COSAFA’s Women’s Leadership Programme to empower next generation
COSAFA’s fifth edition of its Women’s Leadership Programme (WLP) is one of the region’s flagship initiatives designed to advance leadership excellence and professionalise women’s football across Southern Africa.
The programme, which runs from 30 July to 5 November 2025, brings together over 40 women leaders from 13 Member Associations, representing roles in administration, governance, coaching, communication, finance, and safeguarding.
It is structured around 14 weekly sessions, each linked to one or more pillars of the FIFA Women’s Football Strategy.
The WLP aims to strengthen leadership capacity within Member Associations and to ensure that more women occupy positions of influence both on and off the field. It reflects COSAFA’s long-term investment in empowering women to shape the future of football in the region.
During the opening session, Dame Sarai Paea-Bareman, FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer, congratulated participants, saying:
“Our mission is clear – more women in football, everywhere. On the field, in boardrooms, technical areas, and top administrative positions. To every woman taking part in this programme – I see you, I believe in you, and my team and I are here to support you. Lift others as you climb, and keep leading in your own way.”
The 2025 programme covers a wide range of themes designed to develop confident, capable leaders who can drive sustainable growth.
Topics include personal leadership and strengths development, contextual analysis, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, grassroots participation, digital innovation, negotiation and influence, sponsorship and marketing, competition structuring, safeguarding, accountability, and financial planning.
Facilitated by respected regional and international experts such as Thubaelihle Sibanda, Romaney Pinnock, Ashford Mamelodi and Nomsa Mahlangu, the programme blends practical learning, mentorship, and collaborative problem-solving.
Each session provides tools and case studies that participants can apply within their Member Associations.
This year’s cohort includes Vice Presidents, General Secretaries, department heads, technical leads, and safeguarding officers from Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
