on the lips at the trophy ceremony.

FIFA’s ban came more than two months after the disgraceful moment was televised across the world as Spain stepped on the stage to collect their winners’ medals and trophy. Hermoso reacted to the forced kiss in a social video, where she said: “Hey, I didn’t like it, eh.”

She would later file a legal complaint against Rubiales, who initially refused to step down from his post and threatened the player with legal action of his own. However, the moment and the ensuing proceedings launched Spanish football’s #MeToo movement as thousands of women took to the streets in Spain to show support Hermoso. Women’s football teams, fans and men’s national team also condemned Rubiales.

The term #SeAcabo [it’s over] became synonymous with the movement as leading football players used it to show their solidarity.

A demonstrator holds a red card reading in Spanish ‘it is over’ during a protest against the president of Spain’s football federation Luis Rubiales and to support Jenni Hermoso in Barcelona, Spain [File: Emilio Morenatti/AP]

Emma Hayes’s landmark move to the US

The USWNT’s poor run at the World Cup raised several questions about the future of the team and its management. Several players, including Rapinoe and midfielder Julie Ertz retired from international footbal

Coach Vlatko Andonovski resigned in the immediate aftermath of the tournament ouster, leaving fans and experts to wonder who would take up one of the most high-profile coaching jobs in the sport.

Last month, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes was named as Andonovski’s replacement in a move that would be touted as “a breath of fresh air” and a landmark moment for the women’s game as she will become the highest-paid women’s football coach in the world, reportedly earning $2m a year – the same as the US men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter.

Women’s football in England took a big step towards after its top two leagues – the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship – decided to break away from the Football Association under the banner of NewCo – a newly formed organisation to run the women’s professional game in the country.

The change will come into effect from the 2024-25 season but the news has set women’s football abuzz in England, with former FA director of women’s game saying it had now found “its own voice”.



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United States and Mexico launch joint bid for 2027 Women’s World Cup | Women’s World Cup News

Their bid is expected to face competition from other potential hosts such as Brazil and a trio of European nations.

The United States and Mexico have announced a joint bid to host the Women’s World Cup in 2027, looking to build on their successful campaign to co-host the Men’s World Cup, alongside Canada, in 2026.

Football federations from the two nations announced the joint bid on Friday, competing with bids from other potential hosts such as Brazil and a trio of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

“This is a pivotal time for women’s soccer,” said US Soccer President Parlow Cone. “The US and Mexico are in a unique position to host a World Cup that will leverage the same venues, infrastructure, and protocols used for the Men’s World Cup just a year prior.

“This will not only unlock the economic potential of women’s soccer, it will send a message to young players around the world that there is no limit to what they can achieve.”

The competition to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup follows a 2023 tournament that underscored both the rising popularity and remaining barriers facing women’s football.

Spain secured the victory in that competition, hosted by Australia and New Zealand and seen as an unprecedented success.

But a bright moment for women’s football was quickly soured after Luis Rubiales, the former head of Spain’s football association, forcibly kissed Spanish forward Jenni Hermoso while the team celebrated its victory.

The incident set off a wave of anger and FIFA announced a three-year ban for Rubiales in October.

The US is playing host to both the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America and the 2026 Men’s World Cup, which it will host along with Mexico and Canada.

The trio of Western European nations put in their bid to host the 2027 tournament earlier on Friday, and Brazil submitted its own bid last month.

 

“Extensive and detailed consultations between the three federations along with key stakeholders including central governments dates back to 2021,” the Dutch football federation (KNVB) said in a statement accompanying the European nations’ bid.

“This has led to alignment around the belief that our three countries are well placed to stage a FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 of unparalleled quality and impact.”

South Africa initially submitted a bid to host in 2027, but withdrew last month.



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Women’s football set to enter lucrative ‘NewCo’ era but pitfalls remain | Football News

The Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship’s decision to break free from the English Football Association and run independently from the next season will give the women’s game a newfound autonomy and play a vital role in shaping its future, experts say, although many pitfalls and uncertainties remain.

Last week, clubs from the top two tiers of women’s football in England announced they had unanimously agreed to form a new organisation (NewCo) to lead the women’s professional game from the 2024/25 season.

The English FA has run the Women’s Super League since its formation in 2010, with the addition of the second-tier Championship in 2014. However, in July 2022, the FA announced a desire for those leagues to change from being solely owned by the FA to being an independent entity.

NewCo, a working title at this stage, will function as an independent body with all 24 clubs from the Women’s Super League and Championship acting as shareholders. The organisation will be led by CEO Nikki Doucet, a former investment banker and Nike executive.

Kelly Simmons, former FA director of the women’s game, said the formation of NewCo will provide the women’s leagues a “laser focus”.

“The FA wasn’t the right long-term fit because it’s the governing body and regulator, and there are some commercial conflicts in that,” Simmons told Al Jazeera.

“We were concerned that if the women’s leagues just rolled into the men’s Premier League, it would not have sort of the laser focus or an independent voice, and might not be the highest priority.

“So we [at the FA] all agreed unanimously that the best model would be to set up a new company that has a laser focus, a board and an executive that is solely focused on making the best decisions for the women’s professional game.”

Simmons, who played a key role in developing the women’s game in England for three decades, believes that NewCo will enable the women’s game to have its own distinct voice, free from the men’s game.

“[The women’s game] has always been wrapped up in sort of the politics of whatever is going on in the men’s game and hasn’t been able to have that voice to call out what’s needed for the women’s game publicly and sometimes put pressure on the stakeholders,” added Simmons, who is now a sports consultant.

“So I think it’s good that, now it’s away from the FA, it’s got its own voice.”

However, some experts voiced concerns that the new structure could replicate some of the problems marring the men’s game and a lot remains unclear.

‘Right time’

Women’s football has seen a rapid rise in England, accelerated by the team’s success at the Women’s European Championship on home soil in 2022.

NewCo’s formation comes just over three months after England played in the Women’s World Cup final in Australia.

Alex Culvin, head of women’s football strategy and research at FIFPRO, said the leagues’ decision to function independently has come at the right time.

“The FA in England have probably taken the women’s game as far as they could go. And so I think, the time was was right in terms of the marketability of the game,” Culvin said. “The commercial value of the game is increasing … The women’s game in England has never been more appealing.”

Culvin, a former professional footballer who played for Everton, Leeds United and Liverpool, said an independent working structure is more beneficial for the growth of professional women’s leagues in general.

“For many women’s professional leagues across the world, the country’s football federations manage the development of the league. And what you find is that there’s a consolidation of power,” Culvin explained.

“So they manage the league and the international team. And that’s why consolidation of power can sometimes stunt the growth potential of women’s football because how do you strategically prioritise one over the other?”

Culvin highlighted the importance of independent governance by citing the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the top-tier women’s league in the United States that is owned by the clubs.

NWSL is among the top leagues in global women’s football and almost all US national team players ply their trade there. The league is also commercially lucrative – according to data by Sportico, NWSL teams will collectively generate $112m in revenue during the 2023 regular season. The WSL generated revenues of 32 million pounds ($40.2m) in 2021-22.

“If you look at the NWSL … it has the opportunity to grow year on year. I think, in England, having the independence and the ability to strategically prioritise the growth of the women’s league is something that hasn’t been done before. It’s important and I’m incredibly excited,” Culvin said.

The WSL now believes it can become the first billion-pound ($1.24bn) women’s football league in the world within a decade.

The establishment of NewCo, similar to the Premier League’s governance model, is anticipated to contribute to the rapid and sustainable growth of women’s football, according to freelance journalist Nancy Gillen.

“While the FA obviously wanted women’s football to grow, it is hard for the organisation to be fully dedicated to this when they also have other commitments,” Gillen said.

“It is similar to when the Premier League broke away from the Football League and FA in 1991-92, giving it commercial independence. The Premier League is now one of the most successful and profitable sports leagues in the world, so that’s where the Women’s Super League and Championship could potentially be heading.”

Simmons said the formation of a new company to run the leagues independently will also benefit women’s football in England.

“A very successful Women’s Super League helps the England team and I think one of the reasons why England has been so successful has been because the players are training and playing every day with some of the best players in the world,” she said.

“On the other hand, a strong Championship will help England because a lot of young English talent needs to get meaningful minutes in game time in competitive games maybe when they’re too young to break into the Women’s Super League.”

Revenue structure

The new company has not revealed details on the structure of its governance, but the Athletic reported the Women’s Super League clubs will receive 75 per cent of the combined revenues from the two divisions and have all the voting power on commercial and broadcast matters.

Culvin raised concerns about the power grab by the top clubs.

“For me, it is quite problematic, because, again, there’s a consolidation of power among the bigger clubs,” Culvin added. “For this new foundation, I think it’s important that there’s no vested interest in providing an undemocratic decision-making amongst clubs.”

Simmons advocated for revenue sharing with lower division leagues in the future.

“At some point, when those revenues grow, there will need to be another conversation about whether money should go further down the pyramid to the Women’s National League and the tiers below, just like it does in the men’s game,” she said.

The Athletic also reported that 11 out of 12 Championship clubs had rejected an initial agreement over voting power on certain matters regarding how NewCo will function. But after receiving an ultimatum from the Women’s Super League clubs, the Championship clubs voted unanimously in favour of the deal.

Gillen, a women’s football expert, said there is a risk of more disputes between the two divisions.

“I would really hope that all decisions would be made to benefit both leagues, but there is always the chance of the gap between the Women’s Super League and Championship getting bigger,” she said.

Meanwhile, no financial fair play rules have been announced for the leagues.

As the women’s leagues break away from the governing body, Simmons also stressed the importance of the FA maintaining a relationship with the women’s game.

“The FA will need to think through how they manage and develop the relationship with the new company to make sure that there’s a joined-up strategy, particularly across things like youth talent, talent development, and club development,” she explained.

NewCo’s to-do list

Simmons said NewCo’s first major task would be to secure a new broadcast deal for the Women’s Super League, with the FA’s multimillion-pound deal with Sky Sports and the BBC set to end next season.

Culvin suggested that NewCo should focus on establishing new licensing criteria for clubs and also emphasised the need for a review of the remuneration of players to avoid a huge wage gap between the clubs.

The former defender added that the new company should also take into consideration the recommendations put forth by Karen Carney to help improve the standards of women’s football in England.

Former player-turned-pundit Carney undertook an independent review into women’s football in England last year and published the findings in July, outlining recommendations aimed at leveraging the success of the England women’s team and establishing a pathway towards a successful and sustainable commercial future for domestic women’s football.

The British government has endorsed the recommendations and pledged its support to the FA and NewCo in the full professionalisation of the women’s game.

“While I’m encouraged by this kind of innovative sort of new governance structure of the Women’s Super League and Championship, I think there’s not a lot of information around actually how it will operate in practice,” Culvin said.

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