The Malta FA this week hosted a three-day FIFA seminar with the participation of delegates from 14 European federations, including those from top countries such as Germany, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

Entitled 'Developing Women's Football', the overriding aim of this seminar was to make member associations aware of FIFA's technical, financial and social assistance programmes for the further development of women's football and the long-term planning process worldwide.

The event was opened on Monday by Carmel Bartolo, the MFA senior vice-president, who welcomed the FIFA officials and participants and spoke on the importance of such seminars in the process of developing women's football globally.

Several themes, most of which visually backed, were addressed during the seminar. There were also practical demonstrations by the Malta women's junior squad at the MFA training grounds, under the supervision of internationally acclaimed coach Pia Sundhage, and a 'Get Together Football Match' played on the newly-laid artificial turf at Luxol St Andrews Ground.

Another item on the programme was a discussion with the local FA youth clubs and nurseries, including women's teams' representatives. During this meeting, the difficulties encountered by officials in charge of women's teams were given particular attention.

On the final day of the seminar, Ian Riley, FIFA instructor for marketing, delivered an interesting presentation under the title of 'Marketing, Television and Sponsorship'.

At the conclusion of the seminar, Eva Pasquier, FIFA Development Manager (Europe), told fifa.com: "The main goal was that of bringing the 14 women's football member associations together in Malta. All delegates had the chance to express their own views, share their experiences and to work over the future network of women's football. Working on the input for the development of women's football was another interesting topic discussed during the seminar."

The MFA delegates at the seminar were vice-president John Farrugia, who is also responsible for women's football, Malta national women's team coach Pierre Brincat and Mary Micallef, a member of the Women's Football Committee. Observers from local women's teams were also invited to attend.