Women leading the way

The start of Common Goal’s women in leadership series

Across the world, women are reshaping football, turning the pitch into a platform for leadership, justice, and joy.

From Villa 31 in Buenos Aires to public parks in Los Angeles and grassroots communities in Mozambique, leaders like Juliana Román Lozano, Shawna Gordon, and Kadia Sow are redefining what the game can be.

These leaders are creating spaces to reflect their communities, challenge power structures, and show that leadership thrives when it is shared.

This is part one of Common Goal’s Women in Leadership spotlight series. Meet three of the women driving this movement.

Kadia

Kadia Sow
CEO, Força Foundation International
Senegal

Força Foundation International operates in over 30 countries, using football to build inclusive structures where girls grow up with confidence, choices, and the knowledge that they matter. 

As CEO, Kadia leads global strategy, programmes, and partnerships. She ensures the foundation drives systemic change while staying deeply rooted in local leadership. Her work spans policy advocacy, coach training, and mentorship development.

“We all have the power to lead change, no matter where we start. Football is a tool, but the real force comes from within.

“Girls don’t need to be ‘given’ a voice. They already have one. Our job is to make sure the world listens.”

- Kadia

Kadia focuses on unlocking potential and supporting girls to thrive and shape futures beyond the pitch. Through local mentorship and global advocacy, Kadia is building a football ecosystem where girls are seen, supported, and expected to lead.

Juliana

Juliana Román Lozano
Co-founder, La Nuestra Fútbol Feminista
Argentina

La Nuestra Fútbol Feminista creates free football training and feminist education for girls, women, and LGBTQ+ people in one of Buenos Aires’ most excluded neighbourhoods, Villa 31.

Built by and for the community, La Nuestra uses sport to challenge exclusion, build confidence, and reclaim public space.

 Juliana co-founded the organisation in 2007 and leads resource mobilisation and coordination. She is part of the collective leadership and learning community that shapes La Nuestra’s political education and football methodology.

 “Girls stay in the game when they feel it’s truly theirs—when they are not only invited to participate, but recognized as protagonists, leaders, and decision-makers.

 “At La Nuestra, everything we do is built by, with, and for us.”

- Juliana

 Juliana believes in the power of the game. “Football is not just ‘a tool’ but a purpose in itself. Defending the right to play meant questioning power structures in society and sport.” 

With her direction, La Nuestra has grown into a vibrant community hub that combines play, popular education, and advocacy. A space where girls and LGBTQ+ people learn to claim space, build identity, and lead.

Shawna

Shawna Gordon
Founder & Executive Director, Football for Her
USA

Football for Her offers free weekly football, mentorship, and leadership training for girls and non-binary youth in Los Angeles. The organisation trains coaches and club staff to champion inclusion and build allyship on and off the pitch.

Shawna is a former pro footballer who played in the NWSL, Australia’s A-League, and Sweden’s Damallsvenskan. She launched the organisation in 2019, turning her professional experience, and the inequities she witnessed, into a community-rooted vision. Now, she leads through strategy, partnerships, and everyday presence.

“When girls see women and non-binary coaches who look like them, who share their lived experiences, it shifts what they believe is possible.

“They don’t have to imagine what leadership could look like—they’re seeing it in real time.”

- Shawna

Through Football for Her, Shawna is opening new pathways into the game through coaching and storytelling. Her work shows what’s possible when young people lead on their own terms.

This is football when women lead.

Juliana Román Lozano, Kadia Sow, and Shawna Gordon are each driving change in distinct and powerful ways. By building inclusive clubs, mentoring the next generation, and shifting who holds decision-making power in the game.

In the coming weeks, their stories will be featured on LinkedIn. Find out more about how these women in leadership inspire and transform the game.