This International Women’s Day, two of FIFA’s female volunteers are aiming to make a difference… FIFA volunteer Pia Buller (43), who is German but lives in Hanoi, Vietnam, has a simple dream for the future of women’s football. “My hope is that women who wish to work in the world of football will be considered just as normal as any of their male peers,” she said. “I dream of fantastic football matches played by women who can whole-heartedly decide to become professional players, and of women and girls being able to play football in their free time just for the fun of it.”

FIFA volunteer Pia has attended two tournaments, 13 years apart. Her first experience was at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, followed by the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ − spanning a period of major development within the women’s game. “I have the impression that women’s football is receiving more attention and recognition than two decades ago, but it depends very much on the country and the cultural context,” said the 43-year-old from Germany.

Pia wants to see football build on the progress it has made in gender diversity − and that means accepting the job is only half-done. “While women have more opportunities than ever before, the world of football is still facing challenges empowering women and promoting gender inclusion. In addition to creating opportunities, it is also necessary to make them easily accessible,” she said. FIFA volunteer Lisa Lungeri (24) from France is heavily involved in this fight on a personal level. As an active member of the #NousToutes French feminist collective, she has participated in protests and trained others on how to address violence against women. She combined this with a role at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 as a volunteer.

“In France, most football supporters are men, men’s football matches are followed much more than women’s and sportsmen are better paid and have more visibility than sportswomen,” said Lisa, who has also trained students on how to best defend rights and equality, as part of her role with France’s student university sports network. “But we do feel an improvement from leaders. There are programmes in place to achieve equality in a few years. The inclusion of women in this very masculine sport is imperative.” Pia agrees that football must build on the progress it has made. “Associations could team up with grassroots women’s organisations more often, to benefit from their expertise in empowering women and girls, and together develop concrete action plans,” she suggests.

Through the FIFA Women’s Development Programme, FIFA is especially focused on developing women in football, including the representation of women in football leadership positions. Its Women in Football Leadership Programme, a joint initiative with UEFA and the IMD Business School, aims to empower women and offer a platform that specifically addresses and improves access for women to decision-making roles.

“To enable women to reach leadership positions, it is important to give them space, to inform and train them, to support them, to break stereotypes and, above all, to accept them,” said Lisa. Meanwhile, the role of the players can also set a powerful example. “My female role model in the world of sport is Megan Rapinoe,” said Lisa. “A committed activist who is not afraid to say out loud what many are thinking quietly.” And as women such as Lisa and Pia claim their place within football, those calls for gender diversity become ever stronger. The FIFA Volunteer Platform has been set up for people interested in volunteering at FIFA tournaments and events, serving as a registration and application portal. If you are aged 18 and over, you can register now to receive the latest news and updates.