Celebrating a Goal

Irish Women’s Football

FAI Targets for Irish Women’s Soccer

Through the Women’s Development Plan the FAI aims to achieve the following objectives:

	Establishment of a Women’s Football Development Unit within the Technical Department that is fully resourced, well organised and run professionally
	Increase the numbers of girls and women taking part in high level football programmes that are appropriate to age and standard
	To provide a clear progression route for players, coaches, referees and administrators in the girls and women’s game
	To improve the performance of women soccer coaches ability through education so that age and standard appropriate coaching is delivered
	To provide a holistic structure pulling together clubs, schools, counties, provinces and the national level. This structure will be supported by dedicated personnel at provincial and national level
	An enhanced competitive structure to address the requirements at every stage of their development
	Introduce and develop a national league
	Provide a programme for emerging talent funneling into all levels of girl’s and women’s soccer right up to national league level
	Build upon previous successes that have been achieved to date at international level
	The women’s game to be adequately catered for when new facilities are being developed
	To adopt a policy of positive discrimination towards Irish women’s soccer

Future Structure of Irish Women’s Soccer

In the past the Women’s Football Association of Ireland – WFAI – was run on a voluntary basis depending entirely upon the goodwill of soccer enthusiasts and without any full-time support. The WFAI has adopted the objective of integrating fully into current FAI structures. The exiting Technical Development unit will be used to smooth this integration.

An vital piece of the new structure will be the establishment of a number of full-time roles to provide support for the growth and development at local, provincial and national level. There now exists four coordinators at provincial level whose roles are to aid in communication and improve administration for all elements in Irish women’s soccer.

The FAI is appointing a minimum of four Women’s Development Officers to give significant impetus to the Women’s Football Development Strategy. Each of these officers will be dedicated to planning, developing and implementing the existing FAI grassroots plan with particular emphasis on girl’s and women’s soccer.

Continue reading about Irish Women’s Soccer – Terenure Falcons – Girls Football Teams – Stephanie Roche Goal

References & Sources:

Women’s Development Plan: Pointing the Way Forward for Women’s Football; FAI (2006)
FAI Website

Other Useful Links

Great Irish Soccer Players – Irish Soccer Managers – Irish Soccer Clubs – Soccer Leagues in Ireland
Irish Referees Information – Futsal in Ireland – Women’s Soccer in Ireland – Irish International Soccer Results
Aviva Stadium – Irish Qualifying Campaigns – Ireland’s 2014 World Cup Group