Club licensing requirements for FKF Women's Premier League sides

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FOOTBALL Club licensing requirements for FKF Women's Premier League sides

Mark Kinyanjui 06:00 - 26.01.2024

All FKF Women Premier League clubs will follow CAF licensing regulations from the start of next season.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) will implement the FKF Women Club Licensing Regulations from the start of the 2024–2025 season.

Club licensing, a regulatory system introduced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), aims to ensure that football clubs engaged in CAF competitions meet specific standards and criteria that encompass various aspects, including sporting, infrastructure, administrative, legal, and financial considerations. 

This strategic move is geared towards bringing professionalism to the Women’s Premier League, aligning it with its male counterparts.

The FKF Women Club Licensing Regulations focus on improving infrastructural requirements.

Clubs will now be required to meet infrastructure standards, including stadium availability, training facilities, and office space.

This is to ensure women’s football clubs’ facilities are on par with global standards.

Highlighting the importance of player welfare and youth development, the regulations introduce criteria for medical care, safeguarding policies, and establishing youth teams. The goal is to foster a positive atmosphere for players on and off the field.

The regulations also outline a revamped personnel and administrative structure for women’s football clubs. Key figures such as a general manager, team manager, physiotherapist, head coach, and female coach are now mandatory appointments.

In a move to ensure financial stability, clubs are now mandated to have dedicated bank accounts for women’s football transactions. 

Stressing the importance of transparency and accountability, the regulations require clubs to submit audited annual financial statements.

The regulations require clubs to submit legal documents proving their legitimacy where ownership and control are scrutinized to ensure there are no conflicting interests. 

Contracts with professional players must adhere to FIFA regulations, and clubs are encouraged to forge formal agreements between men’s and women’s football entities.

As FIFA emphasizes through its confederations, club licensing is an important method for improving club football. 

It focuses on crucial aspects, such as club governance and youth football, presenting a holistic strategy that has been accepted globally.

The enactment of these standards demonstrates a commitment to encouraging growth and professionalism in women’s football, promising a revolutionary road ahead.

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