FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura has heaped praise on the development of women’s football in Kenya, and in Africa in general, after attending the CECAFA region CAF Champions League Qualifiers earlier in the week.Samoura spoke highly of the women’s game in the country and went ahead to give her best wishes in Harambee Starlets’ quest for the World Cup in 2023.“Congratulations on the women’s game in Kenya. You have a very active president and I hope to see you at the World Cup in 2023,” she stated.🌍 A FIFA delegation, including Secretary General @fatma_samoura and Chief Women’s Football Officer @SarBareman, kicked off meetings in South and Eastern Africa to highlight FIFA’s commitment to developing the female game throughout the continent ⬇️https://t.co/0wVZRATxz1 pic.twitter.com/l4xf3S0FfC— FIFA Women’s World Cup (@FIFAWWC) September 5, 2021 In her two-day trip to Kenya, Samoura was accompanied by FIFA’s Head of Women’s Football Sarai Bareman in a mission that they termed as shining a spotlight on the women’s game in Africa.The two have been on a South and East African tour with an aim of highlighting FIFA’s commitment to developing the female game throughout the continent and were in South Africa last week on Saturday as they graced the COSAFA equivalent of the qualifiers final where Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies clinched the regional ticket.Winners of @CAF_Online Women’s Champions League #CECAFA final Qualifier 🇰🇪’s Vihiga Queens. pic.twitter.com/4zCyRG2x2s— Fatma Samoura (@fatma_samoura) September 9, 2021 Her visit culminated in watching the final of the regional qualifier where Kenya’s Vihiga Queens grabbed the only ticket to represent the region at the continental showpiece after beating Ethiopia’s CBE 2-1, and had some nice words for women football in the country.“I am here with FIFA Head of Women’s Football Sarai Bareman to show our commitment to the growth and development of the Women’s game. Women love football in Africa and this tournament is about taking the level of competition to greater heights. Women’s football in Africa is growing and growing fast. From what I have seen here you can tell that there is investment going into the game with clubs and what we are doing as FIFA is supporting that,” she addedHowever, her sentiments on the same contradict with the tournament’s Most valuable Player Jentrix Shikangwa who is pleading for better training facilities ahead of the competition in Egypt later this year.Shikangwa praying for better facilities ahead of CAF CLThe Senegalese is the first woman and first African to hold the position of FIFA Secretary General.This will be Samoura’s first visit to Kenya since her appointment as FIFA’s Secretary General in 2016.
