Drivers for Women to Become High-Performance Football Coaches in Africa

Despite global progression in the research focusing on women in coaching, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding their underrepresentation in continents such as Africa. Guided by the Ecological Intersectional Model, this study aimed to address this gap by exploring the drivers for women to become high-performance football coaches in Africa. Semistructured interviews were conducted to understand the motivations of 10 coaches from five African zones (North, East, West, Southern, and Central Africa). The age range of the coaches was between 33 and 54 years, with ( M age = 44.2, SD = 7.12 years, M experience = 10.9, SD = 5.32 years). Reflective thematic analysis revealed that these coaches are motivated by: Approval from coaches and administrators; Identity and Lifelong Connection to the Sport; Role models; Family background; and Challenging male dominance. The findings suggest that women coaches have a genuine interest in entering the coaching profession and highlight the need for stakeholders and football administrators to provide them with support to sustain their interest and promote their career development, if underrepresentation is to be addressed.