In Côte d’Ivoire, female football players and referees face the weight of stereotypes and social injunctions every day. Between sporting ambition, family duties, and professional demands, they are determinedly carving out their paths in a world that is still largely dominated by men. The 2025 Women’s African Cup of Nations serves as a showcase to highlight their talent, but also the persistent challenges they face: invisibility, family pressure, and a lack of resources.
On the pitches of the 2025 Women’s African Cup of Nations, there are many female footballers for whom playing sport is not an obstacle to their social lives. This is the case of Senegalese international Ndèye Awa Diakhaté, a player and wife who combines the two without losing her sense of fulfillment. She is one of the women who face the double battle: making a place for herself on the pitch and responding to social injunctions off the pitch. In Côte d’Ivoire, where society is still very marked by gender stereotypes, female players and referees fight a daily battle to reconcile their passion for sport, family pressure, and professional life. (Ivorian Football Federation)
“At first, it was very difficult. Some club presidents categorically refused the presence of female referees during matches. Some even cited beliefs related to menstruation: according to them, if an ‘unwell’ woman touched a player, it could compromise their ritual or nullify the effects of their treatments. But little by little, attitudes have changed. Today, these same presidents accept and respect us on the field.”
SONIA KORE, Referee – Côte d’Ivoire
The 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations highlights the challenges facing African women’s football while providing a valuable platform. It reveals the difficulty faced by players and referees, some of whom are married or mothers, in balancing a sporting career with family life, highlighting the importance of perseverance and resilience.
“It wasn’t easy with my mother. Every time I went to referee a match, she had to endure hurtful remarks. People would come and tell her, ‘We saw your daughter refereeing, that’s not a place for a woman.’ She suffered. On the field, it wasn’t any better. There were times when I reached out to greet a player, and he refused simply because I’m a woman. But despite everything, I held on. Today, I manage to balance my family life and my sports career. On the field, I’m a different person: focused, assertive, and respected. And at home, I’m becoming the woman and daughter I should be again. I’ve found my balance.”
SONIA KORE, Referee – Côte d’Ivoire
Balancing sport and social life is challenging, but there is hope. Since 2022, the Ivorian Football Federation has organised a women’s championship in Côte d’Ivoire, marking the beginning of a gradual change. These athletes must balance sporting ambition with traditional expectations. Supporting them enables female talent to flourish without constraints. (Ivorian Football Federation)
