Fatma Samoura

WGL05.19-Fatma Samoura
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 22: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been digitally processed.) Fatma Samoura, Secretary General of FIFA poses prior to The Best FIFA Football Awards at The May Fair Hotel on October 22, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)Michael Regan—FIFA via Getty Images
  • Title
    Secretary General
  • Affiliation
    FIFA

In 2016, a glass ceiling was broken in the world’s most popular sport when Senegal’s Fatma Samoura was named the first female secretary general of FIFA, soccer’s world-governing body. Samoura, a veteran of the United Nations, was brought on board to help haul FIFA out of a corruption scandal that resulted in dozens of indictments and guilty pleas for wire fraud, racketeering, and money laundering.

 

On her watch, FIFA has taken financial oversight responsibility back from its hitherto unreliable member organizations. The proportion of women within FIFA’s administration has risen to 48% from 32% in 2016. She’s helping women gain on the field too: Three years ago, FIFA established its first-ever women’s soccer division; it more recently launched its first global strategy for realizing the commercial potential of the women’s game.