The key objectives of the FIFA Women’s Football Strategy are to grow participation, enhance the commercial value and build the foundations.
Club licensing is a development and control tool that MAs can use to raise standards in the key strategic areas of football clubs.
Traditionally, this includes (but is not limited to) the following areas: sporting, infrastructure, administration, legal and financial. The system uses a set of criteria that clubs must meet to receive a licence and be permitted to participate in a specific club competition, assuming the club qualifies based on sporting merit.
MAs act as licensors, determining the domestic competitions for which clubs will require a licence in order to participate and establishing the minimum criteria that clubs must meet.
Ultimately, club licensing provides a framework with the flexibility to be adapted to the domestic reality of each MA in order to improve club football.
Why Club licensing?
When properly implemented, club licensing can:
Bring MAs closer to their clubs
Increase coaching qualifications
Raise the levels of professionalism in club management
Promote financial transparency in clubs
Promote and improve good governance at each club
Increase clubs’ financial stability
Increase the number of youth development teams and players
Encourage investment in the game
Increase trust in and the integrity of clubs
Increase the understanding of club ownership groups
Improve the stadiums, office spaces and training facilities of clubs
Assist in risk and crisis management
Enhance the integrity of competitions
Provide a practical tool to improve conditions for players