#4YearsOfProgress: Dr Desiree Ellis and Barbra Banda hail progress made in developing women's football in Africa
Dr Ellis, who has won four CAF Women's Coach of the Year titles, was an international footballer before turning her hand to coaching and has been involved at the top level of the African game for more than 30 years.
Her expertise is well respected within African football, as is her commitment to the betterment of the game, and she is delighted with the progress she has seen in recent years to develop the next generation of female coaches.
'I think there's been a massive jump,' Dr Ellis said. 'Before, there were very few courses and not much opportunity. Now you see that there are courses for women all over the continent. 'There has even been instructors' courses and refresher courses. In the past it was very slow. It was just South Africa that had courses for women, and I think at the moment, still South Africa has the most licensed women's coaches.
'But that has improved all around the continent with so many more opportunities for women.'
Since launching the female-only Coaching Courses program in 2023, CAF has been collaborating with Member Associations (MAs) to support them financially in conducting development programmes.
This initiative has already successfully reached 18 countries and has led to the completion of 21 courses, providing valuable resources and support for female coaches at various stages of their careers.
The ultimate aim is to equip them with the necessary skills and credentials, enhancing their professional development and increasing their representation within the coaching landscape.Through this collaboration and the push to include more women in coaching courses, CAF has seen remarkable results. Since 2022, 590 female coaches have attained their CAF coaching diplomas. Of this group, 498 earned the CAF C-License and 92 achieved the CAF B-License.
On the pitch, there has also been a change in recent years with the playing field being levelled and nations raising their standard quickly through better organisation and coaching.
'You just need to look at the countries that have now qualified for TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Morocco 2024 finals that will be played in July,' Ellis says. 'One quarter of the finalists at the last finals in Morocco (in 2022) have been replaced. They are not the same countries that were there the last time round and this is proof of widespread development.
'Algeria, Tanzania, Mali and Ghana are back. It means a lot of countries around the continent are in contention to qualify for the finals, which wasn't the case too many years ago.
'It used to pretty much be the same old faces all the time but now the line-up for WAFCON is more diverse. Cameroon is a country that has been a WAFCON runner-up three times previously and they have also qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Olympics Games. But they were unable to qualify for the next WAFCON. That's how competitive it is now.'
Thirty-nine teams out of CAF's 54 MAs entered the qualifiers for the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON, Morocco 2024, up from 24 in 2018. The difference is stark. And Ellis says the introduction of the CAF Women's Champions League, with the inaugural event staged in 2021, has been a game-changer too.
'In the last regional qualifiers there were a whole lot of new winners,' she says. 'All of this is proof of how competitive the women's football landscape has become. Women's football is not standing still. If you stand still, you do so at your own peril.
'It's really improved football on the continent. Even look at the international stage and how well the African teams did at the last FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.'
Banda has been a star on the international stage for Zambia for several years having played at two Olympic Games and the FIFA Women's World Cup, and says the general feeling around African football is that the game is on the up on the continent.
"Kudos to CAF for their investment in Women's Football these past years and that should continue because that's the only way we will develop the women's game on the continent. It's a welcome move that should be supported by all,' Banda said.
"The future of women's football is very promising. It is slowly getting the respect it deserves and people are now noticing the amazing talent and are going to games to support.
"Seeing my sisters from Malawi, South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana, Tanzania and so on going out there and showcasing their talent and putting the world on notice is something that warms my heart. It really shows that the continent has a lot of talent and is headed for greatness as far as women's football is concerned.' Banda says she has noticed an uptick in the competitive of opponents on the continent.
'We have seen the competition, it's not easy to play most teams and, of course, we have seen players making records out there and doing really well across the globe from the continent, which is amazing to see.
'It has developed well, we are on the right track. We just need more and more investment.'
Part of that has been the investment made by CAF in women's football, which includes increased prizemoney for the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON and CAF Women's Champions League.
The recent Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT), an Under-17 pilot project held in the CECAFA region, is another step forward in terms of providing international exposure for young players to help them on their football journey. This has been welcomed by Ellis.
'More competitions, especially for the youth, are needed because they only have qualifying competitions played on a knockout basis, where they play home and away, rather than in a tournament,' she says.
'And then when you have countries that withdraw, it means some teams don't play any games until they get up to the final stages. And then they have not prepared properly. With more tournaments, that will really improve football on the continent even more.'
You can download CAF Women's Football graphics for editorial use only. Click here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CAF
16 hours ago
- CAF
Six days to go: Angola boss Gonçalves hails CAF for championing homegrown talent with CHAN
As the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 edges closer, Angola's head coach Pedro Gonçalves is leading his team with quiet confidence and deep reflection of his six years in charge of the Palancas Negras. Celebrating six years at the helm of the Palancas Negras, the Portuguese tactician believes Angola is primed to showcase its local talent despite facing challenges of player availability and group-stage pressure. In this exclusive interview with Gonçalves delves into Angola's CHAN qualification journey, the transformative power of the competition for local players, and his optimism about the future of football in the COSAFA region. He also acknowledges the difficult task ahead in a group that includes CHAN heavyweights Morocco and DR Congo, as well as co-hosts Kenya and regional rivals Zambia. With a mix of pragmatism and belief, Gonçalves sees CHAN not just as a tournament but as a platform for growth and recognition for African-based players. Here is the full Q&A: Q: Coach, you are preparing for yet another TotalEnergies CAF CHAN tournament. What are your views on the current state of the team? I have the privilege of celebrating six years as Angola's national team coach. The journey has been long and enjoyable. Our progress since 2019 has been substantial, and this will be the second consecutive CHAN that I am proud to have qualified Angola for. As a result of our development in recent years, Angola has become a goldmine for world football, and many of our most prominent players are now playing abroad, which means they won't be available for this competition. Nevertheless, I have always emphasized—and continue to stress to the players—the great importance of CHAN, as it serves both as a window of opportunity for local players and as a barometer for the entire internal football structure. Q: What do you make of the team's performance in the qualifiers? The fact that in 2024 we were the national team with the biggest rise in the FIFA rankings worldwide allowed us to skip the first qualifying round. On one hand, that was a good thing, but on the other, it meant we had less time to work and develop directly with the locally based players. We ended up playing the qualifier against Lesotho, which is always a very competitive opponent. I believe we were rightful winners of the tie, which was practically decided in the first leg with our 2-goal away victory. In the second leg at home, we were able to manage the squad and give other players the chance to compete. Despite losing that match due to an entirely unnecessary penalty, we always controlled the tie and were never in danger of missing qualification. Q: What makes this TotalEnergies CAF CHAN tournament important for Angolan Football? CHAN is of vital importance in boosting local talent. The vast majority of African national teams play mostly (or even entirely) with players who are based outside their countries. I think CAF brilliantly created a very interesting and attractive competitive space that opens the door for locally based players who aspire to reach higher sporting levels. CHAN provides visibility for local talent. Q: What have you made of the growth and competitiveness of African football? In recent seasons, CAF has implemented a series of initiatives that have increasingly raised the quality and visibility of African competitions. Africa holds the future talent of global football, and as such, interest from the global football world is growing. This is evident in the attention given to African competitions—not only from outside the continent but also from within, as there is growing enthusiasm and appreciation for what is being produced in African football. Q: Looking at your group, what do you make of your opponents and your chances of going to the KO stages? We are clearly in the most competitive group. Looking at the five teams in the group, only two have won CHAN twice—Morocco and the DRC—and they are clearly the favorites to qualify. Then there's the host nation, Kenya, which has made a significant investment. Zambia and ourselves will be seen as the 'underdogs,' but I believe we will fight relentlessly for a place in the quarterfinals. We may not be the favorites, but we will certainly have something to say in that fight. Q: What goals are you looking to set for your team in this competition? Considering that in the last edition we finished second in a group of three and didn't qualify—due to two draws in two matches—having the chance to play four games this time is already a great opportunity for this group of local players. We will fight for a place in the quarterfinals, which would be a fantastic goal to achieve given the strength of the teams in our group. Q: No Southern African nation has lifted the title. What do you make of this statistic and the chances of Southern African nations at the tournament? The progress of the COSAFA region has been gradual and significant. If we consider that seven of the teams in the upcoming AFCON are from the COSAFA region, that's already a sign of growth. However, we must now aim for the next level, which is winning titles in Africa. South Africa and Zambia have already done so in the AFCON. Let's see which team from our region will be the first to do it in CHAN. The talent is there, and with time, the allocation of more resources, and improvements in the development process, I believe it will become a reality.
CairoScene
17 hours ago
- CairoScene
First Egyptian Woman Appointed VP of African Squash Federation
Eltarabolsy's is the first female president of the national federation, but also as the presenter of Al-Abtal, Egypt's first television programme dedicated to squash and its champions. Jul 27, 2025 Amna Eltarabolsy, President of the Egyptian Squash Federation and a former world-ranked champion, has been appointed Vice President of the African Squash Federation, becoming the first Egyptian woman in history to hold the position. Eltarabolsy's career began as a professional athlete, reaching a global ranking of No. 41 before retiring in 2008. Today, she stands at the helm of Egyptian squash's administrative and media landscape, as the first female president of the national federation, but also as the presenter of Al-Abtal, Egypt's first television programme dedicated to squash and its champions. Eltarabolsy currently serves as Secretary of Sports for Alexandria Governorate under the Mostaqbal Watan (Nation's Future) Party. Her election to the African federation comes at a pivotal time. As squash prepares to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, the continent is focused on elevating talent, infrastructure, and international competitiveness.
Al-Ahram Weekly
20 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Messi-less Miami held by Cincinnati in MLS - World
An Inter Miami team missing the suspended Lionel Messi missed the chance to gain ground on Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati after being held to a 0-0 draw in Major League Soccer on Saturday. Messi and team-mate Jordi Alba were both barred from playing the home game against Cincinnati after controversially withdrawing from this week's MLS All-Star Game in Texas. That meant Messi and Alba could only watch on from the sidelines in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday as Inter were frustrated by a well-organised Cincinnati team. Miami were given a huge let off in the dying seconds of stoppage time, when Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson had a goal ruled out after harshly being adjudged to have fouled Inter's Noah Allen as he leapt for a header. The result leaves Miami seven points adrift of Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference standings. Miami, meanwhile, used the pre-game festivities to formally unveil new star signing Rodrigo De Paul, Messi's World Cup-winning Argentina team-mate. The 31-year-old midfielder, who joins the club from Spain's Atletico Madrid, is expected to make his debut during Miami's upcoming Leagues Cup campaign. "What brings me to Inter Miami is the desire to compete, win titles, to write the pages in the club's history," De Paul said after his transfer was announced by the club late Friday. "It's a club that is shaping up to be great, to have a long history, so that many people follow this incredible team." Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said De Paul's signing would bring "experience, passion and quality" to the Herons. "Rodrigo is a player I've admired for many years," Beckham said. "As a leader he has brought so much to the teams he has played for -- especially with his national team Argentina. "I'm excited to welcome another World Cup winning player not just to Inter Miami, but also to MLS." (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
