Sport
Women's football in Somalia: from the first match to the national team
Somali women's football had no national team and no FIFA match for decades. Golden Girls FC of Mogadishu became the first Somali women's team to play abroad, on 8 July 2019. Women's football was first played in Mogadishu under the federation on 8 March 2024, the first national women's tournament followed that autumn, and the women's national team played its first match on 24 October 2025, losing 4–1 to Djibouti.
No team for decades
For most of its history Somalia had no FIFA-recognised women's team, senior or youth, and played no FIFA-sanctioned women's game. It did not enter the 2010 African Women's Championship or the 2011 All-Africa Games, and in March 2012 it had no FIFA women's ranking (Women's football in Somalia, Wikipedia; CAF, 2010 results).
Players in numbers
FIFA figures cited by Wikipedia show 280 registered women and girl players in 2000, 1,435 in 2005, and 220 in 2006. In 2006 there were also 175 registered and 440 unregistered women futsal players. Of 450 adult teams, 8 were open to women in mixed teams and 6 were women only (Wikipedia; FIFA women's football factsheet). Girls and boys do not play mixed football in schools.
Restrictions
Wikipedia, citing Sudan Tribune reports, records that armed Islamist groups inside Somalia restricted what women could do, including playing sport, and that a 2006 ban on watching the men's World Cup led to several deaths (Wikipedia; Sudan Tribune). On 4 April 2012 the president of the Somali Football Federation, Said Mohamed Nur, and the head of the Somali Olympic Committee were killed in a suicide bombing at the National Theatre in Mogadishu (BBC News, April 2012).
Firsts
- 8 July 2019: Golden Girls FC of Mogadishu became the first Somali women's team to play an international match, losing 3–0 to Queen Lozikeyi Academy of Zimbabwe at the Human Rights Cup (Wikipedia; Beyond 90).
- 8 March 2024: women's football was played in Mogadishu under the federation for the first time, a futsal match for International Women's Day (CECAFA).
- 30 October to 10 November 2024: the first women's football tournament in Somalia, backed by FIFA's Covid-19 relief plan. The federation also set out a women's football strategy with plans for a women's league and regional and youth competitions (FIFA).
- 2025: a Somali girls' under-17 club was entered in CECAFA's first under-17 girls' tournament but withdrew (Wikipedia; CECAFA).
- 24 October 2025: the women's national team played its first match, in Djibouti, losing 4–1 to Djibouti's Les Gazelles in a series of friendlies (Somalia women's national football team, Wikipedia; FTL Somalia).
Djibouti's help
Women in Djibouti, where women's football grew from the late 2000s, worked to help Somali women play (Hiiraan Online, October 2009).
Read more
Sources
- Women's football in Somalia, Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
- CAF, 2010 results · cafonline.com
- FIFA women's football factsheet · fifa.com
- Sudan Tribune · sudantribune.com
- BBC News, April 2012 · bbc.com
- Beyond 90 · beyond90.com.au
- CECAFA · cecafaonline.com
- FIFA · inside.fifa.com
- CECAFA · cecafaonline.com
- Somalia women's national football team, Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
- FTL Somalia · ftlsomalia.com
- Hiiraan Online, October 2009 · hiiraan.com
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Where this matters
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Sport in Somalia: football, running and the Somalis who won the worldSport in Somalia: Abdi Bile's 1987 world title, Mo Farah, the Ocean Stars football team, the reopening of Mogadishu Stadium, and athletes of the diaspora.
- Somalia national football team (the Ocean Stars): history, results and recordsThe Somalia national football team: history since the 1940s, the 1963 FIFA entry, the 2019 win over Zimbabwe, records, captains, head-to-head results and home grounds.
- Somali First Division (Somali National League): every champion since 1933Somalia's top football league: history from the 1933 colonial championship, every champion by year, titles by club, the 2021 season and the inter-state championship.
- Somalia Cup (General Da'ud Cup) and Somalia Super Cup: every winnerSomalia's football cup competitions: the General Da'ud Cup since 1972 and the Super Cup since 2013, with every known winner and final score.
- Somaliland national football team, league and regional gamesSomaliland football: the national team in ConIFA, its first matches, the 2016 ConIFA World Cup, the Somaliland league, the regional games and Hargeisa stadium.
- Somali Football Federation (SFF): history, leaders and what it runsThe Somali Football Federation: founding in 1951, FIFA, CAF and UAFA membership, competitions it runs, leaders, the 2012 and 2017 killings of officials, and its women's strategy.