FIFA Women’s Football Expert Thuba Sibanda has commended the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) for taking a leading role in utilising FIFA’s Women’s Football Development Programmes to advance the women’s game in Uganda.
Sibanda made the remarks on Monday while delivering her opening address on the first day of the FUFA Women’s Football Strategy Stakeholders’ Consultative Workshop at Jevine Hotel, Lubaga.
She praised Uganda for its commitment to a number of FIFA-supported initiatives, describing the country as an example of how the programmes can be used to strengthen different areas of women’s football.
‘Uganda is taking the lead in using the FIFA women’s football development programmes. Uganda has been my favourite country since 2021, and I always use it as an example when making presentations in other countries,’ Sibanda said.
Among the key FIFA programmes being utilised in Uganda are the Women’s Football Strategy, Women’s Football Campaign, League Development, Club Licensing, Commercial Strategy (Pilot), Women in Football Leadership, Coach Education Scholarships for individuals and Coach Education Scholarships for groups.
Sibanda noted that Uganda’s participation in these programmes reflects the progress being made beyond the pitch, with the initiatives supporting the development of structures, competitions, leadership, commercialisation and technical capacity within women’s football.
She particularly highlighted Uganda’s involvement in the FIFA Commercial Strategy Pilot, where Uganda and Romania were selected to participate, as well as the country’s continued engagement in coach education and capacity-building initiatives.
However, Sibanda challenged Uganda to complement the progress being made through development programmes with improved results on the international stage.
‘But Uganda has to take the next step on the pitch through the youth teams getting to the World Cup,’ she added.
Her remarks came as FUFA begins the process of developing a new strategy for women’s football, with support from FIFA through its Women’s Football Development Programme.
The new strategy follows the expiry of the 2019 framework that has guided women’s football development in Uganda and is intended to build on the progress achieved while responding to emerging opportunities and challenges.
The strategy will provide direction across the women’s football pathway, including grassroots participation, youth development, elite football, national teams, competitions, technical and institutional capacity development, governance, communication, commercialisation and stakeholder partnerships.
The two-day consultative process, running from 31 August at Jevine Hotel, Lubaga, to 1st September 2026 at FUFA Stadium, Kadiba, brings together key stakeholders from across Uganda’s women’s football ecosystem.
