African youth face many challenges when it comes to participating in sports. Lack of access, high costs of sports programs, and gender inequality make it difficult for young people to develop their skills and reach their full potential.
In Africa, millions of Gen Zers love the sport and look to successful international athletes as an incentive to succeed.
However, the high cost of sports programs, from registration fees to travel expenses, has made it difficult to participate in sports.
Similarly, women and girls are often excluded from sports programs or have fewer opportunities compared to their male counterparts. This is due to deeply held cultural beliefs that sports are a male-dominated activity.
Gender inequality in sport is not just limited to access and opportunity, but extends to issues such as payment and sponsorship deals. Female athletes are often paid less than their male counterparts and have fewer opportunities for lucrative sponsorship deals, despite achieving similar or even greater success.
To empower young people across Africa and promote gender equality, FIFA is working to ensure that football serves as a catalyst for positive change.
This became apparent during recent meetings between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and senior officials from the Sierra Leone and Burundi football federations.
Speech at the opening day of the two days Workshop Speaking of African member associations, the FIFA President said in Paris: “This will be the year of football, this will be the year of women’s football, this will be an important year, it will be the year of a new cycle forward, this will be the year we really start to do something impactful. We are really starting to make football truly global.
Infantino talked about ways to promote football in Africa and empower youth through sport. The focus was on the need to fight gender discrimination and promote women’s football.
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