Future of Women's Football review - terms of reference

Background

The Fan Led Review of Football Governance, conducted in 2021, recommended that ‘given the many, but interconnected, issues affecting a meaningful future for women’s football needing to be addressed and resolved successfully, the future of women’s football should receive its own dedicated review’. It stated that ‘There is huge potential for the game to grow further, but to make this a reality there needs to be serious investment in women’s football, in its finances, in its infrastructure, and in the administration of the game’.

The UK government has therefore initiated a Review of the Future of Women’s Football. This review will not focus on elements of the women’s game that are shared with the Fan Led Review, such as club heritage, owners’ and directors’ tests, financial sustainability of clubs and independent regulation, as the outcomes of the Fan Led Review will apply to women’s football in the same way.

Future of Women’s Football review key themes

1. Audience and growth - Assess the potential audience reach and growth of the game by considering the value and visibility of women’s and girl’s football in England, including the potential to grow the fanbase for women’s football for the future of the game and whether current growth still supports home-grown talent and can be achieved without overstretching infrastructure.

2. Commercial and broadcasting - Examine the financial health of the game, its financial sustainability for the long term including: exploring commercial opportunities and ways to support the commercialisation of the women’s game; broadcast revenue opportunities; and the sponsorship of women’s football

3. Structures and governance - Examine the structures within women’s football, including affiliation with men’s teams, prize money, the need for women’s football to adhere to the administrative requirements of the men’s game; assess the adequacy, quality, accessibility, and prevalence of the facilities available for women’s and girl’s football for the future growth and sustainability of the game.

Terms of Reference

The Chair of the Review will be supported in the evidence gathering and analysis by senior officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and the Football Association. The Chair will also utilise senior DCMS officials to test findings and review recommendations.

An informal panel of industry experts will also support the Review team in analysing evidence and developing recommendations.

Based on the evidence provided, the Review team will hold up to two expert sessions on each of the topics, with stakeholders from the game providing further evidence. The Chair will gather evidence, ask for further information from contributors and develop recommendations to be provided in a full report to the Secretary of State for DCMS.

The Future of Women’s Football review will:

• Assess the potential audience reach and growth of the game by considering the value and visibility of women’s and girl’s football in England, including the potential to grow the fanbase for women’s football for the future of the game and whether current growth still supports home-grown talent and can be achieved without overstretching infrastructure
• Examine the financial health of the game, its financial sustainability for the long term including: exploring commercial opportunities and ways to support the commercialisation of the women’s game; broadcast revenue opportunities; and the sponsorship of women’s football
• Examine the structures within women’s football, including affiliation with men’s teams, prize money, the need for women’s football to adhere to the administrative requirements of the men’s game; assess the adequacy, quality, accessibility, and prevalence of the facilities available for women’s and girl’s football for the future growth and sustainability of the game

Letter of Appointment from DCMS Secretary of State to the Chair of the review of the Future of Women’s Football

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