Report and interview by Marion Kehren
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08.05.2009
Women´s football has become enormously popularly within our society and the world of sports. Promoted among other things by the FIFA and UEFA, the women´s football is experiencing an uncanny boom, as in many so-called "developing countries". So you will find, e.g., in the actual FIFA world rankings under the top 150 among other things Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain and Lebanon. One can not help to ask the question, what about women football in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in a country which advertises its boundless possibilities where tradition meets modern age.
In search of the women´s football in UAE I realised that there is no official national team playing in this country, but I stumbled upon two different kinds of leagues: The first official women football club "Abu Dhabi Health and Fitness Club Women´s Soccer Team" (ADHFC) and on the other hand a sort of women´s football association, so-called "DWFA - Dubai Women´s Football Association" in Dubai. Each structure is very differently, but both unions still pursue only one aim: The support and realisation of the women´s football in the United Arab Emirates.
 The landmark Dubais at night, the Burj Al Arab
Photo: Marion Kehren
The DWFA (founded in 2004) is made up of schoolgirls, working women, students and more. It consists at the moment of 17 teams split into two divisions with approx. 12 players in every team, playing 7-a-side football, trend rising. The DWFA plays 2 seasons per year. Funding for the league is provided primarily by private sponsors for each individual team and player contributions. The league receives no state funding and continues to search for a league sponsor. These funds cover charges for facility rental, equipment and referees.
Much easier is the situation of the first official women´s football club in Abu Dhabi. Four years ago still smiled and led amateur-like, it is now partly financed by the Abu Dhabi Health and Fitness Club and supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. No costs and efforts are afraid to bring the women´s football forward; since the long-term aim is to have an Emirate Women´s National Team!
 The traditional arabic spice souk
Photo: Marion Kehren
Thus a full-time trainer and organizer was employed among other things with Connie Selby. Before she hired she was already many years active for the Oceanic Football Association and also working as a consultant for the FIFA. The interest and the run in Abu Dhabi are big, however, unfortunately, there is no league. So Abu Dhabi made last year brought to life the ”First Arabian Women´s Football Championship” in which several Arabian football clubs from Jordan, Egypt, Oman, Lebanon took part in a 7-a-side competition with great success.
 Look from the Madinat Jumeirah to the Burj Al Arab
Photo: Marion Kehren
 The legendary Sheikh Zayed Road, connecting road between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Photo: Marion Kehren
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Sport No. 1 in Arabian countries - camel races
Photo: Marion Kehren
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I was given the opportunity to get some more feedback from DWFA representatives Lisa Buschek (Austrian and league´s publicity officer) as well as Kat Lukovic (Serbian, President of the league´s committee) and Connie Selby (Australian, full-time trainer and organizer as well as consultant for the FIFA) for ADHFC. All parties were very helpful and ready to give me extensive information about their organisations.
To what extent do FIFA rules apply to your football matches?
Connie: The Club at this stage only has a 7-a-side field but also includes a great club house for the players with their own gym. They are also in the process of building a full sized synthetic FIFA 2* approved field. This will be a huge advantage for the players and also we will have our own field and not have to find fields to play or train due to the lack of fields.
Lisa/ Kat: In principle, we play correspondent to the rules of the FIFA, with two exceptions. Our field is only 70 m long and we disregard the offside rule. The play duration amounts 2 x 25 minutes with a break of 5 minutes.
 Winner 1. Division, November 2008 - Team "Dubai Thursday"
Photo: DWFA
What is the main difference between these both unions?
Connie: When I started my job 1 year ago the premise was unequivocal. The support and integration of the women´s football according to the model of the men football. The conditions were already existing, now it is about the conversion what turns out, however, rather difficult. Man´s football has a substantially higher value in the Muslim countries. But the Abu Dhabi Sports Council supports us in any regard. Due to the high temperatures during June/July the team have a 4 week camp in Europe where they play games against teams that have been playing together for many years and have great experience in the 11 v 11 game where for us it is still new and we are still learning. Last year we played our first 11 v 11 games in Switzerland and the players learnt a lot from the experience. This year we will again travel to Europe for futher games.
Lisa/ Kat: The DWFA is a league and is carried for the most part by sponsors, universities and schools. Therefore, our teams are also named by these sponsors. We are rather a charitable association with a board of directors and if decisions must be made, this is arranged through meetings and discussions.
 Winner 2. Division, November 2008 - Team "The Dubai Heat Ladies FC"
Photo: DWFA
How the teams consists?
Connie: The team is brightly mixed, several nations are represented. But the portion in Arabian players has grown quite clearly. I would say once that we have approx. 60% of non-Arabian, 30% Arabian and 10% of local players, trend rising. Two of the local players have now undertaken coaching courses (FIFA) and are working with our younger players (9-14)
Lisa/ Kat: The teams league is made up approx. 97% of foreign players from all around the globe e.g. Europe, America, Canada, Africa and Australia and approx. 3% are Arab or local players.
 Dubai by night
Photo: Marion Kehren
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How does the training/ game schedule look like?
Connie: The team trains normally 5 times per week (the players enjoy the training and if I give them time off they complain) and because we have not had teams to play against locally we are looking to play against teams from outside the country on a monthly basis so in May we are hoping that a team from Lebanon will come and play two games against us. We will also use it as a promotion for the U14 girls that we have playing from the schools. They will play the curtain raiser for the game.
Lisa/ Kat:Training takes place once a week, on Saturdays. Matches are on Tuesdays, for First Division, and Wednesdays, for Second Division.
 Runners up 1. Division, November 2008 - Team "DHL FC"
Photo: DWFA
Is it planned that the teams of Dubai and Abu Dhabi will play against each other?
-> At the beginning of my research both parties agreed that common football matches would be never possible due to the different structures. By end of April I received following surprising statements:
Connie: We have had some discussions and we are now looking to play the teams from Dubai every second week in an 11 v 11 game. We are hoping that this will be the start of Women´s football for 11 v 11 games and maybe we will get a competition started.
Lisa/ Kat:Abu Dhabi and Dubai have now begun to play friendly matches every couple of weeks. The venue will alternate and matches will take place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
In 2014 the FIFA U17 Women´s World Cup is being planned to be held in the United Arab Emirates, is there a youth support?
Connie: We have started contacting the schools this year and small advertising measure to draw the attention of the girls between 9-14 years to girl´s football. At the end of March there was a schools girl´s tournament and six schools were already involved. The parents are inspired very much by this idea. Indeed, we have to go extremely carefully operating, because we may not forget that we move in a Muslim controlled country and tradition and religion are playing a big role.
Lisa/ Kat: Yes, and it is growing. Particularly local schools are displaying a rapid increase in interest. We already have several school teams in our league, our newest players are 14 years old. The U17 World Championships would be important for us, maybe it would even enable us to find new sponsors.
 Runners up 2. Division, November 2008 - Team "Charlie Parrots Arabian Leopards"
Photo: DWFA
The United Arab Emirates still have a lot of work to do concerning the women´s football, especially with the growing competition in the region such as Bahrain and Jordan. The long-term aim is already named: The foundation of a „Women National Football Team”!
For sure the U17 Women´s World Cup will be a great start. The FIFA already implemented steps to promote women´s football in the Arab world. Just last month the FIFA development program, a Workshop, took place in Jordan in which for the first time all 16 GCC countries took part. Subjects among others were trainer and referee courses, as well as the foundation of a player´s platform. The popularity of the women´s football is used further to strengthen the infrastructure in the respective countries. „However, it is never lost in spite of all efforts the social, cultural, political and religious view out of sight”, so Connie Selby and happy about this success.
More information under:
www.dubaiwfa.com
www.fifa.com
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