FAM pres. pledges to prioritize women's football in ongoing term

The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) will put in its best efforts to promote women’s football nationwide, says the association’s president, Bassam Adeel Jaleel.

In an appearance on RaajjeTV’s ‘Kulhivaru File’ programme, FAM’s president noted that numerous efforts had been put in to promote women’s football in the Maldives during his first term, however, he was not completely pleased with the efforts.

While Bassam was re-elected as president of the association in July, he stated that priority will be given for women’s football during the ongoing term and that one of their biggest aims remains to introduce a regular women’s football league from next year onward.

FAM issues funds for clubs each year and an agreement is also made that mandates each club to form a women’s team, said Bassam.

Further, the association’s president added that FAM is ready and willing to set major expenses to promote women’s football, as they prepare to introduce a five-division women’s football league in 2021.

Boosting women’s football in the Maldives will be a major step to pave opportunities for women to progress in the field, at a time AFC and FIFA are also spending hefty amounts to promote women’s football.

Once a football league for women kicks off, women’s football will see major progression similar to that of men’s football. As such, women’s football will see equal priority in providing opportunities for youth discovery programmes and others.

Despite women’s football having seen a major progress in FAM’s incumbent leadership, women’s football is only observed in national team matches, currently.

Further speaking during the programme, Bassam shed light on the progress expected for the football field in the upcoming term. The FAM president anticipates the football field to see an upgrade in facilities as well as a boost in FAM’s income.