Line’s dream is about to become a reality. The 14-year-old Jordanian girl will make history later this year when she takes part in her first ever football world cup.
Fifa’s Under-17 Women’s World Cup will kick off on September 30 in Jordan, the first time a Middle Eastern country hosts an international women’s football competition.
Line and 20 other girl footballers, including devout Muslims who play with head coverings, have been practising hard for the tournament with a British coach.
“Here in Jordan ... it was frowned upon to see a girl play football. But now things have changed,” Line said.
She still remembers how she defied social conventions in a conservative society when at a younger age she decided to join the boys of her neighbourhood in a game of football.
For decades football was hands off for women but that changed in 2005 when the Jordanian federation – headed by Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, a half-brother of King Abdullah II – formed the first national female team.
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Prince Ali, a vice president of Fifa who ran but failed to be elected president of football’s world governing body, is credited with having helped Jordan’s bid to host the U17 girls’ tournament.
In May, Fifa said on its website that the first Jordanian women players who took to the pitch more than a decade ago “have impressed” and “did not disappoint”.
British coach Robbie Johnson is confident that the U17 girls’ team will shine at the upcoming World Cup.
“This particular group are certainly keen to make a mark and certainly put the Middle East on the map,” Johnson told AFP as he worked with the girls on one practice night.
“It can be definitely the start of something to say to women, particularly in the Middle East or in the Gulf states as well: Look you can actually play and compete,” he said.
The girls’ training for the big day is tough.
Line – a striker – and teammates listen carefully as the coach details his strategy with specific instructions to the wingers and goalkeepers, while parents sit back and watch the practice unfold.
“My goal is to get these players as competitive as possible and then who knows what may happen,” said Johnson.
Organisers of the tournament say it will reverberate beyond the pitch and contribute to change in Jordan and the wider Arab world.
“We are using football like a platform for social change,” said Samar Nassar, a former member of Jordan’s national swimming team who heads the kingdom’s organising committee.
The upcoming tournament “is an opportunity to create a durable heritage for Jordan and the region” that would help challenge stereotypes and empower women, she said.
Line agrees. Football, “has taught me many things. I feel more responsible and I have become more sociable.”
Jordanian female athlete Yasmeen Khair is one such woman whose name is linked to change.
A gymnast who won several awards over the years and the nickname “the kingdom’s butterfly”, Khair was among the first women football players to play for Jordan.
Fifa chose her as “ambassador” of the U17 World Cup.
Her mission is two-fold, to promote the tournament and raise awareness of girls’ football.
“I speak to girls a lot. I tell them they must live this rich and unforgettable experience,” she said.
Khair said the beginnings of women’s football in 2005 was tough.
“We had to face a lot of difficulties but bit by bit things began to change,” she said, recalling how interest in female football grew in Jordan “especially that we won more tournaments than the men”.
On its website, Fifa quoted Khader Eid, a former coach of the women’s national team, recalling some of the hurdles that had to be overcome.
“We were conscious of the difficulties we would encounter to coach these young girls while respecting traditions and getting through to their families,” he said.
Jordan now counts 720 registered women players, a small number in a country with a population of 6.6 million but still a “decisive step” for women’s football, according to Fifa.
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ARSENAL IN 1977
Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal
Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal
Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)
Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 05 Arsenal 1-4 ipswich
March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom
Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal
Apr 02 Arsenal 3-0 Leicester
Results
6.30pm: Madjani Stakes Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m, Winner: RB Frynchh Dude, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Mnasek, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Grand Dubai, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m, Winner: Meqdam, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Thegreatcollection, Pat Cosgrave, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,900m, Winner: Sanad Libya, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Madkhal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Sawt Assalam, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Foah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Faiza, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: RB Dixie Honor, Antonio Fresu, Helal Al Alawi.
7.30pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Canada
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South Korea
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
