“In Ecuador there is a lot to do for women’s football,” says Sol Muñoz, tricolor representative before Conmebol and South American delegate before FIFA

Sol Muñoz from Quito, 46, is the first female representative of Ecuador in Conmebol and delegated by the South American body to FIFA. She details her duties as a member of the FIFA Council, which controls different men’s and women’s tournaments.

How do you connect with football, the Universidad Católica club, Conmebol and FIFA?

My taste for soccer comes since I was a child; With the Catholic University I was close by my husband (Diego Cajas), who was part of the Football Commission and the board of directors. In 2013 I worked as a public relation. It was an opportunity to learn more about the sport that I always loved, despite my legal profession. I met people from the press, I saw the functioning of a soccer team from the leadership, the technical side, the soccer; It was an opportunity to be with the teacher (Jorge) Célico and see how he planned each game.

Was there any influence from home from football?

On behalf of the intimate family of mom or dad, zero. I started to like it since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico because I filled out the Panini sticker album. I became familiar with the faces of the players. When the World Cup started I had the album full and I said to myself, ‘let’s see what this is about’. I had never had contact with a stadium, I had not been to a game, I had never seen a football match until that World Cup; I love it.

Miguel Almeida (former president of Católica) took her to Conmebol, how did you meet him?

We met in the classrooms of the Catholic University, he is also a lawyer. We are not from the same class, but we were friends. When he was presiding over the club, he asked me to talk and there he told me that he was thinking of me because a candidate from Ecuador had to be sent to be the representative of Conmebol before FIFA. The change in the statutes obliges the confederations to have at least one woman. He asked me for the folder, he sent it to AFNA, the FEF and then to Conmebol, in 2016. I was there from that year until 2020 and I was elected again until 2024.

Speaking of fairness, how can the development of women’s football be implemented?

I am your advocate. I like to promote it and luckily there is an echo from the highest levels. That it grows is a priority for FIFA and Conmebol. I think that for Ecuaf Fútbol the work is still great. In the country there is a lot to do for women’s football. The work of the clubs is very important, they need investment and for that it is key to have and present sustainable projects. FIFA and Conmebol allocate funds for these projects, it is very important to make use of these funds; they are there, available. It is a pity that the Ecuadorian Women’s Super League has not been able to see all the games, but since the playoffs. That is also important because dissemination is needed. There is so much to do.

What is your role in FIFA?

We are 37 members of the FIFA Council, with voice and vote. At the same time, I am vice president of the Organizing Committee for competitions with all men’s and women’s tournaments, in all categories. I believe that it is the essence of FIFA, there the regulations for each tournament are analyzed and elaborated, the advances for the different tournaments are known. For example, for Qatar 2022. They give us reports and then we present them to the Council and later to the FIFA Congress. We review the progress for the World Cup, how the construction of stadiums, access roads, airports, everything that the organization entails; a lot of aspects.

Regarding Qatar 2022, how is the organization going?

There is one last stadium that is close to completion and will be ready for the beginning of this year. Everything is practically ready. Very small organizational aspects that would be defined in this last year are missing; square security issues, protocols that must be followed due to the pandemic. Everything is going according to schedule, everything is going well.

What did you learn at the Catholic club and now at FIFA?

It has been a constant learning. In Católica, with Professor Célico, the organization of international matches and this raised to what power at Conmebol and FIFA level. I have learned from the leaders about running a federation. I cannot say that I am ready to be president of the FEF, but I have seen what the weaving and management of the different areas that are involved is like; all relationships they have with suppliers, commercial department, legal department, ethics and compliance, finance. It is an infinity of things that the truth is a lifelong learning because you meet people from all over the world and you almost feel like an ambassador of your country. (D)