THE MOUNTAIN

In June 2017, two teams of female players climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and played the highest altitude game of football. Of any gender. Ever.

32 female international pros, competitive amateurs and graduates of sports charities from more than 20 countries traveled to Tanzania and summited Mt. Kilimanjaro to play the world record highest elevation regulation game in history. More than 1.75km higher than the world's highest professional stadium and higher even than Everest Base Camp, it was an 11-a-side, full-field, FIFA standard match on a volcanic ash pitch at 5714m.

The teams included World Cup, Champions League, and Olympic pros, more than 10 women's national team players, and ages ranging from 15-55 years old. The trip also included games against local Tanzanian women's teams, and launched EPF's Altitude Football project with football clinics in Tanzania and South Africa.

The trip was facilitated by local guiding company Nature Discovery Ltd. and covered by the international media as well as EPF's own team of award-winning filmmakers and photographers that specialise in international social impact stories and women’s football.

THE SEA

In 2018, EPF conducted a multifaceted project in close cooperation with the Asia Football Development Project, as well as several NGOs and international partners. The Jordan Quest was designed to expand opportunities for girls in communities across Jordan to engage in and benefit from football, as well as contribute to local communities and economic sustainability.

EPF’s team was made up of women from 27 different countries, more than half of them from the Middle East and Asia, including 10 Jordanian nationals, three refugees, and 12 different national teams represented.

Designed, implemented and managed by EPF, the key components of the challenge included:

● 100km trek through Jordan visiting remote communities, providing the opportunity for team building and leadership activities

● Football, social impact and leadership camps for girls and women in five cities across Jordan, led by EPF in collaboration with local NGO partners (reaching 700 girls and women)

● 4 exhibition games for local communities

● 2nd World Record football match (lowest elevation game in history) at the Dead Sea (Ghor al-Safi) - 2000 people attended the game including HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, and through media coverage 500,000 people were reached

● Field built and donated to the Ghor al-Safi community in coordination with the Ministry of Youth

● An integrated media and communications element producing short-form advocacy films, a full documentary by BeIN Sports, and a feature length film for submission to international film festivals

● Documentary, traditional and social media campaign - with coverage provided in 40+ regional and international media outlets, including ESPN Sports Center, The Jordan Times, BeIN Sports, the Guardian, UpRoxx and CNN; and +50 million social media impressions (#JordanQuest).

The Festival

In 2019, Equal Playing Field took on its biggest world record attempt in more ways than one. Alongside the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, EPF hosted the Festival of Football in an effort to bring the world to the World Cup.

The festival was hosted at the Olympic Lyonnaise Training Academy in Meyzieu just outside of Lyon, from the 27th of June to the 1st of July. The main attraction of the festival was the attempt to break the record for the most number of players to appear in a 5-a-side football match. Amidst an unprecedented heat wave in France, EPF broke the record with 822 participants across 69 consecutive hours of play. Full match stats here.

In the midst of this marathon 5-a-side attempt, the EPF team also decided to break an impromptu second Guinness World Record for the most nationalities to participate in an exhibition match. This match took place on June 30 and featured 114 participants, representing 53 nationalities, over a 2 hours and 44 minutes match.

In addition to the two world record matches, the Festival of Football also hosted five days of workshops, dialogues, training and coaching sessions; open football matches; a film festival; a FIFA-accredited referee training programme for female referees; and a volunteer programme that integrated 40+ volunteers into the festival operations team, providing first- hand experience in managing a global grassroots festival. Like we said… a BIG week!

The Spot

EPF partnered with our friends at Guinness World Records for #GWRDay on November 18! To celebrate, we decided to help one of our own, Deena Rahman from Bahrain, break a World Record for the “Most Penalties Taken in 24 Hours”. Deena took 7,876 penalties! We livestreamed the event, chatted with some special guests including coaches, athletes from other sports, and a sports psychologist— and amplified the fight of female athletes worldwide.

About Deena:

Deena is a world-class coach and athlete, who runs Tekkers Academy in Bahrain. A former England and Fulham youth player, Deena now plays for the Bahrain National team. She has put her football skills to great use as a coach at her academy, where they coach over 600 students including 200 girls. Deena has participated in all of Equal Playing Field’s records since our beginning! Check out our Q&A on the blog!

See the article on ESPN