Africa-Press – Uganda. The topflight Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) is set for a September 30 return after all 10 clubs passed their licensing process successfully.
The clubs include Makerere University and Asubo-Gafford, who were promoted from the second tier Fufa Women Elite League.
Club licensing is a tightrope tool that requires clubs to organize themselves sportingly, financially, administratively, legally and develop their infrastructure for success on and off the pitch. Fufa say it is a step towards professionalism in the football industry and launched it with the men’s clubs in 2006.
There has been gradual growth in the men’s game but the women will be eased through.
“Fufa tried to be lenient with the women’s clubs as compared to the men’s but this is part of a gradual process,” Fufa’s head of communication Ahmed Hussein, said.
There have been impromptu initiation phases for Lady Doves and She Corporate who needed to fulfill some requirements before participating in the inaugural and 2022 Caf Women’s Champions League qualifiers respectively.
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, clubs were also asked to find bank accounts in order to receive their share of Fifa’s relief funds worth about Shs735m ($200,000) that was meant to be distributed among clubs in the topflight division, second tier, regional leagues and beach soccer.
Since some of the clubs are attached to schools, there was a tendency for them to hand in school accounts each time Fufa asked for bank details – especially when there was prize money to be paid.
Welcome initiative
During a seminar held in May, clubs showed willingness to comply and it is no surprise that all of them met the requirements. But also Fufa’s earlier capacity building interventions like training coaches and chief executive officers helped make for a smooth ride.
Clubs’ concerns then were mostly about what the infrastructure requirements would be. It is hard to convince schools to, for example, build perimeter walls around their sports fields.
But Fufa has simply asked for green pitches and tenancy agreements between clubs and their benefactors.
Over the years, however, clubs will be asked to grow their facilities and this could come at a cost. This cost can be beaten through money making ventures like merchandising and gate collections among others, which will then be reflected in the licensing requirements like club bank statements and declaring match day revenues.
Fufa Club Licensing Project
What was considered for women’s clubs
Administration
-CEO
-Caf C coach
-Medical personnel
Finance
-Bank account
-Current bank statement
-Club budget
Legal
-Club statutes
-Club ownership form
-Declaration of compliance form
-Application of club license form
Sporting
-Medical of all players
-Minimum of 5 contracted players.
-List of players (max 30 allowed)
-Allocated shirt numbers.
Infrastructure
-Club office facility
-Full green pitch
-Stadium tenancy agreement
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