Belgian Football’s Ambitious Four-Year Plan: Boosting Women’s Football and Fan Experience

10 percent more female footballers every year, a place in the European top 15 for the Lotto Super League, top 8 in Europe and top 12 in the world for the Red Flames and 50 percent more fans for women’s football. These are the ambitious objectives of the four-year plan that all players in Belgian football presented today in Tubize.

The Belgian Football Association, the Pro League, Voetbal Vlaanderen and ACFF fully believe that women’s football can continue to grow in our country. They joined forces in a strategic plan “Believe and Achieve”.

“The popularity of women’s football continues to increase. And with it our ambition. We want football as a sport to come first for girls and women, both recreationally and competitively,” the 4 chairmen of the 4 actors say in unison.

“That is why our commitment is that every girl who is interested in football has the opportunity to discover this fantastic sport and experience it in a safe and fun way.”

Every girl who is interested in football should have the opportunity to discover the sport in a safe and fun way.

Growing at the base and the top

The plan looks at both the top and the base. Between 2024 and 2028, the 4 federations want to increase the number of football players – young and old – by 10 percent annually.

There will be a school program for girls from 3rd grade onwards. Each province will have a club supporter focused on women’s football, and each club will appoint an ambassador who is passionate about girls’ causes.

The KBVB also has clear ambitions with the national teams. The Red Flames must qualify for the final round of each major tournament. In the European rankings the target is the top 8, in the FIFA rankings the top 12.

To this end, the KBVB invests in the support of all national women’s/girls’ teams. Each team will have a full-time coach. There will be a high-potential program in which the Flames are followed individually, tested against international standards in terms of training hours, care and guidance.

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Strong conditions for competition, 50% more fans

The Lotto Super League is currently only the 23rd largest competition in Europe. The Pro League, which has been organizing the competition since this season, wants to boost this to the top 15.

The first pillar of the multi-year plan is a challenging competition format for a maximum of 10 strong clubs.

The second pillar is a solid framework for a minimum of 11 players, the appointment of a CEO, sporting director and extensive sporting staff.

The Pro League obliges the clubs to a five-year business plan with competitive financial conditions linked to their own training program.

This elite youth training program must guarantee the advancement of young talent.

For all that action on the field, the KBVB and the Pro League also want to attract more supporters. By taking the fan experience to a higher level, they want to double the audience for the Flames’ home matches and in the Super League.

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Figures 2019-2023

Believe and Achieve builds on the previous five-year strategy “The World at our Feet”. And it was very successful:

• 38 percent more girls and women affiliated with football clubs, now more than 53,000
• 23 percent more clubs offering girls’ and/or women’s football
• 31 percent more female coaches
• an average of 40 percent more supporters at Red Flames home games

2024-03-29 15:15:17
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