The Irish Football Association (IFA) has unveiled an ambitious new strategy aimed at transforming the landscape of women's and girls' football in Northern Ireland. Titled "Together We Thrive: Elevating The Game For Everyone," this five-year strategic plan is poised to enhance the football ecosystem by focusing on sustainability, growth, and increased visibility.
The unveiling took place at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, emphasizing the IFA's commitment to fostering an inclusive and dynamic environment for female footballers. The strategy is closely aligned with broader initiatives from UEFA and FIFA, such as UEFA's "Unstoppable (2024-2030)" and FIFA's "Women’s Football Strategy 2024-2027," underscoring a unified effort across different football governing bodies.
Elevating Women's Football
This new initiative builds on Northern Ireland's successful qualification for the UEFA Women's Euro 2022, a historic achievement that significantly raised the profile of women's football in the region. "In qualifying for UEFA Women’s Euro in 2022, our senior women’s national team reached a major tournament for the first time and, as a consequence, helped to raise the profile and visibility of women’s and girls’ football," said Angela Platt, the IFA's Director of Women's Football.
The strategy aims to ensure that this momentum continues, with a focus on making football accessible and enjoyable for all, regardless of age, ability, or location. It also seeks to develop a skilled workforce that includes coaches, referees, and volunteers, integral to supporting the sport's growth.
Strategic Pillars
The "Together We Thrive" strategy is built on five key pillars:
- Fun Football and the Everyday Game: Ensuring football is enjoyable and accessible for everyone.
- Clubs and Competitions: Creating a sustainable women's and girls' football pyramid.
- Performance Pathway: Developing successful national teams in a high-quality performance environment.
- People Development: Recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce to support growth and development.
- Profile and Visibility: Increasing the visibility and improving perceptions of women’s football.
Platt highlighted the importance of collaboration, stating, "It will require us all to collaborate and work together more to enable sustainability of our football ecosystem, achieve further growth in our participation, and enhance the game at all levels to reach our full potential at the highest level of our sport."
Building on Previous Success
The strategy is designed to expand the foundation laid by the IFA's previous strategy, "Growing the Game: Maximising Impact (2019-2024)," which successfully increased participation and interest in women's football. The new plan aims to elevate these achievements by fostering an environment where talent is nurtured and excellence is pursued both on and off the pitch.
A Community Effort
The IFA's dedication to women's football is further evidenced by the involvement of former Northern Ireland senior women’s team captain Marissa Callaghan, who announced her retirement from international football after an illustrious career. Callaghan, who now works as a women’s and girls’ football administrator with the Irish FA Foundation, remarked, "When I was younger, football did so much for me. I’m in the job that I’m in, I’ve got the incredible career that I’ve had in football. I’m me because of football."
As the IFA embarks on this strategic journey, the hope is to create a thriving football community that empowers and inspires the next generation of female footballers in Northern Ireland. The "Together We Thrive" plan is a promising step towards a future where women's football is not only celebrated but is an integral part of the sporting landscape.
For more details on the strategy, visit the Irish FA's official announcement.