For a moment, at least politically, things seemed to be on the move when in August the old MPLA liberation movement, which had been in power in Angola for 50 years, only narrowly won, amid allegations of election rigging. Now the MPLA is in power again and under heavy police protection. And the situation in domestic football is just as leaden. Because while women’s football on the African continent is slowly becoming more professional, the local Angolan league has collapsed. There is simply no longer any organized national competition.
At the start of the new seasons, the African continent remains one with different worlds. The states have just drawn the participants of the second edition of the African Champions League into their groups. The field of clubs is pleasantly varied, which for cost reasons do not jet across the continent, but hold a concentrated tournament in Morocco in October and November. Alongside defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa and hosts AS FAR of Morocco, only Wadi Degla of Egypt is making a second appearance. The three experienced clubs face five clubs for whom it is a debut. These include underdogs from countries that have not previously attracted attention as major football powers, such as Liberia’s Determine Girls FC or Zambia’s Green Buffaloes. So it promises to be entertaining. Because no one can afford true professional terms, the squads are essentially national selections. And thus also meaningful for the 2023 World Cup, for which Morocco, for example, is the first Arab women’s team ever to qualify.
DW columnist Alina Schwermer
And then there is that second world with states like Angola. There is definitely a women’s football tradition here. In the 1990s, national competitions began to be established. And like almost everywhere else in the world, the women’s game grew especially with urbanization and in the cities. In the capital Luanda alone there are said to have been over 30 women’s teams, so that at times two leagues had to be played. Angola even holds an unofficial record for women’s football: Irene Maria Duarte Gonçalves, a former Progresso Associação do Sambizanga striker and captain of the national team, scored an incredible 22 goals in a league game in 2008. That doesn’t really speak for the balance of the league, but it is probably a world record – which, however, is not officially recognized due to a lack of image material. The glorious times of Demolidora (Destroyer, that’s her nickname) are long gone: Irene Maria Duarte Gonçalves retired in 2012, the national league is considered inactive. A national team still exists, but is often not registered for qualifications. After all, it just played in the COSAFA Women’s Championship, the championship of Southern Africa. However, it did not go beyond the group stage.
Zambia won the COSAFA tournament, with many players from the Green Buffaloes, which is why it can also be seen as an exclamation point ahead of the Champions League. In Angola, meanwhile, it is committed individuals who buy trophies out of their own pockets on dilapidated pitches so that women and girls can at least play in tournaments. Many complain about the lack of support from the institutions. In the former heyday of Luanda, almost all clubs are said to have disappeared. Great contrasts remain on the African continent, just like in Europe.
In Spain, the referee strike ends
Rapid development, despite referee strikes: in Spain, League F starts a week late
The Spanish referees let the first day of the prestigious new professional league burst; now the league F has started a week late. The referees had gone on strike for better salaries and conditions. At the same time, there was a conflict between the women’s independent professional league and the Spanish federation, which supported the claims of the women referees. The organizers of League F sensed the association’s attempt to torpedo their project. After days of negotiations, the situation was resolved: the referees should receive 1,666 euros for each game instead of the previous 320 euros. For the linesmen there will be 1,066 euros per game instead of the previous 160 euros.
A shock professionalization overnight. In addition, a fund of 350,000 euros will be set aside with state support so that the referees are provided for after their careers. Spain thus confirms its reputation as a country of successful labor disputes in football. In terms of sport, the league does not come as a surprise: Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid all won at the start. In other respects, too, one adapts oneself to the men according to the old recipe; According to considerations, there should be video referees in the coming season.
