FIFA releases second edition of women's league, club football report

GENEVA, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- The second edition of Setting the Pace, a benchmarking report of women's league and club football around the world, was released by the sport's world governing body FIFA on Friday.

The report collects information from 30 of the top women's football leagues and 294 clubs in the world, providing changes and developments of the world elite women's football since the first edition was released 17 months ago, in May 2021.

Administrators of women's football club might find some helpful conclusions from the reports, like "on average, leagues have nine full-time employees dedicated to women's football", "international transfer fees of women's football hit a new record of 2.1 millions U.S. dollars, an increase of 73% on 2020".

Sarai Bareman, FIFA's Chief Women's Football Officer, was quoted as saying in the release, "The data in this year's report underscores that organizations that are prepared to invest in women's football are receiving a return, and we expect this will only increase as more clubs and leagues, as well as broadcasters and partners, truly recognize the unique growth opportunity that exists in women's football."

Setting the Pace can be used by clubs and leagues across the globe as an educational tool and reference point, the release said.