Latest news with #FIFAU-17Women'sWorldCup
Ya Biladi
3 days ago
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
FIFA inaugurates Africa office at Mohammed VI Football Complex in Morocco
The Africa office of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was officially inaugurated on Saturday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé, during a ceremony led by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The event was attended by Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe, Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaa, and several other dignitaries. «This is a historic moment, a festive and joyful day that will be etched in golden letters in the history of FIFA and African football, in Morocco, and across the world», said Infantino. «I thank His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the momentum he has given to the development of sport across the continent», Infantino said, adding that the royal commitment to football development is «truly unique». He went on to say that the Mohammed VI Complex, now home to the FIFA Africa office, has become a nerve center for African football and a symbol of a country, and a continent, looking toward the future. «What we are inaugurating today is not just a FIFA Africa office. It's a global FIFA center that will have a worldwide impact on the game», Infantino emphasized. The FIFA president also recalled Morocco's upcoming role in major international tournaments, including the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the next five editions of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the Kingdom will co-host with Spain and Portugal. «The world will come together here in Morocco», he said. He also highlighted the significance of Saturday night's Women's Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Nigeria in Rabat, calling it «a grand celebration» of women's football in both Morocco and Africa, and praised the unmatched passion of Moroccan fans. CAF President Patrice Motsepe welcomed the opening of FIFA's Africa office in Morocco, saying, «There could not be a better place to establish this office». He expressed gratitude to King Mohammed VI for his continued efforts to promote football on the continent, noting that African football is now reaching a global standard. Reflecting on the performance of African teams at the last World Cup in Qatar, particularly Morocco's historic run to the semi-finals, Motsepe said he is convinced that African football is poised to dominate the global stage in the coming years. FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa emphasized that the Mohammed VI Complex, which now houses the FIFA Africa office, was made possible thanks to the enlightened vision of King Mohammed VI. He described the facility as the product of a broader strategy aimed at empowering Moroccan and African youth through sport. «This vision aspires to make Morocco a welcoming hub for talent from around the world», he said. Lekjaa added that the establishment of the office reflects FIFA's deep commitment to African football and the development of all its categories. He also reiterated that Morocco has long been, and will continue to be, a land of tolerance and a crossroads of civilizations. The agreement to establish the FIFA Africa office in Morocco was signed last December in Marrakech, on the sidelines of the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony, by Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa.
Scoop
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Group A Teams Ready For OFC Women's Nations Cup Kick-Off In Lautoka
Press Release – Oceania Football Confederation Papua New Guineas head coach Ericsson Komeng, who recently led Hekari United Women to the final of the OFC Womens Champions League in Tahiti, returns to guide the national team as they defend the title they claimed in Fiji in 2022. Final preparations are underway for the four Group A teams ahead of the OFC Women's Nations Cup 2025, with match day one set to kick off at Lautoka's Churchill Park this Friday. This morning, the head coaches and captains of Cook Islands, defending champions Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tahiti came together at a pre-tournament media conference in Lautoka, sharing their thoughts on the competition and their opening matches. Papua New Guinea's head coach Ericsson Komeng, who recently led Hekari United Women to the final of the OFC Women's Champions League in Tahiti, returns to guide the national team as they defend the title they claimed in Fiji in 2022. 'It's going to be tough,' Komeng admitted. 'The two friendlies against Fiji [last month] gave us a lot to think about. The girls were a bit down after the second loss, but I have a quality side and I'm confident.' Captain Ramona Padio returns to bolster the side from the ankle injury she suffered in the OFC Women's Champions League semi-finals and missed the recent Fiji friendlies, bringing experience and leadership back to the squad. But first choice goalkeeper Faith Kasiray has been ruled out with a wrist injury suffered in training before the side departed for Fiji. Komeng is expecting a strong challenge in their opener against Samoa. 'They're a quality side, and that first match is very important for us,' he said. Samoa is led by head coach Juan Chang Urrea, who has been instrumental in shaping the country's women's football programme, coaching the U-16, U-19, and senior women's teams. Later this year, he will take Samoa's U-17 side to their first-ever FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco. 'A lot of our girls represent Samoa from outside the country,' said Chang Urrea. 'This tournament will be a great learning experience. We know what the goal is, but we're focusing on taking things day by day.' Samoa brings a well-balanced team with a mix of youth and experience, with their clash Papua New Guinea clash an early litmus test for their campaign. Angela Wallbank will lead the Cook Islands, having coached Tupapa Maraerenga at the OFC Women's Champions League in May. Several players have been recruited from clubs in New Zealand, while one has joined from Perth. 'The biggest takeaway from the Champions League was seeing how other teams were structured,' Wallbank said. 'Now, with the ability to bring in players from New Zealand and Australia, we've added depth and balance across the park. That should help us counter some of the threats we identified in Tahiti.' Tahiti's squad, coached by Xavier Samin, includes six players from AS Pirae, who made their debut at the OFC Women's Champions League in May. The team's build-up has been challenging, with players juggling club commitments up until their departure for Fiji. 'With the team we have, we hope to go as far as possible,' said Samin. 'The Champions League in Tahiti gave us the chance to observe a lot of the players now in this tournament, so we have a good idea of the level of competition in the Pacific.' Group A action begins on Friday, with the Cook Islands taking on Tahiti in the tournament opener, followed by defending champions Papua New Guinea facing Samoa in the second match of the day. Full match schedule:
Scoop
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Group A Teams Ready For OFC Women's Nations Cup Kick-Off In Lautoka
Final preparations are underway for the four Group A teams ahead of the OFC Women's Nations Cup 2025, with match day one set to kick off at Lautoka's Churchill Park this Friday. This morning, the head coaches and captains of Cook Islands, defending champions Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tahiti came together at a pre-tournament media conference in Lautoka, sharing their thoughts on the competition and their opening matches. Papua New Guinea's head coach Ericsson Komeng, who recently led Hekari United Women to the final of the OFC Women's Champions League in Tahiti, returns to guide the national team as they defend the title they claimed in Fiji in 2022. 'It's going to be tough,' Komeng admitted. 'The two friendlies against Fiji [last month] gave us a lot to think about. The girls were a bit down after the second loss, but I have a quality side and I'm confident.' Captain Ramona Padio returns to bolster the side from the ankle injury she suffered in the OFC Women's Champions League semi-finals and missed the recent Fiji friendlies, bringing experience and leadership back to the squad. But first choice goalkeeper Faith Kasiray has been ruled out with a wrist injury suffered in training before the side departed for Fiji. Komeng is expecting a strong challenge in their opener against Samoa. 'They're a quality side, and that first match is very important for us,' he said. Samoa is led by head coach Juan Chang Urrea, who has been instrumental in shaping the country's women's football programme, coaching the U-16, U-19, and senior women's teams. Later this year, he will take Samoa's U-17 side to their first-ever FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco. 'A lot of our girls represent Samoa from outside the country,' said Chang Urrea. 'This tournament will be a great learning experience. We know what the goal is, but we're focusing on taking things day by day.' Samoa brings a well-balanced team with a mix of youth and experience, with their clash Papua New Guinea clash an early litmus test for their campaign. Angela Wallbank will lead the Cook Islands, having coached Tupapa Maraerenga at the OFC Women's Champions League in May. Several players have been recruited from clubs in New Zealand, while one has joined from Perth. 'The biggest takeaway from the Champions League was seeing how other teams were structured,' Wallbank said. 'Now, with the ability to bring in players from New Zealand and Australia, we've added depth and balance across the park. That should help us counter some of the threats we identified in Tahiti.' Tahiti's squad, coached by Xavier Samin, includes six players from AS Pirae, who made their debut at the OFC Women's Champions League in May. The team's build-up has been challenging, with players juggling club commitments up until their departure for Fiji. 'With the team we have, we hope to go as far as possible,' said Samin. 'The Champions League in Tahiti gave us the chance to observe a lot of the players now in this tournament, so we have a good idea of the level of competition in the Pacific.' Group A action begins on Friday, with the Cook Islands taking on Tahiti in the tournament opener, followed by defending champions Papua New Guinea facing Samoa in the second match of the day. Full match schedule:
Morocco World
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Morocco to Face Brazil, Italy, and Costa Rica in U-17 Women's World Cup Debut
Rabat – Morocco now knows its path in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. The national team was drawn into Group A alongside Brazil, Italy, and Costa Rica, following Wednesday's official ceremony at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maamora. This will be a historic edition of the tournament for Morocco and the competition itself. For the first time, 24 teams will take part, a major leap from the 16 that featured in previous years. The expansion adds new weight to Morocco's role as host and places the country at the heart of one of women's football´s most anticipated youth tournaments. Rabat will host the games between October 17 and November 8. But the spotlight on Morocco will extend well beyond a single edition. The country has committed to hosting the next four tournaments through 2029, a rare move that shows confidence from FIFA and a local push to build a future for women's football. The national U-17 team has already shown signs of readiness. In their most recent friendly match on June 3, the young squad overcame South Korea with a 4-2 win at the same Mohammed VI complex. As hosts, Morocco will open the tournament and carry the expectations of a growing fanbase. With giants like Brazil and Italy in their group, the road ahead will not be easy. But the team has something to prove, and a generation of players eager to leave a mark. Morocco is also set to co-host the men's FIFA World Cup in 2030 alongside Spain and Portugal, a huge and historic deal for the country.
Scoop
04-06-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Samoa Drawn Against Some Of Women's Football's Strongest Nations For Historic 1st FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Appearance
Samoa will make history this October as they compete in their first-ever FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup™ following the official draw in Rabat, Morocco. Samoa who finished runners up to New Zealand at last year's OFC U-16 Women's Championship, has been drawn in Group D alongside women's football powerhouses Canada, France, and Nigeria – an exciting and challenging assignment for the Pacific Island nation in their debut appearance on the world stage. New Zealand has been drawn in Group F and will play Japan, Paraguay, and Zambia. The draw, held at the Mohammed VI Football Academy, revealed the group-stage matchups for the 24 qualified nations taking part in the tournament, which will run from 17 October to 8 November in the Moroccan capital. This year's edition of the tournament is groundbreaking on multiple fronts. It marks the first time the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup will feature 24 teams, up from 16, and it is also the first-ever FIFA women's tournament to be held on African soil. FIFA Chief Women's Football Officer, Sarai Bareman – who herself has strong Samoan roots and once captained the Samoa national women's team, featured in the draw ceremony. Samoa's historic qualification was sealed with a memorable performance at the OFC U-16 Women's Championship in Tahiti, earning their place among the world's best. The tournament now presents an unprecedented opportunity for the young squad to represent their country, region, and culture on the global stage.
