Contigo proposes women’s seven-a-side football league

Contigo Fuerteventura has formally called for an urgent meeting of a joint working group bringing together Fuerteventura Island Council, the island’s football clubs and the Fuerteventura Football Federation’s island delegation. The main aim is to establish an island-wide women’s seven-a-side football league without delay, responding to demand from young sportswomen on the island.

The political group says local female footballers face a serious gap in opportunities when they turn 14. Until that age, youth categories allow boys and girls to play together, but options shrink sharply once players reach the cadet category.

If players are not selected by one of the island’s few representative women’s football clubs in the 11-a-side format, they are left with no choice but to give up playing football, despite wanting to remain involved in the sport.

A women’s seven-a-side league

“We cannot allow the talent and enthusiasm of our young women to fade because there are no competitive structures suited to our island reality,” Contigo Fuerteventura said.

“Many girls want to keep playing football competitively or recreationally, but the move to 11-a-side football requires a substantial number of player registrations and travel. A women’s seven-a-side league is the perfect, flexible and sustainable solution to keep them active in the sport they love,” the group added.

Contigo Fuerteventura stressed that public institutions and football governing bodies must ensure equal opportunities in grassroots sport.

It is therefore urging the parties involved to sit down and negotiate the framework for the new island-wide competition so it can become a reality as soon as possible.