Governing Bodies
FIFA’s Fatma Samoura champions women on International Women’s Day
FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura applauded the eight nations who are debuting at the Women’s World Cup in celebration of International Women’s Day on Wednesday, urging the players to take pride in their ability to inspire.
Haiti, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, Ireland, Vietnam and Zambia will debut at the global women’s soccer showcase that runs from July 20-Aug. 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
“Seeing you ladies who are mothers, sisters, students and athletes. Women they identify with, excelling on the pitch,” Samoura said in a statement.
“This will encourage a generation of young girls and women to aim high, to aim big. To advocate for themselves and to take themselves beyond greatness, on the pitch but also, in life.”
Several other sports figures championed women and applauded progress on International Women’s Day, which has its roots in the U.S. socialist and labour movements of the early 20th century when many women were fighting for better working conditions and the right to vote.
England’s Lionesses cheered a UK government pledge that every girl in Britain will have equal access to soccer in school – a cause the national women’s team had been supporting since capturing the Euro 2022 title last August.
Schools will be expected to deliver a minimum of two hours of P.E. (physical education) per week and ensure that girls have equal access to all school sport, including soccer.
“An announcement that will change women’s football in England forever, and the start of something truly special,” the Lionesses said in a statement. “We see this as only the beginning.”
Hayley Wickenheiser, a four-time Olympic hockey champion for Canada, praised her parents in a celebratory Instagram post.
“My mom was an amazing female role model who advocated for women’s rights, and my dad an amazing male role model who believed a little girl could do anything a little boy could do,” she said. “They were a big reason I was able to break down barriers and finish medical school.”
International Tennis Federation president David Haggerty called on men to step up in the fight for gender equality.
“The role of men cannot be underestimated,” Haggerty said in a statement. “It is our combined duty and responsibility to work out the best way to redress gender imbalance.”
The ITF launched the Men as Allies programme, an element of the ITF Advantage All gender equality strategy.
“It’s time to start championing the champions,” said Haggerty, who is a United Nations HeForShe Champion. “We invite male leaders across all aspects of tennis to become Advantage All Male Allies.”
According to the ITF, allies will be expected to commit to make a tangible contribution toward gender equality goals.
Sebastian Coe championed female leadership in a Twitter video, saying having women in positions of influence makes for a better organisation.
Adding that “I’ll be maybe a little controversial,” Coe suggested that if World Athletics had more women in leadership positions during some of the organization’s darker years of the past, the challenges might not have been so profound.
-Reuters
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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