As FIFA's Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis looked on, Newell's Old Boys from Rosario beat Boca Juniors 4-3 on penalties (0-0 in normal time) to win the Copa Federal Femenina 2024, making it their first official title. The final was held on 5 April.

The Cup's knock-out stage sees the eight best teams from the Primera División (First Division) face the eight best from the Argentinian Football Federal Council (CFFA), whose members are clubs with second-tier status within the Argentinian Football Association (AFA). Similarly to the three previous editions, FIFA provided financial and strategic support for the tournament as part of its Forward Development Programme.

“At FIFA, we believe that women's football should grow inclusively and be available country-wide, including regions that have not yet taken up the sport. Competitions like the Copa Federal Femenina are essential. They provide clubs and footballers from throughout the country with opportunities to participate in an organised and competitive format,” Ellis explained following the awards ceremony.

“By doing so, the teams, female players, coaches and referees gain experience and raise their profile. This helps build a more sustainable ecosystem for women's football, nurturing talent from the grassroots and encouraging long-term growth,” adds Ellis.

Overall, FIFA, through FIFA Forward, has contributed nearly 1 million USD in funding for the four editions of the tournament. Jair Bertoni, FIFA's Director of Member Associations Americas, had this to say, “Initiatives like the Federal Cup are key for women’s football, as they offer high-level competition and showcase talent from across the country. Women’s football in Argentina has seen significant growth in visibility and opportunities, but there is still great potential to be unlocked.”

“To keep moving forward, it’s essential to strengthen the foundations: support clubs, invest in infrastructure - such as the upcoming technical centre dedicated exclusively to women’s national teams - and create the conditions that encourage more women to participate at all levels. FIFA’s support through the Forward Programme is vital to help the AFA achieve these goals.”

He added: “This competition also attracts new audiences, generates media coverage, boosts sports projects, and inspires future generations by creating role models. FIFA’s message is clear: women’s football is a priority. We must work together to build a sustainable, strong and professional ecosystem that provides the right conditions for its development.”

Diego Turnes, Vice-President of the AFA Women's Football Committee, highlighted ‘the strategic role’ played by the competition in the five-year plan for the sport. He gave a real-life example, showing how it had made an impact. “Two former Copa Federal participants, Belgrano de Córdoba and San Luis Fútbol Club, now compete in the professional First Division tournament.”

Its impact can also be gauged in the regional structure of women's football. For this year's tournament, more clubs from the Federal Council (124) and registered players (3,053) participated in the qualifiers than in the three previous years (44 and 1,196 in 2021; 84 and 2,116 in 2022; and 107 and 2,645 in 2023). Also, nearly 500 female referees were appointed across the competition.

Paola Soto, President of CFFA's Women's Football Department, confirmed these figures. “In the last four years, the qualifying tournament, known as the Copa Federal Regional Amateur Femenina, has become the Federal Council's most high-profile competition. In the run-up to the 2024 event, 353 matches were played in total across all eight regions, and each one had a representative in the finals. This affects everyone involved in the event and increases public interest... It has a very positive knock-on effect.”

Turnes mentioned another key to the success of the Copa Federal. “One of the objectives behind the move to a federalised women's football system was to attract more players, which has clearly been achieved. As a result, our national teams now include players from all over the country, which means that new talent is coming through.”

With this in mind, during the recent FIFA international window in April, the women's senior team beat Canada for the first time (1-0) away from home. Besides having never overcome an Olympic champion, the team had not got the better of a team in the Top 10 of the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking since 2014.

The AFA's new major project, the construction of a Sports and Residential Complex exclusively for women's teams, reflects all these positive indicators. Supported by the Forward Programme, the initiative marked a key milestone on 4 April with the land being handed over to the AFA. The president, Claudio Tapia, and Jill Ellis took part in the ceremony.

“The FIFA Forward Programme, and the Women's Football Development Programme, remain key tools on this front. However, in addition to resources, our aim is to promote long-term strategic planning with the AFA,” said Ellis, two-time winner of the FIFA Women's World Cup as coach of the USA.

“To do so, we aim to push for club licensing standards for women's teams and to support policies that safeguard the professionalisation and protection of players and promote equality. We are also focused on increasing grassroots-level participation, which is an essential part of building a stronger national team for the future,” added the FIFA Chief Football Officer.

Ellis describes their presence in Argentina is a clear message. “We are making it clear that we acknowledge their efforts and we are here to help them develop them. We want to encourage the AFA and all the South American football associations to keep investing in infrastructure, development programmes and women's national competitions. You are not alone. FIFA is committed to standing with you to raise the profile of women's football across the region and ensure that the next generation of players has even more opportunities than the previous one.”