Full programme revealed for the Croatian Football Federation’s “Women in Football” conference

Following the previously announced conference launch, the full programme is now available (available HERE), bringing together representatives from FIFA, UEFA, national football associations, sports institutions, and experts in sports management, communications, and athletes’ mental preparation.

On Tuesday, 12 May, the two-day programme will begin with a focus on the strategic development of women’s football and strengthening systemic support for women in sport.

The first day of the conference opens with a global perspective through the presentation of FIFA’s women’s football strategy, delivered by Ada Bonilla Duarte, FIFA Project Manager for Women’s Football Development. Her presentation will highlight key development priorities, global trends, and strategic guidelines shaping the future of women’s football worldwide.

Following the FIFA segment, a panel dedicated to Croatia’s national strategy for women’s football development will take place, featuring Croatian Football Federation representatives, including Petar Krpan, Head Instructor of the Croatian Football Federation; Božidar Miletić, Women’s Football Coordinator; and Helenna Hercigonja Moulton, Regional Instructor of the Football Association Zagreb. The discussion will focus on the current state, challenges, and development priorities of Croatian women’s football.

The afternoon programme continues with a lecture by Nina Patalon, UEFA Elite Coach Expert and Head Coach of the Poland Women’s National Team, who will speak about implementing women’s football strategy in everyday work on the field and translating strategic goals into practice.

A special focus will also be placed on leadership and authority through a presentation by Iva Olivari, Deputy Secretary General of the Croatian Football Federation and Team Manager of Croatia’s Men’s A National Team, who will discuss how women can build professional authority within traditionally male-dominated sports structures.

One of the key international discussions of the first day will feature a panel with Zeycan Rochelle Yildirim and Çiğdem Türkan, two experts coming from different but strongly connected fields of sport, business, and social development.

Zeycan Rochelle Yildirim is the Marketing Director of YILDIRIM Group, one of the world’s leading international business groups, and Executive Director of the Garip & Zeycan Yildirim Foundation, through which she actively develops projects focused on social impact, equality, and women’s empowerment. Her work connects business, philanthropy, and sport, with a strong focus on social responsibility and long-term systemic change.

Çiğdem Türkan brings extensive experience from working within some of the biggest football systems and clubs, including West Ham United F.C., Chelsea F.C., Crystal Palace F.C., and Arsenal F.C.. Today, she works within the English football system and the Premier League in the areas of education, player development, equality, and inclusion, with a particular focus on creating more sustainable and fair sporting environments.

The first day will conclude with the panel discussion “Women (Don’t) Belong in Football”, featuring Iva Olivari, Lea Soklič, Nermina Hadžibajrić, and Jadranka Pavićević. The focus will be on the real position of women within football systems, authority, institutional culture, and the challenges that still exist within the sporting environment.

The second day of the conference opens with Ivančica Sudac, Head of Club Licensing at the Croatian Football Federation, with her lecture “Lessons from My Journey – Work, Opportunities and Challenges in Football”, based on her personal and professional experience in club licensing and sports administration.

This will be followed by the roundtable “Women in Sport: Systems, Leadership and Change”, dedicated to the role of women in sports institutions, decision-making processes, and shaping sports systems.

The discussion will feature Suzana Šop, Secretary General of the Sports Association of the City of Zagreb; Danira Bilić Nakić, President of the National Sports Council and Director of the Croatian Sports Museum; Mia Bačić, Head of Communications at the Croatian Olympic Committee; and Ivančica Sudac.

Through the discussion, participants will address key issues regarding how sports systems function, the relationship between institutions and practice, the development of women’s sport, and the role of leadership in creating a higher-quality and more sustainable sporting environment.

The conference will conclude with a workshop by Ana Čerenšek, an expert in mental training and psychological preparation of athletes, on the topic of mental health prevention through the education of coaching staff and authentic leadership within sports organisations.

The two-day programme at Terme Sveti Martin brings together domestic and international experts with the aim of exchanging experiences, opening important discussions, and creating concrete steps toward the further development of women’s football in Croatia and the wider region.

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