EVOLUTION SPORTS QATAR HOSTS GIRLS’ ONLY FOOTBALL EVENT AT DOHA COLLEGE

In the run-up to the World Cup, Evolutions Sports Qatar organised a girls’ only football tournament, inviting players from PSG Academy and Lusail Football Club. EVO - the largest multi-sports coaching organisation in the country – had girls from over 30 nationalities putting their skills to the test on Doha College’s floodlit 4G pitch.

10-year-old Saffiyah Shaikh, a Year 6 Doha College student, was thrilled at the opportunity to be part of the game. She said: “I was born in Manchester and football is a big part of the local culture. It allows me to be free on the pitch. It also teaches me discipline, to keep going and always get back up.”

Football's governing body FIFA stated that it hopes 60 million women around the globe will be playing the game by 2026. This is twice as much as the numbers that were playing less than ten years ago. The FIFA World Cup 2022 has generated a surge in the popularity of the women's game, with the world’s best players converging in Qatar this year. New generations of footballers are emerging and proving that inclusivity is a reality of the present rather than a faraway goal. EVO recently recruited a valuable asset as their new Girls’ Soccer coordinator, namely Rosie Todd, a former professional footballer and experienced UEFA B coach who headed the girls’ programme for York City. She shared her first impressions of the opportunities for girls to be involved in football: “I didn't really know what to expect when I arrived in Qatar a few months ago. The first time I saw the girls playing, I could tell that there was a fantastic foundation built up by EVO since the club started in 2007. With the FIFA World Cup 2022 still to come and inspire thousands more, this can only keep growing and growing, and this is a positive impact we can make on the future of girls’ football.”

AL JAZEERA NEWS REPORTING ON EVOLUTION SPORTS AND OUR GIRLS-ONLY SOCCER PROGRAMME.

Evo has the largest girls-only soccer programme in Qatar. We are committed to delivering equal opportunities to female soccer plays in the region. Our Girls Only soccer programme provides lots of opportunities for girls aged 6 and over to play football in a friendly but professional setting. Our coaches run outstanding sessions that develop skills and techniques and are really enjoyable. Girls are coached by our professional team and given all the support and tuition to progress in the sport to any level.