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Caf is hoping that club football, in particular its Women’s Champions League, can drive improvements across all parts of the female game.<\/p>\n
The annual competition was first played in 2021, with regional events providing eight qualifiers, but currently there are no plans to expand the number of teams<\/a> in the final stage.<\/p>\n “It provides a platform for female players to showcase their talent at the continental level, which in turn raises the profile of the sport in general,” said Goshime.<\/p>\n “It has opened doors for a lot of players to be scouted by European or even African teams.<\/p>\n “I think we sometimes don’t talk about it but we see a lot of movement now inside the continent.”<\/p>\n At this year’s edition, held last month, DR Congo’s TP Mazembe claimed their first title<\/a> with a 1-0 win over former champions and hosts AS FAR of Morocco.<\/p>\n One issue was sparse attendances at fixtures in Casablanca and El Jadida, and Goshime admits there is “still a long way to go” in promoting women’s matches.<\/p>\n However, African players shining on the global stage are helping to sell the brand on the continent.<\/p>\n Zambia striker Barbra Banda is the 2024 BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year and earlier this year her compatriot Racheal Kundananji became the world’s most expensive female player<\/a>.<\/p>\n Both are stars in the high-profile National Women’s Soccer League in the USA and Goshime thinks such success can inspire a new generation.<\/p>\n “This is a testament to how African players are putting their impact in the global scale,” she said.<\/p>\n “I think it’s sent a message that you have a place in the football world.<\/p>\n “This is a very important message – you can be a global sensation if you play football.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n