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Women in Football has welcomed the UK government's plans to press ahead with legislation to reform the governance of the game in England.

The plans follow the recommendations of the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance overseen by the MP and former sports minister Tracey Crouch, to which WIF contributed evidence in 2021.

These include the formulation by clubs of their own Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plans, setting out their EDI objectives and how they will be pursued. The government will also launch an in-depth review of domestic women's football this summer, with a view to achieving parity with the men's game.

In its contribution to the Fan-Led Review, WIF called for the game to commit to full equality and diversity, developing a whole-game vision of what EDI would look like in football's governance and leadership. This would involve clear targets and deadlines for the inclusion of people from underrepresented groups on boards and in leadership teams.

Women in Football CEO Yvonne Harrison said: "Women in Football welcomes the government's recognition of the need for diverse leadership in football. Research shows that diversity brings a multitude of benefits to organisations and football is no exception.

"At WIF we work with football clubs and organisations, supporting them to ensure that their workforce and leadership fairly represent their communities and stakeholders.

"As a contributor of evidence to the government's Fan-Led Review, Women in Football looks forward to seeing the game become more gender-inclusive in light of these recommendations. We stand ready and equipped to support more organisations in driving this change."

Alongside the Crouch review, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport commissioned a research paper entitled 'Assessing the Financial Sustainability of Football', which is co-authored by Women in Football member Christina Philippou. 

The government says it will issue a White Paper this summer ahead of legislation to establish an independent football regulator to oversee the implementation of the report.

Women in Football's Corporate Membership scheme offers a bespoke range of expert services for organisations seeking to become more gender-inclusive. Employers that have signed up so far include the Premier League, Sky Sports, Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Southampton FC.

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