Over the past few months, WSL Football has worked with experts to conduct a review into equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) across the women’s professional game.
The conversations with current and former players, WSL Football staff and club staff, alongside responses from more than 1,600 fans, will inform a new bespoke ED&I strategy for the league.
This review is the first phase in the evolution of WSL Football’s work in this space, and it focused on listening to understand the current state of play, with many individuals sharing experiences they had not spoken about before.
The review identified clear strengths including strong values, a positive direction of travel and high levels of matchday inclusion. It also highlights areas where more consistent standards, stronger systems and greater trust are needed as the league continues to grow.
Nine themes came through clearly:
1. Strong values, uneven reality. The game has clear values. But day-to-day experience varies significantly depending on club, role, and who is in post.
2. The will is there; the systems aren’t. People at the top genuinely want to do the right thing. But the structures, resources, and clear responsibilities to make it happen consistently just aren't in place yet.
3. Too much depends on the right person being in the room. When the right individual is there, a good manager, a supportive physio, things work. When they leave, the progress often goes with them.
4. People are scared to speak up. Short contracts and financial pressure mean players and staff often put up with things they shouldn't, because speaking out feels too risky.
5. Growth could change what makes the game special and not for the better. Concern that the growing commercial interest in the game could change what makes women's football so special, active management and understanding is needed to avoid this.
6. Policies exist, but people don’t trust them. Reporting processes and safeguarding policies exist. But many people don't know about them, don't believe they work, or don't feel safe using them.
7. Inclusion is not yet fully embedded. When something big happens, inclusion gets attention. But in day-to-day decisions, it can get missed.
8. Players aren’t yet supported well enough in some important areas. Maternity, neurodiversity, retirement, and injury are all areas where players told us they don’t feel the support is currently working well enough.
9. Closer connection with the league. Clubs, players, staff and others across the game do not feel as connected to the league as they would like and want them to be more aware of their day-to-day reality.
The fan survey found that 79% of fans feel very or totally included at matches, 74% trust WSL Football on inclusion, equity and safety, and 66% believe the culture is heading in a mostly positive direction.
However, the review also found that disabled fans, neurodivergent fans, LGBTQI+ fans, ethnically minoritised fans and gender diverse fans report lower levels of inclusion and higher rates of exclusion..
Online safety was identified as the sharpest concern. Seven per cent of fans said they feel unsafe online, ten times the matchday rate, while 71% of fans follow the game via social media.
Fans said they want visible action when things go wrong, clear standards and a league that follows through on its commitments.
WSL Football said: “When we started this project, we promised transparency and accountability. We needed to hear from those who are central to the game, and we are thankful to everyone who shared their experience with us. This review gives us a clear and honest picture of what is working, where inconsistencies lie and where we need to do better. We will take these learnings and use them to develop our approach for the medium and long-term together with those it will serve.”