Redefining the Game: Lebanese Paola Rizk in FIFA

Lebanese women are making their mark on the global football stage, and at the heart of this movement stands Paola Pharaon Rizk, a trailblazer who has just been appointed to FIFA’s Grassroots and Amateur Football Committee. Her inclusion, alongside three other Lebanese representatives, signals both a national milestone and a broader cultural shift toward recognizing women’s leadership in global sports governance.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) recently restructured its permanent committees under Circular No. 1947, a reform aimed at strengthening inclusivity, geographical balance, and women’s representation in decision-making.

In an exclusive interview with The Beiruter, Paola Pharaon Rizk reflected on her journey, her philosophy of leadership, and her hopes for the future of women’s football in Lebanon. 

“I was involved in Racing Club for more than 15 years,” she recalled. “In 2020, after the Beirut explosion, I was asked if I would accept to lead the club during that difficult period. I think, in my own way, I wanted to be more involved. Everyone was helping out in a different way to make Beirut rise again."

Through sports and youth, I could contribute.

Rizk went on to become the first woman to chair a football club in Lebanon, leading Racing Beirut through two mandates over four years, a remarkable tenure shaped by crisis, rebuilding, and change.

“I think women have a different way of dealing with things,” Rizk explained.

I like to listen to everyone’s opinion and to form the decision that works best for everybody.

During her presidency, she also made sure women were represented at the table. “We had three women on the board,” she said, noting that gender diversity helped improve the club’s culture and effectiveness.

Her leadership opened unexpected doors. “When I was president of Racing, FIFA asked the Lebanese Federation to include a woman on their board,” she said.

They had a target to develop women’s football globally. They even held a special election just for that seat, and it was the first time in Lebanon’s history that a woman was selected to the Lebanese Football Executive Committee.

A few months later, FIFA once again encouraged the Lebanese Federation to nominate candidates for its international committees, with the condition that at least one be a woman. 

“We needed to present our CVs and indicate which committees we were interested in,” Rizk said. “I applied for several, including the Grassroots and Amateur Football Committee. For me as a mom of three, grassroots football is just as important, and when they told me I had been appointed, I was very proud. The main target right now is to give women the exposure they deserve, that games are covered, opportunities created, and awareness raised to encourage women to participate,” she told The Beiruter.

Her optimism is fueled by recent progress. “The U17 women’s team qualified for the Asian Championship for the first time in history,” she said proudly. “It was such an exciting moment. We celebrated with them and look forward to their next achievements.”

Still, Rizk believes more needs to be done. She was recently names Head of Women's Football at the Lebanese Federation. “Women in leadership, especially in sports, are very important,” she said. “We should have more and more representation. Currently, there is one assigned seat for women in the Federation, but hopefully, in the future, there will be more. Everyone is open to the idea and wishes for it to happen.”

Her vision extends beyond boardrooms. “Leadership starts from the bottom,” Rizk said.

Every single female player today is a leader in her own way, because she’s breaking ground in a field that isn’t always women friendly.

 For Paola, every step forward is part of a single mission: to build a future where women in Lebanon aren’t exceptions in football, but the rule.

“When doors open,” she reflected, “you have to decide whether you enter. I’m the type of person who likes to try, and that’s how change begins.

The growing presence of women in Lebanon’s football leadership signals a transformative shift, showing that the future of the sport will be shaped not just by talent on the field, but by inclusive governance, strategic vision, and a commitment to empowering the next generation of players and administrators