WOMEN
Women’s Football finally played in Somalia
The world Football governing body, FIFA has welcomed the move by Somalia to finally start engaging with women’s Football.
On March 8th, 2024 women’s football was finally played in the capital Mogadishu to commemorate International Women’s Day with Futsal match.
SWF women’s football team, defeated their rivals of SSC by 3-1 in the maiden women’s futsal match, which fully broke the barriers that once prevented Somali women from playing football.
Gelson Vernandes, the FIFA director for member associations Africa welcomed that Somali women are now officially playing football.
“We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to the Somali Football Federation for the activities organized, particularly to mark International Women’s Day. It is admirable to see such openness and to allow women to play and enjoy this sport. This initiative demonstrates a strong desire to promote gender equality and inclusion in football,” said Vernandes.
President of the Somali Football Federation (SFF), Ali Abdi Mohamed also praised the Women’s committee in the Federation of organizing the match to ensure women’s football officially starts in Somalia.
“I am really overjoyed that my long-standing dreams have become true. The futsal match was the start of a series of activities for the girls and young women who have been well involved in training programs for the past several months. Our aim is to see Somali women being fully active in the international football calendar very soon, added the President.
Ibtisam Yassin, the SFF head of Women’s football also said they are pleased that the department was able to organize a futsal match after several months of trainings and awareness workshops for both parents and girls.
“Our efforts paid off and we will continue organizing the awareness workshops for parents and girls plus the training programs, as this strategy has yielded positive results,” she added.
The head of Communication in SFF, Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar pointed out that having women’s football start in Somalia is a real sig of removal of cultural barriers.
“In Somalia, women have never played official football due to cultural barriers, as Somali parents never allowed their daughters to play football, because Somali parents recognized women’s football “the worst shame” and crime against Somali culture and religion, but after months of awareness workshops some parents have allowed their daughters to play the game,” added Abokar.
He also made it clear that now the awareness workshops are part of the SFF strategy to develop women’s football and overcome the cultural barriers that once prevented Somali women getting the opportunity to play the game.
The head coach of Tanzanite Queens, Bakari Nyundo Shime has said his players have got good exposure playing at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s Wold Cup in Poland.
Tanzania excited the tournament at the group stage after losing all the three Group B matches.
The Tanzanian team suffered a 4-1 defeat to Brazil in the opening match, fell 5-1 to England, and lost 6-0 to Canada in the last group match played on Friday.
Head coach Shime has made it clear that although they found the going very tough and lost all the three group matches, playing at that stage has given his players good exposure.
“Being at the World Cup means a lot for any player and featuring on that stage also means players have got top class exposure which will help them in their further development as players,” explained Shime.
The coach made it clear that qualifying for the World Cup was a big achievement, but playing in the tournament also means a lot for the continoius development of the players.
Tanzanian forward Clara Luvanga has joined Washington Spirit FC in USA.
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side announced the signing of the striker on Wednesday. She joins on a four year contract from Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr.
“Clara adds an exciting new dimension to our attack as we head towards the playoffs,” Spirit sporting director James Hocken said in a statement.
Hocken said on the club platform that although Clara is only 21 years, she has demonstrated the ability to score goals in different ways and has the profile to be very successful in the NWSL.
Luvanga who was not part of Tanzania’s squad at the recent CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco was one of the top scorers in the Saudi Arabia Women’s League for the three seasons.
Luvanga lifted the Saudi Women’s Premier League trophy in each of her three seasons at Al Nassr, in addition to a Saudi Women’s Cup win, a Saudi Women’s Super Cup title, and a West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women’s Clubs Championship. She also won the Golden Boot last season, scoring 24 goals in 14 matches.
Luvanga joins other African players at Washingston Spirit; Monique Ngock (Cameroon), Melissa Bethi (Algeria), Alimata Bélem (Burkina Faso), Gift Monday, Deborah Abiodun (Nigeria), Rosemonde Kouassi (Ivory Coast).
The Tanzanite Queens have suffered their second defeat at the on-going FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on Poland.
After losing 4-1 to Brazil in their opening Group B match, Tanzania suffered a 5-1 defeat to England in a match played on Tuesday at the Bielsko-Biala Stadium.
Skipper Jamila Mnunduka netted Tanzania’s only goal after 65 minutes. Rachel Maltby scored a hattrick, while Princess Ademiluyi and Jessie Gale also scored for the for the Young Lionesses.
“We did not handle the match well. But we need to try and win our last match against Canada,” said the Tanzania coach Bakari Nyundo Shime.
Brazil who have already collected two wins are already through to the knock-out stage, while last group B matches will be played on September 11th.
Tanzania will face Canada in their last group match.
Tanzania have made a losing start at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026 in Poland.
The Tanzanite Queens suffered a 4-1 Group B defeat to Brazil in a match played on Saturday at the Bielsko-Biala Stadium.
Thaynara Cristina Vieira Neres gave Brazil the lead after 14 minutes, but Winfrida Hurbert Garald leveled matters from a penalty after 39 minutes for the Tanzanite Queens.
Tanzania tried to contain the Brazil team, but failed to hold the midfield as the opponents attacked in numbers. Evelin Nascimento netted a brace, while a Maria Vitoria Sales also had her name on the score sheet.
Bakari Nyundo Shime, the Tanzania head coach said after defeat in the opening match, they must now come back strongly in their second match against England on September 8th.
The England team settled for a 1-1 draw against Canada in another Group B played on Saturday. The 24 teams FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup that started today will climax on September 27th, 2026.
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