News
The article is more than 5 years old

Finland’s women promise prefix-free football

The women’s football league in Finland has removed the word 'women' from its name.

Naisten jalkapallomaajoukkue
Finland's women's national team are in the midst of a qualification campaign for the European Championships in 2021. Image: AOP
  • Yle News

Finland’s Football Association announced the new name of the women’s football league on Thursday, removing the gender identifier in an effort to raise the league’s profile.

The new name is Kansallinen Liiga, or 'National League' in English. The FA hopes the new name will help generate interest in the sport in Finland.

"The sporting world has become accustomed to talking about sport in a way that indicates there is sport and then women’s sport — football and women's football," said Heidi Pihlaja, who works as head of development for football played by women at the FA, in a statement.

"The new name and identity is intended to steer a cultural change and show how to build a more equal sporting world and society," continued Pihlaja.

The All Points North podcast asked Heidi Pihlaja about the planned changes earlier this year. You can listen to the podcast via this embedded player, Yle Areena, Spotify, iTunes or your normal podcast player using the RSS feed.

What's in a name? Women's football looks to become just 'football'
Image: Yle News

The FA also announced a chain of sandwich shops and a commercial broadcaster as the newly-renamed league's partners.

The ten-team league kicks off on 28 March.