SA Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan has explained how hosting another FIFA World Cup can benefit Africa following the success of the 2010 showpiece in South Africa.
The 2010 World Cup was the first to be staged in Africa, and SAFA confirmed in September that they will bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Jordaan says SA acquiring the rights for the Women’s World Cup will change the misconception about African women’s football as some hold the view that it is ‘slow, boring and lacks quality’.
The SAFA leader believes that SA can host another World Cup successfully but admits that the bid will be a tough one as they are up against top nations.
SAFA EAGER TO HOST WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
“The World Cup for women on the African continent would break all those misconceptions about women football and women in general,” said Jordaan.
“We are in there up against Germany, Belgium and Netherlands. They have joints bid and they are a massive challenge for us.
“Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland and Denmark, have their bid. The USA is also there too, Chile is there too, and South Africa is the only African country.
“It is going to be tough, but we are more than equal for that challenge, we will go there with a good shot. We have infrastructure and stadiums, a good track record on the field and commercials.
“We will start next year with our campaign; for now, we are focusing on Qatar [ongoing FIFA World Cup],” he added.
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL ON THE RISE
Women’s football in Africa, particularly in SA has grown in leaps and bounces over the last few years with SAFA in partnership, with Hollywoods Bets establishing the Super League and Banyana Banyana clinching the African title.
However, despite the progress of the women’s game in the country, sponsorship and the pay gap compared to their male counterparts remains a challenge.
“Well, I think you must know it is a worldwide problem, even at the level of FIFA,” claimed Jordaan.
“We had discussions with FIFA president Gianni Infantino on this issue. The broadcasting revenue for women’s football is 100% less than for men’s World Cup.
“Commercial partners want to pay less, for some reasons they think Women’s game is of less value, so there is also physiological perhaps the way things have been developed for over 100 years.
“We have to change it; that’s why we must contest for these World Cup, that is why we must go and contest.”
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