Manchester City kicks off bid to inspire next generation of female footballers

The Premier League club is rolling out a new programme to encourage more females to embrace the sport

Elle Charney, (far left), City Football Schools UAE's first female coach, was delighted with the response to the launch of a new campaign to get more girls to give football a try. 

Manchester City Football Club has kicked off a new campaign to encourage the next generation of female players to take up the game in the UAE.

The English Premier League side is aiming to boost female participation through its Same Goals initiative, which is being spearheaded by City Football Schools UAE, which operates in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

More than 75 girls pitched in to mark the launch of the programme at the Armed Forces Club in Abu Dhabi, showing off their skills in a series of challenges and teaming up for a mini tournament.

The club has already shown it is determined to offer a level playing field for all by appointing the first female coach for City Football Schools UAE, Elle Charney.

Ms Charney, herself a former Manchester City footballer, was delighted with the response to the launch of the scheme, which will run until the end of the season.

“What has been amazing is to see so many girls from different backgrounds loving to play football and really wanting to improve as much as possible,” she said.

“On a personal level, as the first female coach coming from Manchester to the UAE, I want to really show the girls that there are no barriers at all to them playing and challenging themselves – it is going to be great to coach them and follow and nurture that progress.”

Both aspiring footballers and those trying out the beautiful game for the first time can enter the programme by posting a video on Twitter that shows them either scoring, or saving, a goal. The goal can be scored, or saved, anywhere using any kind of ball – the more creative, the better.

For every video posted using #SameGoals and tagging @ManCity, the Club will send out a football so the video star can keep on playing.

To get involved with girls' football at City Football Schools UAE visit https://uae.cityfootballschools.com/