A leadership scheme to develop the potential of women in football across UEFA’s 54 member associations has been announced by the European football governing body.

The UEFA Women in Football Leadership Programme (WFLP), planned for launch this year, seeks to identify individuals who have the potential to become leaders and help them develop the skills and offer extra support for women already in leadership positions.

"Football has come a long way over the last few years, but there is still an evident lack of women in top-level positions. More needs to be done to change perspectives and increase opportunities.” said Karen Espelund, member of the UEFA Executive Committee and chairwoman of the UEFA Women's Football Committee.

"Equality and integration are both essential to the development of the football workforce," she added.

The European football governing body is looking at holding an inaugural week-long seminar which would nurture participants' leadership skills through lectures, practical exercises, role-playing exercises and presentations by, among others, established women leaders from inside and outside football. Some will also to take part in the process by being mentors, giving constant advice and exchanging experiences with participants along their development path.

"UEFA, through its new women's leadership programme, is concentrating on increasing the number of women occupying executive positions in football," says UEFA national associations director Theodore Theodoridis.

"This is an important long-term development programme, and will draw on the female expertise of the 54 UEFA member associations to ensure that leadership skills are recognised, nurtured and implemented across the European football family." he added.

From UEFA