THE FA FORMS NEW BOARD TO HELP CONTINUE GROWTH OF WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

The Football Association [The FA] has established a new joint Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship Board as part of its commitment to growing the women’s game.

The Board will oversee the future strategy and policy of the professional game and will recommend the best way forward on a number of issues to The FA Board as it determines what is in the best interests of the leagues.

The announcement comes at an exciting time for the women’s game. In March The FA and Barclays announced a landmark partnership, the biggest ever investment in UK women’s sport by a brand, with Barclays unveiled as the title sponsor of the FA Women’s Super League with effect from the 2019/20 season. Meanwhile, the Women’s World Cup saw record TV viewing figures, while the upcoming domestic season will see clubs reaching wider audiences with selected matches set to be played in senior men’s stadiums including the Etihad Stadium and Stamford Bridge.

The Board will be chaired by Dawn Airey, former CEO of Getty Images and Channel 5. She said: "This is a perfect opportunity to build on the extraordinary momentum currently in women’s football.

"This summer the Lionesses captured our imagination with their skill, passion and excellence, and we’re hoping this momentum will carry on into the domestic game in the upcoming season. With this in mind, the new joint Board will look to support The FA further as it continues to grow participation in the women’s game."

Kelly Simmons, The FA’s Director of Women’s Professional Game, added: "The new Board is a major step forward in the development of the women’s professional game. It has tremendous commercial and football expertise which will help transform the women’s game in England, growing audiences and revenue, and enabling it to become sustainable in the long term."

The full list of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship Board members includes:

·         Dawn Airey, Chair (Former CEO Getty Images / Channel 5)

·         Liz Nicholl, Independent Non-Executive Director (Former CEO UK Sport)

·         David Gregson, Independent Non-Executive Director (Former Chair Lawn Tennis Association)

·         Bruce Buck (Chairman, Chelsea Football Club)

·         Svenja Geissmar (Legal Counsel, Arsenal Football Club)

·         Omar Berrada (Group Chief Operating Officer, Manchester City Football Club)

·         Rebecca Caplehorn (Director of Football Operations, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club)

·         Nicola Ibbetson (Commercial Director, Aston Villa Football Club)

·         Lee Sanders (General Manager, Durham Football Club)

·         Mark Bullingham (Chief Commercial and Football Development Officer, The FA)

·         Baroness Sue Campbell (Director of Women’s Football, The FA)

·         Sue Hough (Chair of The FA Women’s Board)