From grassroots coaching in Latvia to wartime resilience in Ukraine, football is helping break down gender stereotypes
The TARGET project brings together Latvia and Ukraine to use football as a tool to challenge gender stereotypes and expand opportunities for women and girls. While both countries share this objective, they start from different positions.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025, Latvia ranks 21st globally, having closed 77.8 per cent of its gender gap, while Ukraine ranks 62nd, with 73 per cent of the gap closed.
Against these contrasting backdrops, the two football associations are adapting TARGET’s approach to their national contexts. From increasing female participation and coach education in Latvia to sustaining inclusion amid wartime challenges in Ukraine, the project demonstrates how football can support broader efforts to advance gender equality.
Latvia: Progress slows as inequalities persist
