"You can’t."
Two words women and girls have heard for centuries — especially when it comes to sport. The discrimination, intimidation, and preclusion of women and girls in sport makes the simple enjoyment of a game like football an uphill battle for many. Even those female athletes who have proven themselves on every world stage remain under-recognised and under-valued for their achievements.
Yet in June, on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, in a game like no other, two football teams composed entirely of women will prove that women can and will. At 18,799 feet, women from 20 different countries will walk out on a volcanic ash pitch and attempt to play a full 90-minute, 11-a- side regulation game, a game that will break the Guinness World Record for the highest altitude game ever played.
Who We Are
The project started as an idea between the two co-founders Erin and Laura but momentum has grown and turned a crazy idea into an international movement!
We are now a squad of female footballers from more than 20 countries – from Argentina to Afghanistan, Sweden to South Africa, the US to the U.A.E.
We came together through our love of the beautiful game and the realisation that each of us – whether amateur or pro player - have faced many challenges along the way. Amongst us we include 10 players who have played for their national teams – from Petra who played in the first ever German national team in 1978 to Esraa who was Egypt’s player of the year in 2011. We're lucky to have been guided by supportive conversations with a range of people from pro-players in the US and England to UN Women, UNICEF, FIFA, Plan International, Right to Play and many others. Find out more on our website.
Our project
Equal Playing Field Initiative is using the climb and record-breaking match to challenge the inequalities faced today by women in sport, and in doing so challenge the mountains they must conquer off the pitch as well.
With your support, the match will be the subject of a feature documentary by a team of award-winning filmmakers, which will be shown through out the world to spread our message of empowerment. Equal Playing Field will also be using the the momentum from the mountain to increase women and girls' participation in and access to sport. Following the match we aim to deliver football training in up to 15 countries clinics for women and girls through local charities that focus on sports development, education, health and empowerment.
Our project - the world record, the documentary and TV footage, the clinics and community outreach events - all will raise awareness of the movement and spread our message: Opportunity, equality, respect. Nothing more, nothing less.
How you can help
Join us on our challenge by following us on twitter, instagram, medium and facebook and share the word!
Show us your support and purchase a reward to get all our players, refs, medical crew and support crew up the mountain.
There are still some sponsorship opportunities available - contact us through www.equalplayingfield.com
We need your help to get us to up the mountain and get our message heard. Join us.
