On 12th October 2017, FC Nordsjælland and Right to Dream announced the launch of a Women's football academy, starting in 2018. This is an exciting prospect for the girls at Right to Dream Academy, Ghana who recently completed a summer camp at FCN. The girls competed at two tournaments, winning the Danish Cup No. 1 and lifting the play-off tournament at the world's largest youth football tournament, the Gothia Cup.
Right to Dream's Group Head of Women's Football, Lucy Mills believes this is a major development for the girls in West Africa:
Opening up the academy here in Denmark means the girls are part of a much bigger, global project. Whilst we prioritise Education, having a football pathway means that if they decide to pursue a professional career, the girls are in really strong position.
Set to launch next year, the Women's academy aims to establish an elite side competing in the Danish 3F league by 2019 and enter the Women's Champion's League by 2023. Right to Dream Founder and Chairman of FC Nordsjælland, Tom Vernon believes the announcement sends a strong signal that the group is committed to greater gender equality in football:
We believe that we can create female role models for the future through football. We want FCN and Right to Dream to stand for equality, which means that everyone, with talent and will, must have the opportunity to play football at the highest level, regardless of gender, race or financial background and status.
Source: RightToDream