FIFA’s head of women’s competitions says that she sees this summer’s World Cup in Germany serving as “another breakthrough” for the women’s game, which she hopes will ultimately elevate it to a more universal level of semi-professionalism.

500,000 tickets have already been sold for the three-week long tournament, which kicks off in Berlin on 26 June.

“I’m absolutely convinced that it will be another breakthrough for women’s football,” said Tatjana Haenni, FIFA Head of Women’s Competitions, in London on the latest leg of a global promotional tour for the competition.

“I’m a fighter for women’s football worldwide.

“I really think through media and TV broadcasts that this World Cup will reach the world, and people will get more convinced how great this game is, how good women players are.

“We really want to move it into another area and take it out of this box that it’s a development sport, or an amateur sport and move it onto the next level, which is semi professionalism.”

Haenni paid generous tribute to Steffi Jones, Germany’s 2003 World Cup winning defender who now heads the Local Organising Committee. She joked that it was a “big challenge” for FIFA to find any room for criticism.

“The stadiums are great, all brand new or renovated; all Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2 stadiums,” she said.

“It will be something we’ve never seen before in terms of family atmosphere. A lot of families with their kids around the stadium, as has been the case in 2006 [at the men’s World Cup in Germany].

“For the first time at a FIFA Women’s World Cup there will be activities in a host city, fan parks and host city activities. So it’s not only getting people into stadiums but the host cities are also behind the event.

“I think it will be a little like 2006, but a huge breakthrough for women’s football.”

Haenni said she was pleased with the inroads that women’s football worldwide had made in recent years, adding that one of FIFA’s great success stories was that there was now “almost no country with no women’s football at all.”

“Basically in all countries we have women’s football, and where every girl would like to play football. It’s just a case of, do they have opportunities, do they have infrastructure, do they have clubs,” she said.

“On a positive note, a huge development has taken place over the years. There are very few areas where a lot of work needs to be done.

“But overall it has become a kind of self-going sport and I think the question now is to make an impression.

“I would say that we’re now over that step where we need to develop the game. We need to build the game, we need to make it better and grow the numbers.”

Haenni was joined at the event in central London not only by Steffi Jones but the aristocracy of British women’s football. National captain Faye White was accompanied by several of her England colleagues, while national manager Hope Powell played down England’s chances at this summer’s World Cup in her characteristically unassuming manner.

“It’s going to be the biggest ever Women’s World Cup,” said Kelly Simmons, the FA head of the women’s national game.

“We’ve got to capitalise on that and make sure we use it for the good of our game.”

Source: worldfootballinsider.com

Related Articles

1. FIFA Women’s World Cup Opening Match to Break European Attendance Record The Opening Match of the FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011™ will set a new European attendance record for women's football....
2. Brazil Star Kaka is Face of Advertising for FIFA 11 Video Game Real Madrid midfielder Kaka will grace the cover of all FIFA Soccer 11 cases when the video game hits shelves late next month. The 28-year-old...
3. Allianz backing world women’s soccer champions Germany Allianz have agreed a deal with the German Football Association (DFB) to become the lead sponsor of the women's national soccer team until the end...
4. Kia and Hyundai extend FIFA partnership for 2018 & 2022 FIFA World Cup Kia, in conjunction with Hyundai Motor, to sponsor all FIFA competitions until 2022 as a FIFA Partner...
5. A Women Social League in a Digital World New women's soccer mag "Our Game Magazine" explores what social media has done for Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) in the United States. ...