Mastercard brings Girls4Football to Switzerland – the programme for young female footballers aged 6 to 16

Mastercard launches Girls4Football together with the UEFA Foundation for children in Switzerland. The programme aims to promote the physical and emotional well-being of girls and young women through sports and joint leisure activities.

Girls4Football is teaming up with the Football Association of Northwestern Switzerland (FVNWS) for this purpose. Between 6 and 15 young female footballers will gather at 9 locations in the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, and Aargau (see table below). Some of them are already part of the Northwestern Switzerland Football Association and come from underprivileged backgrounds.

Girls4Football provides impetus to empower girls and young women, develop their skills and open up new perspectives for them through football – on and off the pitch. In addition to football training, the programme offers educational workshops that teach basic tools for the future, such as how to deal with money or how to strengthen self-confidence.

Daniel Schaub, President of the Football Association of Northwestern Switzerland, said: "The partnership with Girls4Football is a milestone for us in the promotion of women's football. The low hurdles to participate and the social character of the programme are important factors for sustainable success."

 

Almost 100 girls and young women make the start

As of now, 91 girls and young women will take part in the programme – some are already playing football, others are rediscovering the sport for themselves. This diversity is intended to enrich the training and strengthen the community. The participants come from the city of Basel or the surrounding communities and have learned about Girls4Football through friends, school projects or leisure activities. Parents, trainers, and teachers also played a crucial role in raising awareness of the programme.

 

Mastercard and "Bend it like Beckham" author publish companion book to Girls4Football

Girls4Football grew out of Mastercard's more than 30-year sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League and was created in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for children. Girls4Football launched in the five major European football markets of Germany, England, France, Italy and Spain. In each of these countries, the UEFA Foundation works with a local partner organisation. More than 1000 young female footballers were already part of the programme in the first year.

To mark the launch of Girls4Football, Mastercard has published the book "The Playbook: Mastering the Game" (Link to PDF)– written by British author Narinder Dhami, known for the cult classic "Bend it like Beckham". It tells the inspiring life stories of eleven of football's most impressive trailblazers – including that of Imke Wübbenhorst, who was the first woman in Germany to coach a men's team in a higher league and now leads the women's team of Young Boys in Bern.

In Switzerland, the newest country of the Girls4Football programme, more than 46,000 female footballers are currently licensed. This is a record value and corresponds to an increase of 60 percent compared to 2020.

 

Daniela Massaro, Country Manager Switzerland and Liechtenstein at Mastercard, says: "At Mastercard, we believe in the power of sport to inspire and empower young people. The Girls4Football program is designed to give girls and young women the confidence they need to achieve their goals – on and off the field. With early financial education, we are laying the foundation for them to be successful in any professional field."

Carine N'koué, General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for children, added: "It is impressive to see how quickly the Girls4Football programme is growing and reaching more and more countries and girls across Europe – now including Switzerland! Sport is one of the most powerful instruments for social change. By empowering girls, allowing them to live out their passion for football, and at the same time equipping them with resources to achieve their goals off the pitch, Girls4Football is actively contributing to this change."

 

Girls4Football, number of participants by city and canton

Training days: Tuesday and Wednesday

 

Place	Canton	Participants
Therwil	BL	12
Rankhof	BS	7
Binningen	BL	10
Muttenz	BL	8
Stone	AG	6
Bachgraben	BS	15
Erlenmatt	BS	6
Louse	BL	15
Bubendorf	BL	12
Planned: Riehen	BS

For more information, see https://uefafoundation.org/action/girls4football/