From playing football on the streets of Cairo to becoming the first woman to coach a men’s professional football team, Fayza Haider’s story is one of determination and resilience. Premier Skills, our football empowerment programme in partnership with the Premier League, was the springboard for Fayza to build the career of her dreams.
The catalyst
Fayza fell in love with football on the streets of her hometown, Helwan, in the suburbs of Cairo. Playing alongside the boys in her neighbourhood inspired her passion for the game, but she also faced challenges and obstacles. It was unusual for a young girl to play football, let alone pursue a career in the sport.
Everything changed when Fayza took her brother to football training. The coach recognised her talent and ambition and, with his support, Fayza joined the team. As part of the football community at her local club, she began playing alongside other women. In 1997, she joined the first women’s professional league.
The spark
Having already overcome many obstacles, including concerns from her own family, Fayza was determined to create a career for herself in football and empower and inspire the next generation of footballers.
In 2011, opportunity sparked for Fayza that would take her career down a new path. She joined the Premier Skills programme, an international partnership between the Premier League and the British Council. The programme empowers grassroots coaches and referees to help young people, including the most vulnerable in society, find pathways to better lives through the inspirational power of football.
In her role as a coach, Fayza was soon training hundreds of girls and fuelling the same passion that she had as a young girl. Almost 200,000 young people in Egypt alone have benefited from the programme, and more than 90 per cent of those are girls.
The success
Fayza’s courage and passion for her football career saw her become captain of Egypt's first national women’s team in 2016.
Through Premier Skills Fayza became the first female coach educator and programme ambassador in Egypt and the first female Egyptian coach accredited by the Football Association. She co-created Egypt’s first inclusive football team which went on to win Bronze at the 2018 Special Olympics in Chicago. In 2021, Fayza became the first woman to coach a national male football team in Egypt.
‘I learned that impossible is nothing for me and new challenges are what keeps me going.’ - Fayza Haider
Our network of global partners enables us to deliver programmes like Premier Skills across the world, working with both UK partners and local community-based organisations to meet common goals. Since 2007, 1.7 million young people across Asia, Africa and the Americas have developed confidence and skills through the power of football. It’s just one of the innovative ways we use our expertise and experience to break down barriers and promote inclusion.
We are the partner of choice for governments, NGOs, institutions and community-based organisations around the world.