Raising the bar – How UK women’s football will evolve under the Carney Review

2023 saw further impressive growth in interest around women’s sport, with the Women’s Sport Trust reporting[1] increased viewership in the UK across television, social media and in-person attendance. Almost one million more people tuned in to watch a minute or more of women’s sport in 2023 compared with the previous record set in 2019.

Women’s football is still dominating the field, attracting 74% of the total viewing hours of women’s sport. The Final of the Women’s World Cup was the most watched women’s sport event on television in 2023, and the whole tournament attracted 15.6 million new viewers who, according to research carried out by Women’s Sport Trust, did not watch women’s sport before the tournament began.[2]

Positive news continued in December 2023, when the UK Government endorsed[3] every recommendation put forward in Karen Carney MBE’s review, Raising the Bar – Reframing the Opportunity in Women’s Football (the Review) (see the authors’ previous summary and comment here[4] ). The FA also released a response[5] to the Review, hot on the heels of the announcement[6] that the Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Championship clubs had reached agreement that club-owned NewCo will operate the leagues, under new CEO Nikki Doucet, from the 2024-25 season.

There is always more to be done to continue the upward trends. This article highlights the developments which we can be expect in women’s football in 2024 following the UK Government’s response to the Review.

• Background to the Review
• Key recommendations in 2024
  • NewCo and The FA Governance
  • Financial regulation
  • Additional investment
  • The FA Cup prize money
  • Dedicated broadcast slot
  • Professionalisation of the WSL and Women’s Championship
  • Pipeline of talent
  • Equal access for girls in schools and community facilities