The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) appointed Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura of Senegal as their Secretary General. Samoura is a 21-year veteran of the United Nations and will be the first woman (and non-European) to hold a senior executive position in the global football (soccer) governing body.

“Today is a wonderful day for me, and I am honoured to take on the role of FIFA’s Secretary General,” Samoura said. “I believe this role is a perfect fit for my skills and experience – strategic, high impact team building in international settings – which I will use to help grow the game of football all over the world.

She earned her Masters Degree in English and Spanish at the University of Lyon and also earned a Post-Masters Degree in International relations/International trade from the Institut d’Etudes Supérieures Spécialisées (IECS) in Strasbourg, France.

FIFA, which did not appoint a woman to its ruling executive committee until 2013, had long been criticized as a men’s club with little to no regard for including women’s voices. With the appointment of Ms. Samoura (who speaks French, Italian, Spanish, and English), hopefully this will mean more change and growth for the organization.

“Fatma is a woman with international experience and vision who has worked on some of the most challenging issues of our time,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino . “She has a proven ability to build and lead teams, and improve the way organizations perform. Importantly for FIFA, she also understands that transparency and accountability are at the heart of any well-run and responsible organization.”

READ NEXT: Congressman John Lewis’ graphic novel will now be taught in New York public schools

fatma samoura

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week