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Legendary New Zealand international footballer Rebecca Smith has been appointed as COPA90’s first Global Executive Director of the Women’s Game.

Rebecca, 37, has been tasked with integrating women's football across the whole of COPA90's business and will work with major global brands, initiating a worldwide network of stakeholders in the game.

COPA90 is the world’s largest independent football media business, and the high-profile recruitment of the former FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year nominee is part of its drive to give the women’s game greater visibility. 

Commenting on her new position, Rebecca told COPA90's official website: “Football is so much broader, deeper, more diverse – and, simply put, better - than what we currently see in the media.

“With COPA90 committing the same gravitas to the women’s game, the world can see that not only some of the world’s best football is played by women, but that the women’s game also offers some of the most inspiring storytelling opportunities in sports and life.

“By inspiring, enabling and emboldening a new movement in the sport, our mission is to change the face of football.”

COPA90 has stressed that a critical aspect to her role will be to maintain momentum for women’s football beyond this summer’s World Cup in France.

The digital media brand’s recent coverage of the World Cup 19 Official Draw in December 2018 reached over 1.5 million viewers.

Across its week-long campaign, COPA90 showcased 28 of the world’s top international female players across multiple platforms.

Tom Thirlwall, CEO of COPA90, added: “COPA90 is committed to changing the media’s approach to the women’s game, championing its players, and building audiences who connect and engage with the sport.

“The World Cup is the perfect time for media and brands to commit to the women’s football, but the commitment must be full and long term – for too long the women’s game has been seen as being in orbit of the men’s and this has to change”

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