Burundi women's national football team


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The Burundi women's national football team, nicknamed the Swallows (French: Hirondelles), represents Burundi in women's international football competitions. The team has competed since 2016 in matches recognised by FIFA, the sport's international governing body. A senior national team has been continually inactive, but an under-20 team has played in numerous matches. Further development of football in the country faces challenges found across Africa, including inequality and limited access to education for women. A women's football programme did not exist in Burundi until 2000, and only 455 players had registered for participation on the national level by 2006.

Burundi
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Swallows (Hirondelles)
AssociationFootball Federation of Burundi
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationCECAFA (East & Central Africa)
Head coachGustave Niyonkuru
FIFA codeBDI

First colours

Second colours

FIFA ranking
Current 178 Steady (16 August 2024)[1]
Highest169 (June 2022)
Lowest178 (March – August 2024)
First international
Biggest win
Biggest defeat
 Kenya 5–0 Burundi 
(Njeru, Uganda; 23 November 2019)
World Cup
Appearances0
Olympic Games
Appearances0
Africa Women Cup of Nations
Appearances1 (first in 2022)
Best resultGroup stage (2022)

In 1985, almost no country in the world had a women's national football team.[2][3] While the sport grew in popularity worldwide in the ensuing years, Burundi did not have an official team until more than two decades later.[3][4] By 2009, however, Burundi had a FIFA-recognised senior national team nicknamed the Swallows and a FIFA-recognised Burundi women's national under-20 football team.[5][6] The under-20 team played one international match in 2002, one in 2004 and one in 2006.[4]

The senior national football team has never competed in a FIFA-sanctioned fixture and has not competed at the Women's World Cup. The team was one of 200 preparing for a qualification tournament for the cup in 2007, but did not play in the competition.[3][7][8] The team has withdrawn from numerous other events.[9][10][11] Burundi was to play in the 2008 African Women's Championship but withdrew from the tournament, giving the Democratic Republic of the Congo an automatic qualification.[9] The team also withdrew from the 2010 and 2012 editions of the Africa Women Cup of Nations before the first-round qualifiers.[10][11] Burundi has not participated in other major events on the continent, including the 2011 All-Africa Games.[12] As of March 2012, the team was not ranked by FIFA.[13][14][15]

Burundi was scheduled to participate in a competition in 2007 organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Zanzibar. Nicholas Musonye, the secretary of the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa), said of the event, "CAF wants to develop women's football in this region in recognition of the milestones Cecafa has achieved over the years. CAF appreciates what Cecafa has done despite the hardships the association has gone through, from financial problems to political instability in member states and poor management of associations. Member states in the Cecafa region have not taken women's football seriously. CAF now wants to sponsor a long-term campaign to attract women from this region into the game."[16] The competition was canceled due to lack of funds.[17]

Burundi's women's team was assembled in 2019 under coach Daniella Niyibimenya in anticipation of the 2019 CECAFA Women's Championship.[18] The team was defeated 2–0 in a match with the Uganda women's national football team.[19] Speaking on the team's lack of permanence and performance, Niyibimenya said, "We have a talented team but they need several warm-up matches to develop their character. Due to a lack of resources, we can only bring the girls together when a competition is announced."[20]

Background and development

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Women's football is now [a] big deal. The standard that we have attained in Africa is good enough. Soon, an African team will challenge seriously for the World Cup. But we need far more support from governments and big business.

Lydia Nsekera, president of the Football Federation of Burundi[21]

The development of women's football in Africa faces several challenges, including limited access to education, poverty amongst women, inequalities and human rights abuses.[22][23][24][25]

The Football Federation of Burundi, the country's national association, created a woman's football programme in 2000.[3][5][26] By 2006, there were just 455 registered women players, and the absence of a thriving women's game has been an obstacle for the national team.[27] Lydia Nsekera is the head of the national football association.[28]

Outside the national federation, the Commission nationale du football féminin was established by the 1990s, and a league and women's teams were organised in the same period in Bujumbura.[29][30]

Results and fixtures

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The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Void or Postponed   Fixture

Source : global sport

Current coaching staff

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This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2022)

Position Name Ref.
Head coach   Olivier Mutombola

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2022)

  •   Gustave Niyonkuru (20xx–2023)
  •   Olivier Mutombola(2023-)

The following players have been called up to a Burundi squad in the past 12 months.

Africa Women Cup of Nations
CECAFA Women's Championship

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place  

Africa Women Cup of Nations

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Africa Women Cup of Nations
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA GD
1991 to   2014 did not exist
  2016 did not enter
  2018
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  2022 Group Stage 3 0 0 3 3 11 −8
  2024 Did not qualify
Total 1/14 3 0 0 3 3 11 −8

(The former format was amended as it did not comply with MOS:FLAG as discussed here)

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
African Games record
Year Result Matches Wins Draws Losses GF GA
  2003 did not exist
  2007
  2011
  2015
  2019 did not enter
  2023
Total 0/4 0 0 0 0 0 0

FIFA Women's World Cup

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FIFA Women's World Cup record
Year Result Pld W D* L GS GA GD
  1991 did not exist
  1995
  1999
  2003
  2007
  2011
  2015
  2019 did not enter
   2023 did not qualify
  2027 did not qualify
Total 0/10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
Summer Olympics record
Year Result Pld W D* L GS GA GD
  1996 did not exist
  2000
  2004
  2008
  2012
  2016 did not enter
  2020
  2024
Total 0/7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

CECAFA Women's Championship

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CECAFA Women's Championship
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA GD
  1986 did not enter
  2016 Groupe stage 3 1 0 2 10 6 +4
  2018 did not enter
  2019 4th 5 2 0 3 8 11 −3
  2021 Cancelled
  2022 Runner-up 5 3 0 2 9 9 0
Total 1/5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  Runners-up:

All−time record against FIFA recognized nations

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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.

Key

  Positive balance (more wins than losses)

  Neutral balance (as many wins as losses)

  Negative balance (more losses than wins)

Against Pld W D L GF GA GD Confederation

*As ofxxxxx after match against xxxxx.

Key

  Positive balance (more wins than losses)

  Neutral balance (as many wins as losses)

  Negative balance (more losses than wins)

The following table shows Djibouti's all-time official international record per opponent:

Opponent Pld W D L GF GA GD W% Confederation
Total —
  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  2. ^ Chrös McDougall (1 January 2012). Soccer. ABDO. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-61783-146-1. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d "Burundi: Fixtures and Results". FIFA. 2012. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  4. ^ a b FIFA (2006). "Women's Football Today" (PDF). p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Goal! Football: Burundi" (PDF). FIFA. 21 April 2009. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  6. ^ "Foot féminin : Éliminatoires CAN-2012 Le Sénégal affronte le Burundi en janvier" (in French). Yenkini. 22 October 2011. Archived from the original on 9 January 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012. Les protégées de Bassouaré Diaby, qui ne se sont jamais qualifiées pour une CAN, tenteront de se racheter face aux Hirondelles du Burundi.
  7. ^ Ballard, John; Suff, Paul (1999). The dictionary of football : the complete A-Z of international football from Ajax to Zinedine Zidane. London: Boxtree. p. 106. ISBN 0752224344. OCLC 59442612.
  8. ^ "AAGM: Over 200 Countries Gear Up for Women's World Cup". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. 8 September 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  9. ^ a b Omorodion, Patrick (2 December 2007). "AAGM: Super Falcons Take a Rest as Women Battle". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  10. ^ a b "Fixtures – African Women Championship 2010". CAF. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  11. ^ a b Bakama, James (15 January 2012). "New Vision (Uganda) – AAGM: Crested Cranes in Danger". New Vision. Kampala, Uganda. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  12. ^ "Groups & standings – All Africa Games women 2011". CAF. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  13. ^ "The FIFA Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 25 September 2009. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  14. ^ "Classement mondial féminin de la FIFA". fr.fifa.com. 23 September 2011. Archived from the original on 19 June 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  15. ^ "Tanzania yapaa viwango FIFA" (in Swahili). New Habari. 4 June 2012. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2012. Nchi nyingine za CECAFA ambazo ni Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Somalia na Sudan hazina soka la wanawake la ushindani kiasi ya kuwa na timu ya taifa.
  16. ^ "AAGM: CAF to Fund Regional Women's Championships". The (Daily) Nation. Nairobi, Kenya. 4 January 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  17. ^ Olita, Reuben (27 September 2007). "Cecafa Puts Off Women Tourney". New Vision. Uganda.
  18. ^ Nzeyimana, Perfect (31 October 2019). "Foot féminin : les Intamba en mode revanchard". Jimbere Magazine (in French). Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  19. ^ Oryada, Andrew Jackson (26 November 2019). "Kenya win 2019 regional Cecafa Senior Women's Challenge Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  20. ^ Ndihokubwayo, Isaac (7 January 2020). "Intamba 2019, millésimes mi-figue, mi-raisin : un dernier détour". Jimbere Magazine (in French). Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  21. ^ Olajire, Ademola (5 November 2006). "AAGM: Wesley Canvasses Greater Support for Women's Football". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  22. ^ Jean Williams (15 December 2007). A Beautiful Game: International Perspectives on Women's Football. Berg. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-84520-674-1. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  23. ^ Richard Giulianotti; David McArdle (2006). Sport, Civil Liberties and Human Rights. Routledge. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-7146-5344-0. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  24. ^ Chris Hallinan; Steven J. Jackson (31 August 2008). Social And Cultural Diversity In A Sporting World. Emerald Group Publishing. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-0-7623-1456-0. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  25. ^ Jean Williams (18 December 2003). A Game for Rough Girls?: A History of Women's Football in Britain. Routledge. pp. 173–175. ISBN 978-0-415-26338-2. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  26. ^ Tom Dunmore (16 September 2011). Historical Dictionary of Soccer. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7188-5. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  27. ^ FIFA (2006). "Women's Football Today" (PDF). p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  28. ^ Gabriel Kuhn (24 February 2011). Soccer Vs. the State: Tackling Football and Radical Politics. PM Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-60486-053-5. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  29. ^ "Burundi – Lydia Nsekera, la "Madame Thatcher du football" à la Fifa" (in French). Slate Afrique. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012. Elle a beaucoup œuvré pour inciter les femmes du Burundi à pratiquer ce sport. Dans les années 1990, en tant que présidente de la Commission nationale du football féminin, elle a mis en place des équipes féminines à Bujumbara et a créé un championnat de football uniquement dédié aux femmes.
  30. ^ "Fifa : Lydia Nsekera, première dame du foot mondial". Jeune Afrique (in French). 30 May 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012. Elle a assouvi sa passion par procuration et contribué largement à changer les choses en créant des équipes féminines à Bujumbura, la capitale de cette ancienne colonie belge. À la fin des années 1990, la Fifa, pour encourager le développement du football au Burundi, se tourne naturellement vers Lydia Nsekera.
  31. ^ Squad for WAFCON qualification 2nd round