The Australian A-Leagues hosted last week in Sydney a gathering of leaders from the Women’s leagues of Mexico, USA, England, Germany, Japan and Australia to discuss the progression of the women’s game.
Taking the opportunity of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, these women’s leagues leaders convened under the auspices of the World Leagues Forum to discuss the development of the women’s game at national level. Fan engagement, commercial sustainability, and the women's international match calendar were notably on the agenda. Representatives of FIFPro also attended the meeting, and exchanged with league executives on the well-being of players and safe environments.
Around fifteen Women’s Leagues will meet again for their second annual gathering in November in the USA around the NWSL final.
Moya Dodd, World Leagues Forum’s advisor on Women’s Football, who chaired the meeting in Sydney said: "The rapid growth of the women's professional leagues means that gatherings like this are especially valuable for league leaders to exchange best practices, discuss their shared perspectives, and collaborate on progress. Clubs and domestic leagues are crucial to the journey towards professionalism and greater career opportunities for our best players.”
Jerome Perlemuter, World Leagues Forum General Secretary said: “I am thrilled to see that the World Leagues Forum, originally founded by men's national leagues, has expanded into an inclusive platform that is now able to unite women's leagues globally. We are dedicated to supporting these women’s leagues in sharing knowledge and developing a sustainable landscape for football."
