Set out below is an update on the key topics discussed at our Council meeting which took place on Thursday 21 October.
Council Membership
Our Council welcomed the following new members who had joined since the previous meeting:
• Nuala Walsh – Inclusion Representative
• Michael Banham – Norfolk County FA
• Darius Charles – AFC Wimbledon, representing the EFL
• Emma Clarke – The FA Youth Council
Fan-led Review into Football Governance
Our Legal & Governance Director, Polly Handford, updated the Council on recommendations arising from the interim report by Tracey Crouch MP on the Fan-led Review into Football Governance. Polly also took the Council through some of the solutions to specific recommendations, which The FA has developed with football stakeholders, including an increase to the number of Independent Directors on our Board. We await publication of the final report and then a response from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.
Future of the Women’s Professional Game
Baroness Sue Campbell, our Director of Women’s Football, presented on a review of the future ownership of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship. As we aim to build the best professional women’s leagues and cup competitions in the world, we are considering the best ownership model focussing solely on the women’s game which will protect its heritage and culture while providing greater club ownership and engagement.
The Emirates FA Cup’s 150th Anniversary
The first ever matches of The FA Challenge Cup were played in November 1871, with the Final between the Royal Engineers and Wanderers FC taking place at the Kennington Oval in 1872. As we approach the 150th anniversary, our Director of Communications, Louisa Fyans, took the Council through our plans to recognise and celebrate this major milestone in the competition’s history.
