Gambia women's national football team

In 1985, few countries had women's national football teams.[3] While the sport gained popularity worldwide in later decades, the Gambia's national team only played its first game in 2007.[4][5] That game was not FIFA-recognized.

The Gambian Senior National Team's first appearance at a major event occurred in April 2018 when they lost a 1-2 result at Burkina Faso in the opening round of qualifying for the 2018 Africa Cup of Nations. In the second leg of the fixture, Gambia produced a 2–1 victory of their own. As the results of both legs were identical, a penalty shoot-out was required to determine which squad would advance. Gambia converted all five of its penalty kicks, and advanced to the second round of qualifying.[6] the Gambia drew the defending Cup of Nations Champions Nigeria as their second round opponent. They failed to score against the Super Falcons, and were eliminated from the tournament with a 0–7 aggregate line.[7]

The country did not have a FIFA-recognised youth national team until 2012, when the Gambia under-17 women's team competed in Confederation of African Football qualifiers for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, to be held in Azerbaijan in September 2012. Gambia fielded an under-17 team of 24 players, narrowed from an initial pool of 49 young women.[8][9] Two girls from the SOS Children’s Village Bakoteh were chosen as a members of the team.[8] Gambia first played Sierra Leone in a pair of qualifying matches for the tournament. Gambia won the first match 3–0 in Banjul, Gambia's capital.[9] The return match was delayed for 24 hours and played in Makeni.[9] Gambia beat Sierra Leone 4-3 to qualify for the final round.[10] Gambia then beat Tunisia 1–0 at home and won 2–1 in Tunisia. Adama Tamba and Awa Demba scored the Gambia's goals. Tunisia's only goal was a Gambian own goal. The win qualified Gambia for the 2012 Azerbaijan World Cup.[11]

The Gambia also has an under-19 team that was to play in the African Women's U-19 Championship in 2002. That Gambian squad's first match was to be against Morocco, but the team withdrew from the competition.[12]

The development of women's football in Africa faces several challenges, including limited access to education, poverty amongst women, inequalities and human rights abuses targeting women.[13][14][15][16] Funding is another issue impacting the game in Africa, where most financial assistance comes from FIFA and not national football associations.[17] Another challenge is the retention of football players. Many women footballers leave the continent to seek greater opportunity in Europe or the United States.[17]

Gambia's national football association was founded in 1952, and became affiliated with FIFA in 1968.[18][19] Football is the most popular women's sport in the country, and was first played in an organized system in 1998.[19] A national competition was launched in 2007,[20] the same year FIFA started an education course on football for women.[4] Competition was active on both the national and scholastic levels by 2009.[4] There are four staffers dedicated to women's football in the Gambia Football Association, and representation of women on the board is required by the association's charter.[19]

In September 2016, Fatim Jawara, a player of the national team, left her homeland Serrekunda in Gambia and crossed the Sahara Desert to Libya.[21] In November 2016, she travelled with others on two boats across the Mediterranean Sea, heading towards the Lampedusa island of Italy.[22] Due to a severe storm, their boats sunk and Jawara drowned. She was 19 years old.[23] Her absence was first noted when the national team was due to play Casa Sports F.C. from Senegal as part of a festival to celebrate women's football. Jawara sought to smuggle herself into Europe, attempting crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat to Italy.[23] She travelled first to Libya, before boarding the boat.[21] Several days after the attempt, her family was contacted by the agent to inform them that her boat had capsized, and she had drowned.[23]

Squad called in for 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualification

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Club
	1GK	Aminata Gaye	(1996-03-03) 3 March 1996
	1GK	Mariama Ceesay	(1998-01-22) 22 January 1998
	2DF	Clarra Gomez	(1997-06-06) 6 June 1997
	2DF	Mariama Bojang	(1997-10-03) 3 October 1997
	2DF	Amie Jarju	(1996-09-15) 15 September 1996
	2DF	Binta Colley	(1997-10-11) 11 October 1997
	2DF	Ruggy Joof	(2001-04-13) 13 April 2001
	2DF	Metta Sanneh	(1993-02-10) 10 February 1993
	3MF	Mamie Sylva	(1992-04-25) 25 April 1992
	3MF	Penda Bah	(1998-08-17) 17 August 1998
	3MF	Awa Tamba	(1998-08-29) 29 August 1998
	3MF	Awa Jawo	(1997-02-21) 21 February 1997
	3MF	Mama Saidy	(1996-04-04) 4 April 1996
	3MF	Mam Drammeh	(2001-04-10) 10 April 2001
	3MF	Ajara Samba	(1998-06-26) 26 June 1998
	3MF	Fanta Jarju	(2003-04-11) 11 April 2003
	4FW	Adama Tamba	(1998-08-29) 29 August 1998
	4FW	Isatou Jallow	(1997-10-10) 10 October 1997	F.C. Ramat HaSharon
	4FW	Aminata Camara	(2002-11-21) 21 November 2002

• Gambia national football team
• Women's football