FIFA Executive Jill Ellis Addresses LGBTQ+ Rights and Potential Qatar Hosting
FIFA's chief football officer Jill Ellis has delivered pointed remarks about anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the United States while discussing the sensitive topic of Qatar potentially hosting the 2028 Women's Club World Cup. Speaking in London ahead of the upcoming women's Champions Cup tournament, the former US women's national team coach emphasised the need for careful consideration when evaluating host nations.
Warning Against Hypocrisy in International Football Politics
Ellis specifically cautioned against what she described as hypocrisy in questioning Qatar's suitability as a tournament host while significant anti-LGBTQ+ legislation exists in other nations. "I'm very, very careful not to throw stones in glass houses," Ellis stated during her London appearance. "There are over 500 bills in the US with anti-gay legislation on them. That was last year when I started researching."
The FIFA executive made these comments in response to questions about whether the prominent LGBTQ+ identity within women's football should influence host selection decisions. "Certainly," Ellis affirmed when asked about this consideration. "I'm going to put my personal hat on. I say that because I also think more broadly, we all have to look at how we can continue to create different perceptions."
Qatar's Potential Hosting Role and FIFA's Considerations
Recent reports have revealed that FIFA is engaged in preliminary discussions with Qatari officials about potentially staging the inaugural Women's Club World Cup in January 2028. While Ellis noted she hadn't personally been involved in these specific talks, she expressed openness to the tournament being hosted in the Middle Eastern nation.
"I've not heard anything about that region at my level," Ellis clarified regarding the Qatar discussions. "There's a bidding process the council has to vote on. We will decompress, get this thing off the ground very quickly. The 2027 tournament hasn't been decided, let alone 2028."
The potential selection of Qatar as host has raised questions given the country's stance on LGBTQ+ rights and the significant presence of openly LGBTQ+ players and coaches within women's football globally.
The Transformative Power of Sport and Growing the Game
Ellis, who guided the US women's national team to World Cup victories in both 2015 and 2019, emphasised football's capacity to drive social change. "Sport has an incredible ability to transform, educate, and enlighten," she asserted. "I think the more people that can have access to this incredible game and see women play it, it's for the betterment of everybody. That's my personal opinion."
The FIFA executive stressed that tournament hosting decisions should prioritise growing women's football globally. "We've got to look at where we can visibly grow the game and have the most impact," Ellis explained, highlighting FIFA's strategic approach to expanding the women's game.
Upcoming Women's Champions Cup in London
Ellis's comments came as FIFA prepares to launch the new women's Champions Cup, a smaller-format competition beginning on 28 January in London. This tournament serves as a precursor to the larger 2028 Club World Cup and features several continental champions:
- Gotham FC (Concacaf champions)
- Corinthians (Libertadores Femenina winners)
- Arsenal (European champions)
- ASFAR (African Champions League winners)
The semi-final matches will determine which teams progress to the final, scheduled for 1 February at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in London.
As women's football continues its global expansion, Ellis's remarks highlight the complex intersection of sport, politics, and human rights that FIFA must navigate when selecting tournament hosts and promoting the women's game internationally.
