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Nickname(s) | The Scorpions | ||
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Association | Gambia Football Association | ||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | ||
Sub-confederation | WAFU (West Africa) | ||
Head coach | Bubacarr Jallow | ||
FIFA code | GAM | ||
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FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 123 ![]() | ||
Highest | 104 (December 2020) | ||
Lowest | 123 (August 2022) | ||
First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Rabat, Morocco; 4 April 2018) [2] | |||
Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Monrovia, Liberia; 18 October 2021) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Yaoundé, Cameroon; 18 February 2022) |
The Gambia women's national football team represents the Gambia in international women's football. It is governed by the Gambia Football Federation. As of December 2019, it has only competed in one major international competition, the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualification. The Gambia has two youth teams, an under-17 side that has competed in FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup qualifiers, and an under-19 side that withdrew from regional qualifiers for an under-19 World Cup. The development of a national team faces challenges similar to those across Africa, although the national football association has four staff members focusing on women's football.
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, the 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. The 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. The Gambia fielded a 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] The Gambia first played Sierra Leone in a pair of qualifying matches for the tournament. The Gambia won the first match 3–0 in Banjul, the Gambia's capital.[9] The return match was delayed for 24 hours and played in Makeni.[9] The Gambia beat Sierra Leone 4–3 to qualify for the final round.[10] The Gambia then beat Tunisia 1–0 at home and won 2–1 in the away fixture. Adama Tamba and Awa Demba scored the Gambia's goals. Tunisia's only goal was a Gambian own goal. The win qualified the Gambia for the 2012 Azerbaijan World Cup.[11]
The Gambia also has an under-19 team that was to play in the 2002 African U-19 Women's Championship. 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 member of the national team, left Serekunda in her homeland the 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] She did this as she sought to smuggle herself into Europe, where the national team was due to play Casa Sports F.C. from Senegal as part of a festival to celebrate women's football.[23] Due to a severe storm, their boats capsized and Jawara drowned at the age of 19, with her family was contacted several days after the tragedy.[23] Lamin Kaba Bajo, President of the Gambia Football Federation, said "We are grieving at the moment as this is a great loss to the national soccer team and the nation."[21]
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020) |
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Lose Fixture
18 October 2021 (2021-10-18) 2022 AFWCON qualification First round 1st leg | Sierra Leone ![]() | 0–2 | ![]() | Monrovia, Liberia |
<!- – 20:00 CEST (UTC+2) --> | Report |
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Stadium: Antoinette Tubman Stadium |
25 October 2021 (2021-10-25) 2022 AFWCON qualification First round 2nd leg | Gambia ![]() | 1–1 (3–1 agg.) | ![]() | Bakau, Gambia |
<!- – 20:00 CEST (UTC+2) --> | Report | Stadium: Independence Stadium | ||
Note: Gambia won 3–1 on aggregate. |
18 February 2022 AFWCON qualification Second round 1st leg | Cameroon ![]() | 8–0 | ![]() | Yaoundé |
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Report | Stadium: Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo Referee: Akhona Makalima (South Africa) |
22 February 2022 AFWCON qualification Second round 2nd leg | Gambia ![]() | 1–2 (1–10 agg.) | ![]() | Bakau |
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Report |
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Stadium: Independence Stadium Referee: Mame Coumba Faye (Senegal) | |
Note: Cameroon won 10–1 on aggregate. |
7 April International Friendly | Morocco ![]() | 6–1 | ![]() | Rabat,Marocoo |
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Report |
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Stadium: Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah |
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020) |
Position | Name | Ref. |
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Head coach | ![]() |
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![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020) |
The following players were called up to play at two International Friendly in April 2022.[24]
Caps and goals accurate up to and including 19 June 2021.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
22 | 1GK | Mariama Ceesay | (1998-01-22) 22 January 1998 (age 24) | ![]() | ||
1GK | Aminata Gaye | (1996-03-03) 3 March 1996 (age 26) | ![]() | |||
18 | 1GK | Matty Manga | ||||
7 | 2DF | Fatou Darboe | ||||
2DF | Mariama Bojang | (1997-10-03) 3 October 1997 (age 25) | ![]() | |||
16 | 2DF | Rohey Samba | ||||
13 | 2DF | Ruggy Joof | (2001-04-13) 13 April 2001 (age 21) | ![]() | ||
14 | 3MF | Bintou Ceesay | ||||
3MF | Fatou Sowe | |||||
3MF | Fatou Fatty | |||||
3MF | Kaddy Jatta | |||||
3MF | Kumba Kuyateh | |||||
23 | 3MF | Neneh Jallow | ||||
9 | 3MF | Ola Buwaro | ||||
4FW | Awa Jawo | (1997-02-21) 21 February 1997 (age 25) | ![]() | |||
12 | 4FW | Catherine Jatta | ||||
4 | Fatou Sonko | |||||
4FW | Jabou Jobarteh | |||||
2 | 4FW | Mbassey Darboe | (1998-05-20) 20 May 1998 (age 24) | ![]() |
The following players have been called up to a Gambia squad in the past 12 months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DF | Clarra Gomez | (1997-06-06) 6 June 1997 (age 25) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification First round | ||
DF | Amie Jarju | (1996-09-15) 15 September 1996 (age 26) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification First round | ||
DF | Binta Colley | (1997-10-11) 11 October 1997 (age 25) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification Second round | ||
DF | Metta Sanneh | (1993-02-10) 10 February 1993 (age 29) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification Second round | ||
MF | Mamie Sylva | (1992-04-25) 25 April 1992 (age 30) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification First round | ||
MF | Mama Saidy | (1996-04-04) 4 April 1996 (age 26) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification First round | ||
MF | Mam Drammeh | (2001-04-10) 10 April 2001 (age 21) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification First round | ||
MF | Ajara Samba | (1998-06-26) 26 June 1998 (age 24) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification First round | ||
MF | Fanta Jarju | (2003-04-11) 11 April 2003 (age 19) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification First round | ||
MF | Penda Bah (captain) | (1998-08-17) 17 August 1998 (age 24) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification Second round | ||
MF | Awa Tamba | (1998-08-29) 29 August 1998 (age 24) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification Second round | ||
FW | Isatou Jallow | (1997-10-10) 10 October 1997 (age 25) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification First round | ||
FW | Aminata Camara | (2002-11-21) 21 November 2002 (age 19) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification First round | ||
FW | Adama Tamba | (1998-08-29) 29 August 1998 (age 24) | ![]() |
2022 AFWCON qualification Second round | ||
FW | Haleema Frøiland | 2002 (age 19–20) | ![]() |
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FW | Ida Mbaye | 2022 AFWCON qualification Second round | ||||
FW | Fatou Kanteh | (1997-07-02) 2 July 1997 (age 25) | 1 | 1 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
Penda Colley | 2022 AFWCON qualification Second round | |||||
Jalika Badjie | 2022 AFWCON qualification Second round |
*Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 1 August 2021.
Most capped players
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Top goalscorers
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FIFA Women's World Cup record | |||||||||
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Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD | |
![]() | Did Not Enter | ||||||||
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![]() | Did Not Qualify | ||||||||
![]() ![]() | Did Not Qualify | ||||||||
Total | 0/9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Summer Olympics record | |||||||||
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Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD | |
![]() | Did Not Enter | ||||||||
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Total | 0/7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Africa Women Cup of Nations record | ||||||||
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Year | Result | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | GF | GA | |
1991 | Did Not Enter | |||||||
1995 | ||||||||
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![]() | Did Not Qualify | |||||||
![]() | Cancelled due to covid | |||||||
![]() | Did Not Qualify | |||||||
Total | 0/13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
African Games record | ||||||||
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Year | Result | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | GF | GA | |
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Did Not Enter | |||||||
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Did Not Qualify | |||||||
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To Be Determined | |||||||
Total | 0/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
WAFU Zone A Women's Cup | ||||||||
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Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
![]() | Group Stage | 5th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
Total | Group Stage | 1/1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 17 |
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The list shown below shows the Djibouti national football team all−time international record against opposing nations.
*As of xxxxxx after match against xxxx.
Against | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Confederation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
*As ofxxxxx after match against xxxxx.
The following table shows Djibouti's all-time official international record per opponent:
Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W% | Confederation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | — |
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(help)![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (June 2021) |
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Gambia Football Federation | ||||||
National teams |
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League system |
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Domestic cups |
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National women's football teams of Africa (CAF) | |
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North Africa (UNAF) | |
West Africa (WAFU) | |
East Africa (CECAFA) | |
Central Africa (UNIFFAC) | |
Southern Africa (COSAFA) | |
Non-regional Members | |
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