Forum "Women in Football": Development of the Industry Discussed at the House of Football and Symbolic Team of the Year Named
Over 100 participants, speakers from FIFA, UEFA and FIFPRO, the ceremony "BEST XI - 2025".
On July 30, the House of Football became the venue for one of the key events of the year in Ukrainian women's football - the "Women in Football" Forum. The event brought together over 100 representatives of the football community, international organizations, and government institutions and turned into an open conversation about the future of the industry.
The Forum was organized by the Ukrainian Football Association together with the All-Ukrainian Association of Professional Footballers. The event was supported by the Swedish trade union association Union to Union.
What was the forum part of the event about?
Participants focused on three main themes: global trends in the development of women's sports, protection of players' rights, and the challenges facing Ukrainian football today. International speakers representing FIFA, UEFA, and FIFPRO shared their experiences.
Separate program blocks were dedicated to anti-doping education as part of the "Clean Sport" campaign, as well as FIFA initiatives in the field of women's health - a direction that has become an increasingly visible part of the global agenda in recent years.
"BEST XI - 2025"
The Forum concluded with the "BEST XI - 2025" awards ceremony - a symbolic team composed of the strongest players of the Ukrainian championship based on the results of the previous season.
The uniqueness of this award is that the team is formed exclusively by professional female footballers. The award is part of the annual "Football Stars of Ukraine" ceremony, which has been held since 2016 by the WAPF in collaboration with the UAF following the principle of the globally renowned FIFPRO | FIFA World XI ranking.
Symoblic team "BEST XI - 2025"
Goalkeeper:
Kateryna Samson ("Sisters")
Defenders:
Olha Basanska, Maryna Shainiuk (both - "Metalist 1925"), Yana Kotyk ("Glasgow City", Scotland), Kateryna Korsun ("Slavia", Czech Republic)
Midfielders:
Daria Apanashchenko, Viktoriia Hiryn, Kristine Aleksanyan (all - "Metalist 1925"), Anna Petrik ("Sparta", Czech Republic)
Forwards:
Roksolana Kravchuk ("Slavia", Czech Republic), Yana Kalinina ("Sisters")
The Kharkiv-based "Metalist 1925" received the most representation in the symbolic team - four players. Another four players currently compete abroad: in the championships of the Czech Republic and Scotland.
