FIFA just named its first-ever female secretary general

Fatma Samoura
(Image credit: ANDREEA CAMPEANU/AFP/GettyImages)

FIFA appointed Fatma Samoura as the secretary general of soccer's international governing body Friday. The former United Nations diplomat is the first woman and the first African to hold the title, Quartz reports.

"It is essential for FIFA to incorporate fresh perspectives — from outside the traditional pool of football executives — as we continue to restore and rebuild our organization," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.