April 26/27 marks history in Qatar as Paris Saint-Germain leads the initiative in women’s sport by organizing the first ever international girls’ competition in Education City’s World Cup Stadium.
20 Teams from all six GCC Countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), comprising over 200 girls born between 2009 and 2011, participated in what was considered the largest girls football competition ever hosted in the Gulf Region.
The Junior Premier League GCC Warriors Cup Qatar (JPL) kicked off with an educational visit at the Qatar Foundation Headquarters (QF), where teams were given valuable insight on QF’s mission, strategic vision, and values. The visit also served as the ideal opportunity for teams to take pictures of the Doha Skyline, making for the perfect backdrop.
Renown academies such as Juventus, Manchester City and Southampton, to name a few, all competed for a chance at winning the “GCC Warriors Title”.
PSG Academy Qatar’s 2011 team secured the Trophy tournament Final with a stellar performance over Juventus Oman in an action-packed penalty shootout match.
Rasha Mahfoud from PSG Academy’s 2009 team was awarded the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
The JPL is a player development league focused on driving innovation and ensuring that every player benefits from premium football experiences. The Warriors Cup Qatar – the first official football competition for many countries, superseded expectations.
“Hosting this tournament in a World Cup Stadium was a milestone event for the Gulf. Thank you, Paris Saint-Germain, and Qatar Foundation, for making this possible. We look forward on many more to come.” says JPL CEO Martin Brock.
PSG Academy Technical Advisor Didier Domi says “Our vision is to empower women in sport. Providing them with the necessary tools and facilities is a prerequisite to ignite their passion. Organizing the JPL GCC is a step in the right direction, and we trust that it has inspired the younger generation.”
As the 2023-2024 season comes to an end, Paris Saint-Germain continues to identify strategic ways to push the boundaries of women sports in the GCC.