in 8
armenian
regions

Soccer Leagues

To bridge the gender gap of female participation in sports, GOALS has established soccer leagues for girls in 8 regions of Armenia with plans for further expansion. Leagues have been formed in Armavir, Syunik, Lori, Tavush, Vayots Dzor, Shirak, Gegharkunik and more recently in Kotayk. We provide the infrastructure, coaches, equipment, and other necessary resources in rural communities across the country.

Our leagues are composed of at least four teams with 9-15 players on each team. Soccer season runs for 6 months out of the year during fall and spring, training over 750 dedicated and energized players. Dilijan League player, fourteen-year-old Lilit shares her passion for playing football “makes me feel like an open, brave individual, and most importantly, I have started to believe in myself.”

By establishing leagues, GOALS has triggered a shift in the mindset of both young and old across the country. Head coach of N.4 Dilijan School, Anna Davtyan is thankful for having a team at the school as it “helped inspire girls who want to change something in their community and in their lives. Failure doesn’t stop them; they continue to work hard and believe in what they do.”

Encouragingly, we already see a remarkable change in the confidence of our players, as well as a positive shift in parental approval of their daughters playing soccer. Now we are finding stands full of boys cheering for our girls. Fever pitch is in effect!