Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade is among 13 footballers taking part in the second edition of FIFA’s Player Impact Programme, an initiative supporting players to develop projects that address social challenges in their communities, Bold Sports reports.
FIFA named the Paris Saint-Germain forward in an update published on Tuesday, with participants preparing to present their projects in London and through virtual sessions in December. The group also includes Spain’s Alexia Putellas, Canada’s Jessie Fleming and Zambia’s Racheal Kundananji.
The programme began with an Impact Accelerator Workshop in Boston in June, attended by 11 of the 13 participants. Over three days, the players shared their experiences and worked through practical exercises and specialist-led sessions as part of a nine-month development process.
Participants receive tailored guidance to turn their ideas into initiatives addressing causes that matter to them. Education, mental health and access to sport are among the issues represented across the group.
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Ajibade and Kundananji are the two African players in this year’s cohort. India striker Sunil Chhetri is the first male participant, following a women-only pilot edition in 2025.
That inaugural programme brought together 14 players in Paris for a three-day workshop before a period of personalised coaching. The participants later presented their proposals in London to a panel that included FIFA chief football officer Jill Ellis, former Afghanistan international Khalida Popal and philanthropist Olivia Hall.
Those presentations triggered seed funding for the players to put their initiatives into practice. The pilot’s projects included support for single mothers and their daughters to access football, alongside programmes designed to expand opportunities for girls in sport.
The first group included Malawi’s Tabitha Chawinga and Cameroon’s Gaëlle Enganamouit, alongside England’s Alessia Russo, Brazil’s Formiga and Australia’s Lydia Williams.
For Ajibade, the initiative adds to an international career that has taken her from Nigerian domestic football to Norway, Spain and France. She began playing for FC Robo Queens at 13 before moving to Avaldsnes and then joining Atlético de Madrid in 2021.
She signed for PSG on a contract running until June 30, 2027. Before that move, she made 25 appearances for Atlético during the 2024–25 campaign, scoring eight goals and providing three assists.
She represented Nigeria at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. PSG also runs community initiatives through PSG For Communities, supporting projects aimed at empowering disadvantaged young people.
The December presentations are the next scheduled stage for the current group, as participants develop their proposals with support from FIFA and specialists in sport for social impact.
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