The Argentine Football Association (AFA) welcomed the FIFA Women’s World Cup as the Trophy made its fourth stop on its 24 country tour in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

Having arrived from Santiago in Chile, the AFA hosted a press conference with President Claudio Tapia, FIFA Head of Women’s Football Competitions Sara Booth, and FIFA Legends Squad member Veronica Boquete, whose Origin Story was released this week, as they spoke in front of a room full of media to promote Argentina qualifying for its first Women’s World Cup in 12 years.

In addition, the AFA Sede Central – the federation’s headquarters – opened its doors to the public to have their photo taken with the Trophy.

President Tapia was in a positive mood following the women’s team’s qualification, and speaking at the Federation’s training centre this morning, he outlined his hope for the game to become professional in the future.

"We want to take women’s football where it should always have been," he said. "For women’s football to become professional in Argentina, it will take some time. We need the clubs to be ready. We have to find the right people to help women’s football structures to grow."

Amongst the guests at the morning’s event were two former Argentina World Cup winners – 1978 winning goalkeeper Ubaldo Matildo Fillol, and 1986 winning midfielder Carlos Daniel Tapia.

Both were in attendance to support the women’s team’s progress and appearance at this summer’s tournament in France. For Fillol, the growth of women’s football is something he thought he might never see when he was younger, but is glad that he has.

"The Trophy being here is important not only for women’s football, but for all football in Argentina," he said. "The Federation is helping a lot for this to happen, and it must continue this way. It’s the right way.

"When I was a kid, I didn’t imagine women’s football was going to be this big, this important, and it’s fantastic. There was no information, nowhere to watch it, but that has changed. Now that it is easy to follow, I like it a lot."

Argentina have been drawn alongside England, Japan and Scotland in their group this summer, and tickets are now on general sale.

The next stop on the global Trophy Tour will see the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Monday, where FIFA World Cup™ winner and FIFA Legend Gilberto Silva will be in attendance.