Sports
FIFA, AFD sign landmark cooperation agreement to promote women’s football, develop school football in Africa
New strategic alliance will see FIFA and the French Development Agency use football as a vehicle for education, development and social change; FIFA President Gianni Infantino and AFD CEO Remy Rioux sign agreement at ceremony attended by French President Emmanuel Macron along with FIFA Legends Marcel Desailly, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Bernard Lama and Candice Prévost.
FIFA and the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement, AFD) today signed a landmark agreement, three days before the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ kicks off in France, that will see the two organisations work together to create positive change in society and communities through football.
Signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and AFD CEO Remy Rioux at a special ceremony at the Élysée Palace, the agreement aims to develop collaboration between FIFA and AFD for the implementation of various social projects related to football, including the development of women’s football and the Football for Schools Programme.
FIFA and the AFD will be partners and cooperate on joint projects in Africa with two main objectives:
- Gender equality and women’s empowerment
President Macron has said that equality between women and men is the great national objective of his five-year term. The AFD has a strategic objective called a “100% social link”, in particular through the inclusion of women and the fight against gender inequality. In terms of empowerment, the AFD will promote women’s participation in sport and partner with FIFA to implement FIFA’s new strategy for women’s football.
FIFA’s 2016-2026 road map, “FIFA 2.0: The Vision for the Future”, sets out several tangible and measurable goals for the development of football, among which is a commitment to significantly raise the number of women and girls playing football, up to 60 million. As part of its new vision, FIFA adopted a strategy for women’s football in October 2018 with the aim of developing the women’s game and using football as a powerful unifying factor and tool to bring about positive societal change, to fight inequality and to empower girls and women around the world.
- Education through football
School is “where we build the society we need and want to see” (President Macron at the opening of a preschool assembly). In this respect, sport is a vehicle for keeping or bringing young people back into the education system, fostering interculturalism and solidarity and transmitting fundamental values to build a world of peace, equality and respect.
FIFA, through its Football for Schools Programme, aims to reach over 700 million girls and boys around the world and invest USD 120 million over the next four years with the overall objective of making football more accessible to children everywhere and contributing to their education, social development and empowerment.
FIFA and the AFD will combine resources and implement joint programmes to promote football as a sport for all, socio-educational projects and equality in football, as well as invest in local infrastructure. These initiatives will run alongside existing programmes being carried out by the AFD as well as ongoing projects in member associations as part of the FIFA Forward development programme and the FIFA Football for Schools Programme.
Quotes on the agreement:
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said:
“I am happy that today, another strategic alliance has been forged to help use football as a platform for positive change in society.
This landmark agreement between FIFA and the AFD aims to make a lasting difference to communities around the world, as well as ensure that football continues to play an even more important role in sustainable development, educating and empowering the next generation to help build a fairer, more peaceful society.”
AFD CEO Remy Rioux said:
“What better way to build a world in common than by leveraging the unifying power of football? Sport is at the crossroads of all Sustainable Development Goals – including economic growth, women’s empowerment and access to education – yet the worlds of football and development finance have not been linked until now. I am therefore extremely proud that the AFD and FIFA are today launching a unique partnership to promote gender equality and foster education in Africa through football.
As theWomen’s World Cup is about to kick off in France, I am confident that the AFD-FIFA alliance will help to showcase women’s sport as a strategic development objective in Africa. This compelling agreement is already paving the way for inventive solutions on the ground such as “playdagogy” projects designed to ensure that young Africans will not only benefit from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development, but also become key advocates of SDGs.
The Chairman of Agbele Sporting, Hon. Ponmile Omidiji, has rejoiced with and extended warm felicitations to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Remo Stars Football Club, Hon. Kunle Soname, on the occasion of his birthday.
This was contained in a statement personally signed by Omidiji and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Sunday.
The statement reads: “It is my greatest pleasure to felicitate with you, the man of the masses and a philanthropist par excellence, on your day of birth.
“You are a morale booster and a great motivator to this generation. You always utilise any position you occupy for the benefit of others. Indubitably, you are a good man and worthy of emulation,” he added.
Omidiji also seized the opportunity to commend Hon. Soname’s contributions and tireless efforts towards the development of football in Nigeria and beyond, noting that such commitment is truly appreciated.
He offered heartfelt prayers for the celebrant, praying that Almighty God would continue to bless and protect him, that God’s grace would abound in his life, and that all his concerns would be firmly in God’s hands. He further wished that the world would always be kind to him.
Christian Chukwu, former captain and head coach of Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has died at the age of 74.
The football icon passed away in the early hours of Saturday, though the exact circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear at the time of reporting.
The news of his demise was confirmed by his longtime friend and teammate, Chief Olusegun Odegbami, who spoke to Channels Television. Odegbami, who played alongside Chukwu in Nigeria’s triumphant 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad, expressed deep sorrow over the loss.
“I just received the news that between 9:00 and 10:00 this morning, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, MFR, my bosom friend and teammate, one of the greatest football players in Nigeria’s history, has passed on,” said Odegbami.
“Babuje, Emmanuel Okala, MON, gave me the sad news a few minutes ago. May ‘Onyim’ find peace with Our Creator in Heaven and console his family,” he added.
Born on 4 January 1951 in Enugu, Chukwu carved a legendary career in Nigerian football, notably captaining Enugu Rangers to numerous domestic triumphs and leading them to continental glory in 1977 with victory in the now-defunct African Cup Winners’ Cup.
He made history in 1980 as the first Nigerian captain to lift the African Nations Cup trophy following a 3–0 win over Algeria in the final held in Lagos.
Chukwu went on to contribute to Nigeria’s football success off the pitch, serving as assistant to Dutch tactician Clemens Westerhof during the Super Eagles’ victorious 1994 AFCON campaign and their debut appearance at the FIFA World Cup the same year.
As head coach, Chukwu led the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. His tenure as national coach lasted from 2002 to 2005, ending during the qualification phase for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Nicknamed “Chairman” for his commanding presence on and off the pitch, Chukwu also played a role in Nigeria’s youth football development, working as assistant coach during the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Cup, which Nigeria won in China.
In 2019, he battled prostate cancer, which affected his mobility. A public appeal for support was launched, and Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola stepped in to cover his overseas medical expenses, reportedly donating $50,000 for his treatment.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim believes Marcus Rashford was unable to see football “the way I see it” before the unwanted England striker was shipped out of Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old Rashford fell dramatically out of favour with the Portuguese boss and spent seven weeks on the sidelines until he was loaned to Premier League rivals Aston Villa during the transfer window.
“I couldn’t put Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it,” Amorim said on Thursday.
“And sometimes you have one player that is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different.
“I just wish the best to Rashford and to (Aston Villa coach) Unai Emery, and they can connect because he’s a very good player.”
Amorim, whose team face Leicester in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, said his focus now is on turning around a wretched season.
“Guys, in the summer… like we said before, we are fighting for our jobs until the summer,” he said.
“So, I am just focused on these games. Thankfully about Marcus he is in Birmingham now with Unai, so you can take these questions to another coach. We are just focused on our players at the moment.”
