UEFA and CONMEBOL teaming up to empower women in football

Thirty women working in football are now better equipped to take on senior positions in the game thanks to the inaugural UEFA-CONMEBOL Women in Football Leadership Programme (WFLP).

The programme encourages and empowers the next generation of female leaders by providing them with the skills and confidence required to take on senior positions in the game, and is based on the long-running and successful UEFA WFLP, run by the UEFA Academy.

“This programme is a huge opportunity. This is a space for us to learn the tools that are needed in this industry.”

Participant Sabrina Martin, Peruvian Football Association general secretary

The new edition marks the first time the programme has been conducted outside Europe, demonstrating our commitment to supporting women in football all over the world.

The week-long course is open to both women in senior leadership positions and those aspiring to reach them, combining expert-led coaching with group discussion on multiple aspects of leadership, with a strong focus on self-awareness and how it can support career development.

The UEFA-CONMEBOL WFLP is run as part of the newly launched UEFA Together initiative, which is dedicated to the global development of football through cooperation, knowledge-sharing and strategic partnerships with our sister confederations.

Recent fruits of UEFA’s cooperation with CONMEBOL include Colombia’s participation in the Women’s Under-18 UEFA Friendship Tournament in Türkiye from 29 March to 10 April, and an invitation to Uruguay and Argentina to participate in the men’s equivalent in Nyon from 30 May to 11 June.

“I would like to highlight the commitment of the CBF, CONMEBOL and its member associations to the promotion of women in football. For UEFA, it is a pleasure to be part of this important collaboration via the UEFA Together programme.”

Laura McAllister, UEFA vice-president

The inaugural UEFA-CONMEBOL WFLP was held at the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in Rio de Janeiro, where participants included representatives from both confederations and South American football associations, as well as from Concacaf, FIFA, and the Portuguese and Spanish associations respectively.

CONMEBOL’s Deputy General Secretary Monserrat Jiménez commented: "We thank UEFA for this programme in South America, and our president Alejandro Dominguez for his commitment to women in football. As leaders, we have a responsibility to continue to break new ground, debate and believe big"

What is the UEFA Women in Football Leadership Programme?

The UEFA WFLP is a course run by the UEFA Academy, in collaboration with the international business school IMD, that empowers women to advance their careers and prepares them to take on senior positions within football. Nearly 300 women have graduated from the course since it was launched in 2014.