São Tomé and Príncipe
AssociationSão Toméan Football Federation
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationUNIFFAC (Central Africa)
FIFA codeSTP
FIFA ranking
CurrentNR (15 March 2024)[1]
First international
 São Tomé and Príncipe 0–2 Gabon 
(São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe; 9 August 2002)
Biggest defeat
 São Tomé and Príncipe 0–6 Gabon 
(Libreville, Gabon; 23 August 2002)
 São Tomé and Príncipe 0–6 Togo 
(São Tomé and Príncipe, 26 February 2006)

The São Tomé and Príncipe women's national football team represents São Tomé and Príncipe in international women's football. It is governed by the São Toméan Football Federation. It has played in six FIFA recognised matches and has never been internationally ranked by FIFA. The country also has a national under-19 team.

History

In 1985, almost no country in the world had a women's national football team,[2] including São Tomé and Príncipe who did not play their first FIFA recognised fixture until 2002 when they participated in qualifications for the 2003 Women's World Cup.[3][4] In the team's history, they have only played in six FIFA recognised matches. On 10 August 2002 in São Tome, São Tomé and Príncipe lost to Gabon 0–2 after being down 0–1 at the half.[3][4] On 24 August 2002 in Libreville, São Tomé and Príncipe lost to Gabon 0–6 after being down 0–3 at the half.[3][4] They finished last in the first group round, scoring 0 total goals and having 8 scored against them in two games.[4] On 19 February 2006 in São Tomé and Príncipe, São Tomé and Príncipe lost 0–3 to Togo.[3] On 26 February 2006 in Togo, São Tomé and Príncipe lost 0–6 to Togo.[3] In 2010, the country did not have a team competing in the African Women's Championships during the preliminary rounds[5] or at the 2011 All Africa Games.[6] In June 2012, the team was not ranked in the world by FIFA.[7] The team has never been ranked by FIFA.[8]

In October 2021, São Tomé and Príncipe participated in the first round of 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualification, which acted also as the first round of Africa's 2023 Women's World Cup qualifiers, but withdrew after losing the first leg to Togo 0–5, leading to the cancellation of the second and the team's elimination.[9]

Under-20

In 2002, São Tomé and Príncipe women's national under-19 football team participated in the African Women U-19 Championship, the first edition of the competition to be held. In the first round, they lost to Mali women's national under-19 football team twice with scores of 0–6 and 1–4.[10][11] The age grouping for the youth national cup was subsequently changed from under-19 to under-20.[12] São Tomé and Príncipe women's national under-20 football team was supposed to play against Central African Republic women's national under-20 football team in the African Women U-20 World Cup 2010 Qualifying in 2010 but São Tomé and Príncipe withdrew and Central African Republic got a walkover in their scheduled matches against the country.[13]

Background and development

The island country gained independence in 1975, the same year the national football association was created. The association gained FIFA recognition in 1986.[14][15] Female players register with the national association starting at the age of 16. In 2009, there were only four women's only teams in the country, which formed a national competition.[16]

Early development of the women's game at the time began when colonial powers brought football to the continent was limited as colonial powers in the region tended to take make concepts of patriarchy and women's participation in sport with them to local cultures that had similar concepts already embedded in them.[17] The lack of later development of the national team on a wider international level symptomatic of all African teams is a result of several factors, including limited access to education, poverty amongst women in the wider society, and fundamental inequality present in the society that occasionally allows for female specific human rights abuses.[18] When quality female football players are developed, they tend to leave for greater opportunities abroad.[19] Continent wide, funding is also an issue, with most development money coming from FIFA, not the national football association.[19] Future success for women's football in Africa is dependent on improved facilities and access by women to these facilities. Attempting to commercialise the game and make it commercially viable is not the solution, as demonstrated by the current existence of many youth and women's football camps held throughout the continent.[17]

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Void or Postponed   Fixture

2023

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of September 2022

Position Name Ref.
Head coach São Tomé and PríncipeMarcelina da Costa

Manager history

Players

Current squad

  • Caps and goals accurate up to and including 30 October 2021.
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Club
1GK Euridice Bandeira São Tomé and Príncipe
1GK Rosa Gomes São Tomé and Príncipe

2DF Nielette Nazaré São Tomé and Príncipe
2DF Jucelina Gonçalves São Tomé and Príncipe
2DF Adgelsa de Sousa São Tomé and Príncipe
2DF Maurícia Gomes São Tomé and Príncipe
2DF Rita Managem São Tomé and Príncipe
2DF Elcy Vicente Fernandes São Tomé and Príncipe
2DF Inácia Santo São Tomé and Príncipe

3MF Stela Rocha São Tomé and Príncipe
3MF Vânia Duarte São Tomé and Príncipe
3MF Reginalda da Veiga São Tomé and Príncipe
3MF Geraldina Geraldina São Tomé and Príncipe

4FW Wilma Guimarães São Tomé and Príncipe
4FW Seliny Bragança São Tomé and Príncipe
4FW Jecimila Ramos São Tomé and Príncipe
4FW Mila Sacramento Simáo São Tomé and Príncipe
4FW Mileyde Bonfim Gomes São Tomé and Príncipe

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to a São Tomé and Príncipe squad in the past 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up





Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup record
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA GD
United States 2003 Did not qualify
China 2007
Germany 2011 to France 2019 Did not enter
AustraliaNew Zealand 2023 Did not qualify
Total 0/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record
Year Result Pld W D* L GS GA GD
United States 1996 Did not qualify
Australia 2000
Greece 2004
China 2008
United Kingdom 2012
Brazil 2016
Japan 2020|
Total 0/7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Africa Women Cup of Nations

Africa Women Cup of Nations
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA GD
Nigeria 2002 Did not qualify
South Africa 2004 Did not enter
Nigeria 2006 Did not qualify
Equatorial Guinea 2008 to Ghana 2018 Did not enter
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
Morocco 2022 Did not qualify
Morocco 2024 W/D
Total 0/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

African Games record

African Games Finals
Year Round GP W D L GS GA
Nigeria 2003 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
Algeria 2007 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mozambique 2011 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
Republic of the Congo 2015 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
Morocco 2019 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ghana 2023 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 4/4 0 0 0 0 0 0

UNIFFAC Women's Cup

UNIFFAC Women's Cup
Year Result Matches Wins Draws Losses GF GA GD
Equatorial Guinea2020 DID NOT ENTER
Total 1/1 4 0 3 1 4 5 −1

References

  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  2. ^ Chrös McDougall (1 January 2012). Soccer. ABDO. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-61783-146-1. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Sao Tome e Principe: Fixtures and Results". FIFA. Archived from the original on 21 June 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d "Previous Tournaments". FIFA. Archived from the original on 27 December 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  5. ^ "Fixtures – African Women Championship 2010 – CAF". Cafonline.com. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  6. ^ "Groups & standings – All Africa Games women 2011 – CAF". Cafonline.com. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  7. ^ "The FIFA Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 25 September 2009. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  8. ^ "Sao Tome e Principe: FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. Archived from the original on 23 September 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  9. ^ "Withdrawal of Sao Tome from the qualifiers of the TotalEnergies Women's AFCON 2022". CAF. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  10. ^ "African Women U-19 Championship 2002". Rsssf.com. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  11. ^ "Regulations – CAN U-20 women 2010 – CAF". Cafonline.com. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  12. ^ "Women U-19/U-20 World Cup". Rsssf.com. 21 January 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  13. ^ "African Women U-20 World Cup 2010 Qualifying". Rsssf.com. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  14. ^ "Goal! Football: São Tomé and Príncipe" (PDF). FIFA. 21 April 2009. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  15. ^ FIFA (2006). "Women's Football Today" (PDF): 166. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  16. ^ "Goal! Football: São Tomé and Príncipe" (PDF). FIFA. 21 April 2009. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  17. ^ a b Peter Alegi (2 March 2010). African Soccerscapes: How a Continent Changed the World's Game. Ohio University Press. ISBN 978-0-89680-278-0. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  18. ^ Jean Williams (15 December 2007). A Beautiful Game: International Perspectives on Women's Football. Berg. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-84520-674-1. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  19. ^ a b Gabriel Kuhn (24 February 2011). Soccer Vs. the State: Tackling Football and Radical Politics. PM Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-60486-053-5. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  20. ^ suqad for qualification

External links