Ethiopia women's national football team

Ethiopia
Nickname(s)Lucy
AssociationEthiopian Football Federation (EFF)
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationCECAFA (East & Central Africa)
Head coachFrew Hailegbrael
Most capsBizuhan
Top scorerLoza Abera (23)
FIFA codeETH
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 127 1 (12 June 2025)[1]
Highest77 (July 2003)
Lowest127 (August 2022)
First international
  2–0 Uganda 
(Addis Ababa; 22 September 2002)[2]
Biggest win
 South Sudan 0–11  
(Addis Ababa; 10 April 2021)
Biggest defeat
 Nigeria 7–0  
(Lagos, Nigeria; 9 October 2003)[3]
Africa Women Cup of Nations
Appearances3 (first in 2002)
Best resultFourth Place, 2004

The Ethiopia women's national football team (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ሴቶች ብሔራዊ እግር ኳስ ቡድን) represents Ethiopia in international women's football. They are overseen by the Ethiopian Football Federation. As of 9 June 2023, they are ranked 124th in the world.[4]

Team image

Nicknames

They are popularly known as "Lucy" in reference to the Australopithecus fossil.[5]

Overall competitive record

Competition Stage Opponent Result Position Scorers
2002 African Championship qualifiers First round  Swaziland Walkover
Second round  Uganda 2–0 2–2
2002 African Championship First stage  Nigeria
 Mali
 Ghana
0–3
2–2
0–3
4 / 4
Endegene-Leme 2
2003 All-Africa Games First stage  Cameroon
 Zimbabwe
 Nigeria
0–3
0–4
0–7
4 / 4
2004 African Championship qualifiers Second round  Malawi 4–0 5–0 Ware 4, Feleke 3, Bekele, Semira
2004 African Championship First stage  Zimbabwe
 Ghana
 South Africa
1–1
1–2
2–1
2 / 4 ?
Yassin
Melaku, Ware
Semifinals  Nigeria 0–4
Third place  Ghana 0–0 (PSO: 5–6)
2006 African Championship qualifiers First round  Zimbabwe Withdrew
2007 All-Africa Games First stage  Nigeria
 South Africa
0–3
1–3
3 / 3
Feleke
2010 African Championship qualifiers First round  Tanzania 1–3 1–1 Ware, Yassin
2012 Summer Olympics qualifiers Second round  DR Congo 0–0 3–0
Third round  Ghana 1–0 1–2
Final round  South Africa 0–3 1–1
2012 African Championship qualifiers First round  Egypt 2–4 4–0 Biza 3, Abaa, Bekele, Ware
Second round  Tanzania 2–1 1–0 Aboye, Bekele, ?
2012 African Championship First stage  Ivory Coast
 Nigeria
 Cameroon
0–5
0–3
0–0
4 / 4
2014 African Championship qualifiers First round  South Sudan Walkover
Second round  Ghana 0–2 0–3

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Fixture

2025

12 February 2025 (2025-02-12) Friendly   10–0  Djibouti Addis Ababa,Ethiopia
Stadium: Abebe Bikila Stadium
16 February 2025 (2025-02-16) Friendly   7–0  Djibouti Addis Ababa,Ethiopia
Stadium: Abebe Bikila Stadium
21 February 2025 (2025-02-21) 2026 WAFCON qualifying Uganda  2–0   Kampala, Uganda
16:00 UTC+3
  • Namuleme 90'
  • Ikwaput 90+3'
Report Stadium: Hamz Stadium
26 February 2025 (2025-02-26) 2026 WAFCON qualifying   2–0
(2–2 agg.)
(5–4 p)
 Uganda Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
15:00 UTC+1
  • Kalsa 66'
  • Girma 90+6'
Report Stadium: Abebe Bikila Stadium
Referee: Patience Ndidi (Nigeria)
Penalties
  • Addissu
  • Daniel
  • Girma
  • Feleke
  • Wakuma
  • Amare
  • Namuleme
  • Nabirye
  • Nabbumba
  • Nabulime
  • Nantongo
  • Kobusobozi
Note: 2–2 on aggregate. Ethiopia won 5–4 on penalties.

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of October 2021

Position Name Ref.
Head coach Yosef Gebrewold

Manager history

  • Abrham Haimanot
  • Meseret Manne (2016–2017)[6]
  • Selam Zeray (????–2021)
  • Birhanu Gizaw (2021–2022)
  • Frew Hailegbrael( 2022–2024)
  • Yosef Gebrewold(2024-)

Players

Current squad

The following is the Provisional called up for the 2026 WAFCON qualifying First round named on 1 February 2025.[7]

  • Caps and goals accurate up to and including 30 October 2021.
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Club
1GK Tarikua Bargena (1996-08-11) 11 August 1996 CBE
1GK Betelhem Yohannes Hawassa
1GK Roman Ambaye Diredawa

2DF Hasabe Muso (1996-03-27) 27 March 1996 CBE
2DF Tarikuwa Debiso (2002-02-17) 17 February 2002 CBE
2DF Tigist Adane Hawassa
2DF Tsehaynesh Julla Hawassa
2DF Etsegenet Bizuneh Ethio Electric
2DF Birke Amare Mechal
2DF Mahider Bayeh Arbaminch
2DF Tsega Nigussie Hawassa

3MF Emebet Adisu (2001-07-28) 28 July 2001 CBE
3MF Senayt Bogale (1996-05-06) 6 May 1996 CBE
3MF Tsion Feyera Mechal
3MF Meadin Sahilu Hawassa
3MF Betelhem Mentelo Mechal
3MF Etsegenet Girma (2004-03-03) 3 March 2004 Hawassa
3MF Mesay Temesgen (2004-09-12) 12 September 2004 CBE
3MF Birtukan Gebrekirstos (1988-11-30) 30 November 1988 CBE
3MF Zufan Defersha Ethio Electric
3MF Simegn Mihrete Arbaminch

4FW Loza Abera (Captain) (1997-10-02) 2 October 1997 DC Power
4FW Senaf Wakuma (1999-09-23) 23 September 1999 CBE
4FW Aregash Kalsa (2003-09-08) 8 September 2003 Yanga Princess
4FW Emush Daniel Hawassa
4FW Ariet Odong Yanga Princess
4FW Mirkat Feleke Arbaminch
4FW Nigist Bekele (2004-09-26) 26 September 2004 CBE
4FW Mahlet Mitiku Ethio Electric

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to an Ethiopia squad in the past 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up



Previous squads

Africa Women Cup of Nations
CECAFA Women's Championship

Records

  • Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 2020.

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup record
Year Result Pld W D* L GS GA GD
1991 did not enter
1995
1999
2003 did not qualify
2007 did not enter
2011 did not qualify
2015
2019
2023
2027 to be determined
Total 0/10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record
Year Result Pld W D* L GS GA GD
1996 did not qualify
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Total 0/8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Africa Women Cup of Nations

Africa Women Cup of Nations record
Year Round M W D L GF GA
1991-1998 did not enter
2000 did not qualify
2002 Group stage 3 0 1 2 2 8
2004 Fourth place 5 1 2 2 4 8
2006-2008 did not enter
2010 did not qualify
2012 Group stage 3 0 1 2 0 8
2014 did not qualify
2016
2018
2020 Cancelled due to covid
2022 did not qualify
2024 Did not qualify
Total 3/12 11 1 4 6 6 24

African Games

African Games record
Year Result M W D L GF GA
2003 Group Stage 3 0 0 3 0 15
2007 Group Stage 2 0 0 2 1 6
2011 did not enter
2015 did not qualify
2019 did not qualify
2023 Group Stage 3 0 1 2 1 4
Total 3/4 0 0 0 0 0 0

CECAFA Women's Championship

CECAFA Women's Championship
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA GD
1986
2016 3rd 4 2 1 1 9 5 +4
2018 3rd 4 2 0 2 6 6 0
2019 Groupe Stage 3 1 0 2 8 3 +5
2021 Cancelled
2022 3rd 5 3 1 1 13 4 +9
Total 3/5 16 8 2 6 36 18 18

Honours

Regional

See also

References

  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  2. ^ "Liberia: Fixtures and Results". FIFA. Archived from the original on 31 January 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  3. ^ "2003 All-Africa Games results in RSSSF.com". Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Women's Ranking". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Archaeology: Lucy, world's oldest, returns to Ethiopia". The Africa Report. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  6. ^ Osano, Bonface (18 August 2016). "Mereret Manne names Ethiopia Women's team for CECAFA". Soka25east. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  7. ^ "የኢትዮጵያ ሴቶች ብሔራዊ ቡድን ዋና አሰልጣኝ ዮሴፍ ገብረወልድ ለአፍሪካ ሴቶች ዋንጫ ማጣርያ ዝግጅት ለ29 ተጫዋቾች ጥሪ አደርገዋል።". Ethiopian Football Federation. 1 February 2025. Retrieved 1 February 2025 – via facebook.