Diya W.F.C.

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Diya Women Football Club
دیا ویمین فٹبال کلب
upright=r
Full nameDiya Women Football Club
Short nameDiya W.F.C.
Founded2002; 19 years ago (2002)
GroundClifton community ground, Karachi
ChairwomanZeba Bakhtiar
ManagerSadia Sheikh
CoachRukhsar Rashid
LeagueNational Women Football Championship
20144th
WebsiteClub website

Diya Women Football Club (Urdu: دیا ویمین فٹبال کلب‎), also referred to as Diya W.F.C., Diya WFC, Diya FC, Diya, Diya Women FC, or DWFC, is a Pakistani women's association football and futsal club based in Karachi. Diya means lamp in Urdu. It is the country's oldest women's football club,[1] established in 2002.

Background[]

History[]

Diya W.F.C. was founded in 2002 by Sadia Sheikh, a physical education teacher,[2] founder and secretary general of since 2006 [3] and first FIFA certified football administrator in Pakistan, in 2011, [4] and the only one so far.[5] It was recognized by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) in 2006.[4] Trainings take place on a ground located in Clifton,[6] next to Bagh Ibne Qasim beachside park. Like other independent women's club, Diya W.F.C. has neither sponsorship nor affiliation to a corporation or a public administration, and is therefore financially supported by her owner, family and friends.[1][5]

In September 2015, Diya W.F.C. was the first women’s football club to sign an agreement with Aspirations Pakistan Football Alliance (APFA) and follow their certified curriculum to improve standards of training for both coaches and players.[7]

Diya W.F.C. is also a competition organizer, such as the 1st Chase Up All Karachi under 23 Girls Futsal Tournament 2021, held in February 2021 in partnership with the .[8]

Beside women's football, Diya W.F.C. is a football promoter, offering mixed gender practice[9] or setting up academies for children across Sindh.[10]

Players[]

As of July 2017, 2,000 thousands girls and women have been trained by Diya and played with.[5]

In 2018, students and players age range was from 6 to 27.[11]

  • Present players

is the only Diya's player to be a member of the Pakistan women's national football team (PWNFT), as attacker, since 2020.[12][13]

, and played within the PWNFT and represented their country at the South Asian Football Federation and Asian Football Confederation events in Bhutan and Mongolia in 2018.[14] Shumaila Gulab Hussain and Marium Zehri are defenders within the under 16 PWNFT. [12]

  • Past players

While , a 19 years old Diya W.F.C. midfielder and a second year UC Berkeley student, died in a plane crash on 28 July 2010, she was considered as a "promising star"[15] and declared on 4 August 2010 the best woman player of the by the PFF and the trophy of the annual National Women Championship was named after her.[16]

Hajra Khan, forward and captain of PWNFT, played with Diya as professional from 2008 to 2014, prior to moving to Balochistan United W.F.C..[1] Mehwish Khan, also playing as defender for the PWNFT, started playing with Diya W.F.C.[17] prior to joining WAPDA women's club in 2011. Along with Hajra Khan and Mehwish Khan, , a Diya player, represented Pakistan in the first women’s South Asian Football Federation Championship held in Bangladesh in 2010.[18] , who joined Diya W.F.C. in 2009 and is now coach for the club,[4] was also a defender within the national team. Among the PWNFT, ,[19][20] and Fatima Ansari[4] started playing with Diya W.F.C.

Manizeh Zainli, secretary general of PFF (2020), and first women to hold this position, played football with Diya W.F.C. for two years as amateur.[21]

Performance[]

Football[]

PFF competitions[]

The club competes within three PFF championships: under 16, under 19 and open age:[22]

Diya W.F.C. was ranked 2nd in and , 3rd in and 4th in 2014.[23][22] Hajra Khan won the Misha Dawood Trophy in .[18]

It earned the 3rd position in 2015,[24] in 2018[25] and in 2019.[26] In 2014, the club was rewarded with the fair play trophy and prize.[27]

Other competitions[]

Black = Pakistan
Blue = Countries where Diya W.F.C. participated to an international competition

The State Bank of Pakistan held its own women's championship, in which Diya W.F.C. earned the 3rd place during the 4th edition in 2016.[28]

International youth friendly competitions[]

Sponsored by Geo News of Pakistan and Alma Culture Center of Norway, and with the personal financial support of Diya's managers, U-13 and U-14 teams went to Norway in July 2017 to participate to the Norway Cup, without scoring any goal and getting 23 against.[29][30][31][32] It was the first time a Pakistani team participated in a European tournament.[33]

In August 2017, Diya W.F.C.'s G-16 team went to Turkey to play friendly matches, sponsored by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, and U-13 and U-14 teams went to China for the Gothia Cup.[29][30][32] In August 2019, a mixed gender U11 team went also to China for the Gothia Cup[9] and won the fair play trophy among 66 participating teams.[34]

Variations of football[]

Futsal[]

The club won the All-Pakistan Women Futsal Championship 2010, defeating Eco Adventure Club Islamabad (1-0), and Fatima Ansari and were declared best players of the tournament.[35]

In 2021, Diya W.F.C. won the All Karachi Under 23 Girls Futsal Tournament, among eight teams, defeating Karachi Ladies FC (8-2), and Shumaila Gulab Hussain was declared as one of the best players.[36][14]

Five and six-a-side football[]

Diya W.F.C. also participates to Leisure Leagues events in Pakistan. It earned the Leisure Leagues Women Football's Pink Cup 2020, held in October to promote breast cancer awareness, defeating Garrison Football Academy (2-0).[37] The club won the Leisure Leagues Women's Cup 2021, defeating IBA United (2-0).[38]

Social activities[]

Through sport, Diya W.F.C.’s purpose is to give girls a chance for empowerment, and "transport, education and health fees are entirely covered" by the club[11][39] It also teaches the players soft skills.[5]

Since 2008, every 25 February, Diya W.F.C. and the United Nations hold a friendly match with girls from poor areas of Karachi to promote gender equality, equal rights and to stop violence against women.[40][39]

For the International Women's Day of 2015, the PFF held for the first time an Asian Football Confederation workshop in collaboration with Diya W.F.C. and Balochistan United W.F.C.[41]

In June 2018, Diya W.F.C., in collaboration with Right To Play and Women Win, at the invitation of Thar Foundation, organized a football discovery session (including a four month preparation, training of coaches and matches) and provided equipment for U-13 girls in the remote district of Tharparkar,[42][43][44] which has the lowest Human Development Index[45][46] of Pakistan. A similar operation was conducted in September 2020 in different areas of Karachi, along with Right To Play, Women Win and the US mission in Pakistan.[47]

In October 2020, Imam Baloch, director of the National Bank of Pakistan, lauded Diya W.F.C.'s actions for spreading football to poor and "backward areas", such as Karachi localities of Malir, Lyari and Ibrahim Hyderi and such Sindh province districts of Hyderabad, Thatta, Mirpur Khas and Tharparkar, as well as discovering new talents over there.[48]

References[]

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  2. ^ "Young women are pioneers for Pakistan". China Daily. 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  3. ^ "FIFA prepares Documentary Film on Women football in Pakistan. Pakistan Press International. 2006-05-21. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Raheel, Natasha (2014-03-08). "Feature : Empowering women through football". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Muzaffar, Erum Noor (2017-03-07). "The Unstoppables!". The News International. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  6. ^ Raheel, Natasha (2016-12-31). "The duo fighting class difference in Karachi through football". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  7. ^ Raheel, Natasha (2015-09-13). "APFA joins hands with Diya FC". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  8. ^ "1st Chase Up All Karachi U-23 Girls Futsal Tournament 2021 on 7th February". Khilari. 2020-02-01. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b Our correspondant (2019-08-22). "Diya Academy's U11 side returns after featuring in Gothia Cup". The News International. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
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  11. ^ Jump up to: a b Omam Biyik, Pauline (2018-08-21). "Pakistan, liberté, égalité, balle au centre" [Pakistan, liberty, equality, ball at the center spot]. France Football (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-31.
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  14. ^ Jump up to: a b Raheel, Natasha (2021-02-14). "Futsal is for girls, football is for boys". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
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  18. ^ Jump up to: a b "Squad named for women`s SAFF Championship". Dawn. 2010-12-05. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  19. ^ "T-Diaries: Afshan Altaf". The Express Tribune. 2014-09-09. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
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  22. ^ Jump up to: a b "DWFC History". Diya Women Football Club. 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  23. ^ Editorial staff (2011-09-30). "Young Rising Star retain National Women title in gripping finale". Footballpakistan.com. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  24. ^ "2nd National U-16 Girls 3rd Position Result - Press Release issued by Pakistan Football Federation". Pakistan Official News. 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  25. ^ Our correspondent (2018-07-03). "Diya Women FC crush Islamabad to win bronze". The News International. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  26. ^ "Shayla Baloch National U16 Women Championship - 3rd place". Global Sports Archives. 2019-07-02. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  27. ^ Editorial staff (2014-04-28). "Young Rising Star crowned National Women's U-16 Championship winners". Footballpakistan.com. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  28. ^ Qadri, Uzair (2016-12-19). "Karachi United reclaims State Bank Women's Football Championship". Geo News. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
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  30. ^ Jump up to: a b Mezouar, Mounir (2017-08-10). "Une équipe pakistanaise a participé à une coupe en Norvège" [A Pakistani team participated to a cup in Norway]. pkfoot.com (in French). Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  31. ^ Sports reporter (2017-07-18). "Diya Women Football Club U-13 Girls team will be participating in the Norway Cup organized at Oslo Norway". Daily Messenger. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
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  37. ^ "Diya FC crowned Leisure Leagues Women Football's PINK CUP 2020 Champions!". Khilari. 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  38. ^ "Diya FC wins Leisure Leagues Women's Cup 2021 title". Footballpakistan.com. 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  39. ^ Jump up to: a b "A football victory for girls' rights in Karachi". United Nations Pakistan Newsletter Issue No. 2 (2016). 2016-05-20. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
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  41. ^ Our correspondent (2015-03-08). "Intl women's day: PFF honour female footballers". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  42. ^ Raheel, Natasha (2018-06-28). "When football quenched the thirst of Thari girls". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  43. ^ Raheel, Natasha (2018-12-25). "Thar witnesses its first football tournament". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  44. ^ US desk (2019-01-04). "Football: Girls give it a go". The News International. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  45. ^ Jamal, Haroon; Khan, Amir Jahan (2007-07-01). "Trends in Human development indices. Research report n° 73". Social policy and development centre. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
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External links[]

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