A Pioneering Women’s World Cup Erased From History

In 1971, six years before the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991, a groundbreaking tournament took place in Mexico. The Fédération Internationale Européenne de Football Féminin (FIEFF) organized the event, which featured teams from Mexico, England, France, and Argentina.

Despite the success of the tournament and the high level of play displayed by the teams, the event was largely ignored by the mainstream media and overshadowed by the men’s game. As a result, the pioneering efforts of these women were largely forgotten and the tournament was left out of official records and histories of women’s football.

Now, decades later, efforts are being made to recognize and celebrate the players who participated in this historic event. The FIEFF World Cup of 1971 paved the way for future generations of women footballers and deserves to be remembered as a crucial step in the development of the women’s game.