FIFA marks decade of membership with feature story on Gibraltar

FIFA has marked the Gibraltar Football Association’s decade as a member association with a special feature article highlighting the progress of football on the Rock over the past ten years.

Published on FIFA’s Inside FIFA platform under the headline “Gibraltar: a decade of hard work beginning to bear fruit”, the feature reflects on Gibraltar’s admission as FIFA’s 211th member association on May 13, 2016, and charts the development of both the men’s and women’s national teams since then.

The article includes contributions from former Gibraltar men’s captain Roy Chipolina and current women’s national team captain Shania Robba, both of whom described the significance of FIFA membership for Gibraltar football.

Chipolina, who captained Gibraltar during their first FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign ahead of the 2018 World Cup, said FIFA membership gave Gibraltar “recognition and the chance to dream even bigger.”

The feature focuses heavily on the transformation of football structures in Gibraltar over the past decade, highlighting improvements in professionalism, coaching education, youth development and the long-term vision adopted by the association.

Among the milestones referenced are Gibraltar’s first competitive victory — a 1-0 UEFA Nations League win over Armenia in 2018 — and the nation reaching 190th place in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, its highest position to date.

The article also places strong emphasis on the growth of the women’s game in Gibraltar. It recalls the women’s national team’s international debut in the UEFA Women’s Nations League in February 2024, their entry into the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking later that year, and participation in qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027.

Robba described the women’s World Cup qualifying participation as representing “years of hard work, belief and progress for women’s football in Gibraltar.”

She also reflected on Gibraltar’s first official women’s home international, played against the Faroe Islands in February 2025, describing it as a historic and emotional moment which demonstrated the growth of women’s football locally.

The FIFA feature further highlights the role FIFA development programmes and funding have played in Gibraltar’s football development, particularly for a smaller association, with Chipolina stressing the importance of coach education, development pathways and long-term sustainability for future generations.

The article concludes by underlining Gibraltar football’s continued focus on building a clear football identity and creating opportunities for younger players as the association enters its second decade as a FIFA member.