Village Cup for girls set to grow women's game in Romania
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Article summary
For years, the Romanian Football Federation's (FRF) Village Cup has been giving boys in rural areas the chance to play organised football. This summer, an all-girls edition ran for the first time.
Article top media content
Article body
The FRF collaborates with its 42 county football associations to organise the Village Cup, a competition for children living in the countryside.
It not only provides these children with the opportunity to play football, but also gives them the chance to be scouted by coaches of the Romanian youth national teams. Past participants include Udinese goalkeeper Răzvan Sava.
Until now, girls could only take part in mixed teams. But in June, to coincide with Romania's Children's Day, the FRF launched the first tournament exclusively for girls.
The first phase of the competition was played in eight geographical areas to minimise the expense for participating teams. From this, eight teams progressed to the final tournament, of which girls from the northern village of Giulești were eventual winners.
Creating opportunities for girls
The President of the FRF, Răzvan Burleanu, believes the first all-girls edition of the Village Cup will transform the future of football in Romania for everyone.
"The first edition of the Women's Village Cup has been a true success, proving once again that football has the power to inspire and transform communities," Burleanu said.
"By bringing this competition to rural areas, we have taken an important step in creating opportunities for young girls to discover their passion for the game, to develop their talent, and to dream bigger.
"At the same time, this tournament offers a vital platform for players to be noticed by national team coaches and to take their first important step towards a more competitive environment."
"This project is not only about growing women's football, but also about building a stronger future for Romanian football as a whole."
The future's bright
The inaugural Village Cup was a huge success that will further boost the growth of the girls and women’s game in Romania.
Approximately 300 female players were registered with the FRF 11 years ago. Today, that number stands at around 10,000, with 213 girls' youth teams participating in FRF competitions.
With more girls and women playing the sport than ever before, the opportunity to strengthen the national team arises.
So far, two standout performers at the Village Cup have been handed opportunities to represent their country. A key player for semi-finalists Piatra was invited to trial for the newly formed Under-15 national team, while the Village Cup’s player of the final tournament has participated in an Under-13 national team camp.
Increasing the number of women in coaching
Romania also has its sights set on improving the representation of women in football coaching. By 2030, the aim is to increase the number of women who hold a UEFA C licence tenfold, up from 46 to 460, while ensuring there are as many female coaches as possible at all levels of the game.
From 2025, 20 per cent of all available places on FRF Coaching School courses will be awarded to women. The FRF Executive Committee has promised to cover 90 per cent of fees for female licence candidates, while providing financial support for transport and accommodation for courses held in Bucharest.
What's more, every player from Romania’s women’s national team will be encouraged to consider coaching, while mentors will be in place for those taking UEFA A and Pro licences.
This supports UEFA's ambition to increase the number of female coaches working in the women's game at all levels, with initiatives such as the UEFA Coach Mentor Programme giving the next generation of leaders the chance to learn from some of the best in the business.