Sarah Walters has been appointed as a National Game Representative on the FA Board following her election at the FA Council meeting today, and Stephen Morana will join the FA Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Group Audit & Risk Committee Chair from 5 November 2025.
Sarah joins the FA Board as a National Game Representative having previously joined the FA Council in January 2018 as the National Game's women's football representative, and then as a Football Communities representative in 2021. Sarah also became a member of the National Game Board in 2021.
Sarah has extensive experience in the game, with a background in the women’s and girls’ game as a player and club official at grassroots and semi-professional level. Over a 21 year playing career in Tiers 2 to 5 of the Women’s Football Pyramid, Sarah has represented clubs including Newport County, Crystal Palace, Cheltenham Town, and Dulwich Hamlet. She is also a qualified referee, officiating at all levels from mini soccer to adult open age in both the men’s and women’s games. Her professional background also includes roles in finance, education, high-performance sport and the wider UK sport system.
Sarah will replace Sue Hough MBE who retires from her roles on the FA Board and the FA Council after 25 years’ service to the game. Sue has made a significant contribution to the growth and development of the women’s and girls’ games across English football.
Stephen Morana will join the FA Board on 5 November 2025 as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Group Audit & Risk Committee Chair. He will replace Tim Score, who will step down, having completed a nine-year term in the role. Tim will also step down from Chairing the Remuneration Committee and this role will be taken up by Mark Esiri, Independent Non-Executive Director.
Stephen is a Chartered Accountant, with over 30 years’ experience in commercial and digital businesses in both the public and private sectors. His executive roles have included being CFO at Betfair and Zoopla, both of which he led through an IPO and the Debenhams Group. He has held a number of Non-Executive and Audit Chair roles, including at Entain plc, Featurespace, Smart Pension and the Open Data Institute. He was also a Venture Partner at Octopus Ventures for a number of years, supporting the next wave of UK growth businesses.
FA Chair, Debbie Hewitt MBE, said: "We are very pleased to welcome Sarah and Stephen to the FA Board. Sarah will join us with immediate effect as a National Game Representative and Stephen will join us in November as an Independent Non-executive Director and as Chair of the Group Audit & Risk Committee.
"Both Sarah and Stephen will bring a wealth of experience with them to our Board – with Sarah having played and operated at a high level of our game – as well as being a key representative on the FA Council and the National Game Board. As a seasoned Finance Director, Stephen will bring excellent business acumen, including in extensive digital transformation, and his expertise will be invaluable to the next phase of our development.
"Our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation goes to both Sue Hough and Tim Score for their hugely significant contribution and commitment to the FA Board and to English football."
Sarah Walters said: "From pulling on a pair of boots at the age of 8 to now joining the FA Board, I’ve been privileged to witness the evolution of the game I love. This journey has given me insight into football at all levels and I’m passionate about doing whatever I can to inspire positive change through football. I’m honoured to have been nominated by my fellow National Game representatives on the FA Council and excited to support the great work of the Board and Executive Team."
Stephen Morana said: "Football has been a huge part of my life – from my Dad running teams for over 20 years, through to my kids who play grassroots football, I am delighted to have a role that gives me the opportunity to contribute more broadly to English football. I am looking forward to joining the FA Board in November."
From November 2025, the FA Board will comprise:
Debbie Hewitt MBE – FA Chair
Mark Bullingham – Chief Executive Officer
Alex Baker – National Game Representative
Sarah Walters – National Game Representative
Dharmash Mistry – Professional Game Representative
Rick Parry – Professional Game Representative
Kate Tinsley OBE – Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Mark Esiri – Independent Non-Executive Director and Remuneration Committee Chair
Jobi McAnuff – Independent Non-Executive Director
Stephen Morana – Independent Non-Executive Director and Group Audit & Risk Committee Chair
