Desiree Ellis Pushes for More Female Coaches in Africa

South African coach Desiree Ellis calls for a surge in female coaching appointments across Africa, citing her own success and the need for structural support. She highlights the current 20% representation of female national team coaches and the rise of women like Lamia Boumehdi and Adelaide Koudougnon. The article also notes progress in Europe, where only seven of 16 Euro 2025 teams have female coaches.

Desiree Ellis Leads the Charge

Desiree Ellis, who guided South Africa to the 2022 Women’s World Cup title, is one of the world’s most successful female coaches and a four-time African Women’s Coach of the Year. She told DW that the South African Football Association has long committed to appointing female coaches for all women’s teams, but that “federations need to be brave and appoint female coaches. They need to not only appoint them but give them support, otherwise they are not going to succeed.”

Current Representation Gaps

According to Vicky Huyton, founder of the Female Coaching Network, only 20 % of female national teams are coached by women, yet those women account for 90 % of major championships. Huyton argues that club licensing should prioritise female coaches for head-coach roles in women’s teams, and that the first assistant coach should also be female, with men allowed to join the staff thereafter.

Progress in Africa and Beyond

Ellis points to recent appointments that signal a positive trend. Lamia Boumehdi, who just won CAF Coach of the Year, has been named U20 coach of Morocco. Adelaide Koudougnon helped Ivory Coast qualify for the U17 tournament for the first time. Carol Kanyemba of Zambia is steering the U17s to back-to-back World Cups, and Mildred Cheche is taking Kenya to the U17 World Cup. These examples illustrate a growing cohort of women rising to senior coaching positions.

European Context

The lack of representation is not limited to Africa. At Women’s Euro 2025, only seven of the 16 teams have female coaches, an increase from previous tournaments but still less than half. England’s national team, while led by a woman, still has a minority of female coaches in the Women’s Super League, which is the world’s strongest domestic competition.

The Call for Structural Change

Ellis stresses that federations must do more than appoint; they must provide the resources and pathways that allow female coaches to succeed. By creating role models and clear licensing pathways, the continent can accelerate the rise of women in coaching roles and ensure that South Africa’s pioneering example is followed by others.