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The connections we make in and around the football industry empower Women in Football to change the game. Today we round off our Story of WIF week by celebrating those powerful partnerships with organisations in all areas of the industry – and we say hello to one of their employees, who’s just become Women in Football’s 10,000th member!

 

2014

Barclays becomes lead partner of Women in Football, a key moment in the Story of WIF. Increased funding enables greater activity and visibility, leading to more commercial partnerships in the future.

 

2015-2018

Women in Football develops and deepens relationships with many clubs and other organisations across the industry. Partnership with law firm Mishcon de Reya means free legal advice for WIF members in cases of discrimination at work. Sky Sports makes a #WhatIf pledge to create a Women in Football placement programme for external candidates to work in various roles with the Sky Sports Football team. In a landmark move, the FA pledges to give every girl in England a chance to play football at school. UCFB, Everton FC, Telegraph Sport and the National Football Museum are among other pledgers.

 

2019

New three-year contract is confirmed to extend Barclays' status as lead partner of WIF and supporter of the Women in Football Leadership Course. The Football Business Academy (FBA) offers scholarships to WIF members to study on its masters degree course. A new partnership with The Adecco Group kicks off a series of programmes to offer career transition support to female footballers.

 

 

2020

WIF collaborates with publisher Floodlit Dreams to create an anthology of football writing by women. The book, Football, She Wrote, is published the following year. A partnership with Sports Marketing Surveys helps to investigate how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected women in football. Design company Iris develops a new brand identity for WIF.

 

2021

Women in Football's Corporate Membership scheme launched. First member is Brighton & Hove Albion FC, followed by the Premier League, Onside Law and Southampton FC. WIF collaborates with FIFPRO on the Ready to Board programme, preparing 12 women for executive roles in professional football. Partnership with Sports Insight sets out to extend reach of WIF news in media. WIF joins forces with Kick It Out, the PFA, Premier League and the FA to tackle online hate. #GetOnside initiative sparks a new wave of pledges and partnerships, including Shoot The Company, the campaign's official content partner.

 

2022

Women in Football is a tournament partner of the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup, where the Lionesses prepare for WEURO 2022 by taking on Spain, Germany and Canada. Mishcon de Reya partnership becomes formalised; pro bono legal support for WIF members continues. Women in Football joins an alliance with BCOMS, The Ability Group in Sport (TAGS) and Sports Media LGBT+ to promote equality, inclusion and diversity in UK sports media, supported by the Sports Journalists’ Association. Link-ups with Heineken and PepsiCo lead to mentoring and coaching programmes for WIF members, around the WEURO 2022 legacy programme. WIF is an official partner of Planet League, a virtual tournament promoting eco-friendly lifestyle habits.

 

 

2023

New contract with Barclays will extend the lead partner's relationship with WIF to August 2025. Sportsbeat becomes Women in Football's official media partner. WIF launches The Next Goal programme with The Adecco Group and LHH and the Entrepreneurship Mentoring Programme powered by Xero. Sky Sports, City Football Group, Brentford FC and Sodexo Live! become WIF's new corporate members. Women in Football becomes one of the organisations taking part in the #Merky FC project from adidas and Stormzy, giving young people of black heritage opportunities in the football industry.

 

2024

New corporate members announced in top marketing multinational tms, the EFL, and Newcastle United FC. Sky Sports extend their Corporate Membership by a further three years. WIF is an official partner of the Women's Football Awards and the women's Copa del CL (Cure Leukaemia). Izzy Mowatt of corporate member Brentford FC becomes Women in Football's 10,000th individual member... so the WIF team catch up with her for a quick Q&A!

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