New Coaching for Hope Girls' League in Burkina

On 1st November 2009 we launched Burkina Faso’s only youth football league for girls, in partnership with the Burkinabé Football Federation (FBF). The new league is supported by a generous donation of money and equipment from our corporate supporter adidas, and our intern Sophie Lukacs collected football shirts from women's teams in Canada.

Until now it had not been possible for young people in Burkina Faso to play organised, competitive youth football, so we formed leagues involving the youth teams of all professional male and female adult teams in Bobo Dioulasso, academies in Bobo, and Banfora women’s team.

Bobo Dioulasso is considered by Burkinabés to be the heart of football in Burkina Faso all the best players emerge from this region and the majority of the national team was born here. Yet despite the national footballing importance of Bobo, until now there was no place for new talent to emerge. As the Secretary General of the Bobo League Commission told us, "When football in Bobo is sick, then football in Burkina Faso is also sick". We now hope that these youth leagues will help football in Bobo and Burkina to enjoy a healthy future!

Finally, we'd like to thank the Ligue Des Hauts-Bassins which supports the girls' league with the practical arrangements.

Players from the new girls' league in Burkina Faso.