Pedro Proença reveals ambition to elevate Portuguese football to excellence.

The revolution in Portuguese football is underway! The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has launched an ambitious plan aimed at transforming the national sports landscape over the next 10 years. With President Pedro Proença leading this crusade, the FPF is not settling for anything less than excellence, aspiring to make Portugal an international reference in football.

Last Thursday, Proença presented the “micro-plans” that detail strategies for various areas, including futsal, youth national teams, women’s football, beach football, and, of course, refereeing. The goal? To increase the number of participants to 400,000 by 2036, with a special focus on raising the number of female players by 60,000 in women’s football and tripling the number of referees to 13,000. Proença made it clear: “In a context of great transformations, we share a common and sustained vision until 2036. Only a true team effort will enable us to achieve success.”

Proença’s statements resonated at the Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras, where he emphasized the need for all sports stakeholders to unite for a common goal: to take Portuguese football to new heights. “We want to bring Portuguese football to excellence,” he stated, highlighting the ambition to reach the top of the FIFA ranking and to win a major international tournament, whether the European Championship or the World Cup.

But it is not only the elite that will benefit. In the youth development tiers, the FPF plans to increase the number of coaches, improve the mapping of young talents, and provide better conditions for the under-21 teams. In futsal, the goal is to increase the number of participants by 25% and ensure the sustainability of clubs, an effort that also extends to women’s football, where the intention is to professionalize more teams.

After the presentation, the national team coach, Roberto Martinez, praised the clarity of the plan. “We know what we want and how we want it. We are already preparing for the 2030 World Cup in 2026 and we must execute this plan to the highest level. As for this year’s World Cup, let us dream,” said the Spanish coach, outlining a promising future for the national team.

Francisco Neto, the coach of the women’s team, also expressed optimism, stating that the plan will allow Portugal to strive for ambitious goals soon. Jorge Braz, the futsal coach, reminded that for success it is crucial that “everyone is aligned, from top to bottom within the structure” of the FPF.

What is at stake is more than just the growth of the sport; it is a transformation that could solidify Portugal as a powerhouse in world football. The ambition is in the air, and the FPF is determined to make this vision a reality. The future of Portuguese football starts now!