Libya sees first woman president of a football club

Calling it a 'crowning achievement for all Libyan women', Intisar Shanib became president of the Darnes Sports Club, a prominent football club in the eastern city of Derna, after all other candidates stepped aside to clear her path.

Mohamed Abdel-Aty, acting president of the club’s general assembly, told Reuters on Monday that three rival candidates allowed Shanib – a member of parliament for Derna and chairwoman of the Women and Children Committee – to become the sole, uncontested candidate within the next two weeks.

'Our support for Intisar Shanib is not unfounded; it is to leverage her strong connections, which can help drive the club forward,' Abdel-Aty stressed, adding that the coming phase must focus on investment development so the club can rely on its own resources, alongside attention to youth sectors – a commitment Shanib has made.

Shanib told Reuters the task is 'not easy,' but that it is 'an honor for me and for any Libyan woman that a woman holds this post.' She added: 'I want to prove that Libyan women are capable of contributing something, especially to the fans of Darnes Club.'

Founded in 1958, the Darnes Sports Club – known in Libyan sports circles as 'The Elegant' for its players' aesthetic style – is located in the coastal city of Derna overlooking the Mediterranean, about 300 km (186 miles) east of Benghazi, the country’s second-largest city. The club has undergone several name changes and mergers, including with a club called 'Al-Afriqi', before reclaiming its historical name after 2011, a name believed to refer to the city’s position among the mountains.

Shanib emphasized that her connection to the club dates back to childhood, when her brother and uncle played for Darnes Club, and many close to her support the team. She stressed unity from management to fans and city residents, asserting that responsibility for the club is collective.

Intisar Shanib acknowledged that her appointment may not escape criticism. 'Holding any position comes with encouragement and criticism,' she said. 'There is a kind of jealousy about how a woman can hold this position. There are countries led by women, not just sports clubs. Leadership is not measured by whether a woman or a man leads, but by capability and ability.' Abdel-Aty also noted that Derna has many pioneering women with the necessary competence to hold leadership positions.

Shanib confirmed the coming phase will focus on rebuilding the club, which has suffered from multiple crises, including internal and external debts, the aftermath of the war against armed groups, as well as Storm Daniel, which struck the city in September 2023, killing thousands and causing widespread infrastructure destruction.

With her appointment, Shanib joins a growing list of women leading sports clubs and federations. In the Arab world, Hanan Al-Qurashi became the first woman in Saudi Arabia to serve as president of the Wej Sports Club based in Taif in June 2023, before Abdullah Al-Saati took over the position the following year. In Africa, this model is not new. For example, Anisha Muhoozi has been CEO of the Kampala Capital City Authority Club in Uganda since 2018, considered one of the country’s most successful clubs. In Kenya, Doris Petra served as vice president of the Kenyan federation from 2021 to 2025 and was the first woman to do so. In 2021, Kanizat Ibrahim from Comoros was elected to the executive committee of Africa’s football governing body, CAF, and later appointed as the fifth vice president of CAF, becoming the first woman in that role. She is currently a council member of the global football governing body, FIFA. In Italy, Claudia Rizzo made headlines as one of the youngest and rarest female presidents of an Italian club, leading Ternana Calcio in Serie C. She was appointed last September, making history at age 23 as the youngest and first female president in the club’s over-a-century history. And in Brazil, Leila Pereira has been president of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras since 2021. Under her leadership, the club has continued to win major domestic and international titles.