HMONG WOMEN FUTBOLFEDERATION: A GAME-CHANGER FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS

MINNESOTA—The Hmong Women Futbol Federation (HWFF), in collaboration with the Hmong Futbol Federation (HFF), is poised to make notable advancements in women's soccer this summer at the CONIFA Asia Cup in London. The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) is an organization that offers a platform for stateless people and ethnic minorities to participate in international soccer. This enables ethnic minorities like the Hmong to represent their communities and cultures globally, without being limited by national borders. HFF, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, was founded in 2022 and joined CONIFA the same year. The organization aims to create an international soccer program recognizing the Hmong people. The Hmong diaspora, primarily from East and Southeast Asia, includes over 368,000 individuals in the U.S. In Minnesota, the Hmong population is estimated at 95,000. "We have our identity, and we believed it was necessary to create an opportunity for individuals to not only demonstrate their soccer skills but also express our culture and heritage through soccer on a global platform," stated Vilai Lor, co-founder and President of HFF. The HFF men's team participated in the 2023 CONIFA Asia Cup in Portugal for the first time. The team did not win but qualified for the final. CONIFA also encourages its members to invest in women's football in their communities and form teams to compete in CONIFA games. In the Hmong community, soccer is traditionally a male sport, but that narrative is changing with the existence of HWFF. "Why not have a women's team?" said Kao Yang, HFF Director of Operations and soccer mom. "If we look at who we are as Hmong people, I think, especially the Hmong women, we didn't have the opportunities that our young girls do today, so going to the CONIFA Asia Cup is an awesome opportunity for our athletes. Our girls are paving the way for their Hmong soccer sisters.” Youa Her, Assistant Director of HFF, and whose two daughters also play soccer, says that representation is crucial and having role models is equally important. "It shows that Hmong women can excel in sports, and they can break traditional barriers. They can challenge stereotypes, and it promotes inclusion in a very male dominated field.” Two years ago, a Hmong women's team participated in the Karen Futbol Association tournament with players recruited from several states, according to Eh Alex Vue, Coach for HWFF. Vue mentioned that it will be competitive to fill the roster for CONIFA due to the number of skilled players available. HWFF is seeking talented athletes with soccer experience to join its team. Tryouts will be held on March 8, at Jenny Lind Elementary, in Minneapolis and March 22, location to be announced. HWFF aims to fill 20 positions on the team, and alternate players will also be included on the roster. Contact HWFF for tryout information via their Facebook page @HmongWomenFutbolFederation. Candidates who cannot attend tryouts should contact Eh Alex Vue at ehalexvue@gmail.com or (612) 987-6811 for other options. HWFF is presently seeking financial support to cover player expenses and travel costs for participation in CONIFA. A fundraiser is scheduled for March 23, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at Cups and Cheers Restaurant, located at 1628 White Bear Avenue in St. Paul, MN. Tickets can be purchased on Facebook or through Venmo. HWFF also needs donated raffle items. HWFF will accept donations even if you can't attend the fundraiser but want to donate.