Women in Football: Be Inspired Conference quotes | OneFootball

Photo: Nixon Wong

The fourth Women in Football – Be Inspired Conference in partnership with Barclays, was attended by 500 people at the Bobby Moore Hall.

After the first sessions of panels, Women in Football became a signatory to the signing of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration on Women and Sport, an international treaty aimed at supporting the development of a more fair and equitable system of sport and physical activity, fully inclusive of women and girls.

WIF CEO Yvonne Harrison had kicked off the day and expressed to the room that “Today is about having uncomfortable conversations, but in a safe space. Today is about creating opportunities for women at all levels, on and off the pitch. Today is about taking action. Because inspiration alone is not enough.”

Women in Football: Challenging the System, Changing the Game, Shaping the Future – Supported by the Premier League

Sky Sports News anchor Hayley McQueen sat down with Maggie Murphy (sports business and strategy consultant and incoming WIF director), Matthew Ryder (independent non-executive director, Premier League) and Kelly Simmons OBE (sports consultant and WIF director) to discuss lobbying for change, the recent progress made and the ongoing work to ensure access and opportunity for all women working in the game.

Matthew Ryder: “You have to strive the balance between telling people what to do and setting/emphasising targets for clubs. I believe that when you set targets to reach standards, you don’t lower the standards. It forces you to look harder for the talent that is out there.”

Kelly Simmons: “We want to help women to get into these 150-year-old football structures. We want to create an environment that women can thrive and excel in.”

The Team Behind The Team: The Backbone of Success – Supported by Road3

Hosted by the BBC’s Natalie Pirks, this panel delved deeply into the people who are behind the scenes in the industry. These people are the players’ biggest support networks.

Liz Ellen, founder of Livida Sport and WIF director said the trust of the players is difficult to gain, especially when a language barrier might exist. “It’s so important to educate and empower the players.”

It becomes crucial to support the young players as well who are signing their first professional contract, which Remmie Williams, a FIFA-registered agent at Tongue Tied Management, explained. Ensuring these young talents understand each clause in their contract is incredibly important so they know what they’re going to expect in the future.

Supporting their media presence, too, is vital. Giving players experience and media training when more eyes are watching them is key. Sympathy can be in short supply for footballers.

Investing in the Women’s Game: New Landscape, New Opportunities – Supported by Women’s Football Awards

Photo: Ali Painter

The next panel was a ground-breaking group of trailblazers who took to the stage to discuss commercial investment in the women’s game.

Led by host Valerie Goldstein (Senior Advisor, Livida Sport), the panel kicked off firing on all cylinders and offering hard truths and insights for the audience.

Mario Malave, co-CEO Livida Sport: “Women in Italy, which makes up half of the country’s population, haven’t been spoken to about football. But we’re here to make change. Get on board. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Jacqui Oatley MBE, football commentator and sport presenter: “Think about the potential, the growth of women in football. It’s not just about ‘oh, let’s give women a space to play, let’s be nice to women and let the little girls play’. No! It’s about thinking bigger, expanding in the right areas, investing in the right teams. Think about the fans, and how we can do things differently. Women’s football is a blank canvas. Get amongst it!”

Lise Klaveness, President, Norwegian FA, In conversation with Reshmin Chowdhury – Supported by Barclays

Photo: Nixon Wong

TV broadcaster Reshmin Chowdhury sat down with the President of the Norwegian FA, Lise Klaveness, who discussed the importance of a healthy work-life balance, even when operating in a role at such a high level. “I don’t want to wake up in the blink of an eye and have lost out on seeing my children grow up,” she said. “It’s possible to do both, but it’s hard work.”

On male allyship, she said: “When you have your power base on the men’s side and feel safe, then you can change thinks on the women’s side. You know they have your back.”

Normalising Women’s Roles in Football: Advocating for Safer Spaces and Inclusive Environments – Supported by Women in Football

This deeply moving panel hosted by broadcaster Faye Carruthers highlighted the struggles of misogyny and racism in football and what should be done to overcome it.

Eni Aluko MBE spoke openly and vulnerably about her struggles with online abuse, while Jo Tongue MBE explained plans to try and eradicate online abuse, saying: “It is not going to stop; it is a societal problem.”

Sky Sports presenter Kelly Cates shared her views around how far online abuse towards women has got and why. “We haven’t been good enough… we have become complacent,” she said.

Photo: Ali Painter

The Business of Change: Best Practice for Positive Impact in Organisations, in Football, and Beyond – Supported by Mishcon de Reya LLP

The first of the afternoon breakout events kicked off with a strong panel who discussed the positive impact in football organisations and beyond.

“Football is on a journey”, Justine Roberts CBE (founder and CEO, Mumsnet and non-executive director, EFL) states firmly. “But football is not representative enough at the top. We’ve got a way to go.”

Martina Pavlova (Women’s Vice-Chair, ECA; International Relationships Manager and Head of Sports Department, Sparta Prague FC), agreed, saying: “You need to encourage and empower both men and women and create a meaningful path. Don’t put me [in a role] just because I am a female,” she exclaimed. “Create a real space, for real impact.”

Yasir Mirzan (Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, The FA): “What shows up in society shows up in our stadiums. “There’s no silver bullet solution but it’s about understanding what’s playing out and how we can align. How can we unite the game and how can we unite together?”

Neil Saunders (Director of Football, The Premier League): “We need to celebrate our successes and small wins and the investment that’s been made. Yes, it’s important to celebrate women in football. But most importantly, we should also normalise it.”

Building Your Own Path: Navigating the Triumphs and Challenges of Small Business and Freelance Life – Supported by Xero

This panel discussed the stories of small business owners in women’s football, hosted by journalist and broadcaster Karthi Gnanasegaram.

Claire Barden-Hughes, CEO and founder of En2End, a brand experience and sports events agency: “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve already got. You haven’t always got it figured out. That’s OK.”

Helen Hardy, CEO and founder of Foudy’s, a retailer specialising in women’s football merchandise, had been advised by the people around her not to leave her full-time job, But she pursued the dream, the business is now thriving. Her advice for those looking to start their own business was “don’t race yourself to the finish line”.

Rachel O’Sullivan, co-founder of GirlsontheBall, emphasised: “Getting where you want to be is not linear. We all have a goal we want to get to; you’re not failing if you go sideways.”

Game Changers: Stories from the Top and the Power of Playing it Forward – Supported by Sky Sports

Sky Sports presenter Caroline Barker hosted this discussion, showcasing women’s football and those paving the way for its growth.

Monique Choudhuri is the managing director at Versify Consulting and a director at Women in Football. She discussed the importance of ‘opening the door’ for the next generation of women in football: “I want to give up my space. I’m not going to be here forever… You’ve got to ask yourself; who’s going to carry on this legacy?”

Kate Laurens, Chief Communications Officer at Arsenal for both men’s and women’s teams, said about the women working in her team: “We are cheerleaders for each other and the women in our community at Arsenal. It’s important for men to hear these stories and know how women feel. Then they have the opportunity to clear pathways and become allies.”

Jo Osborne, Head of Women’s Sport at Sky Sports, said of her position: “The whole point of this role is for it not to exist any more… If we had equality, this role would not need to exist.”

Preeti Shetty, CEO of Upshot and a non-executive director at Brentford FC, said: “There’s less women working in Premier League clubs than when I started, the gender pay gap is widening, there aren’t enough women in executive roles – something isn’t working.”

The Commercialisation of Football: Embracing Digitalisation, Unveiling New Opportunities for Brand/Fan Engagement and Increasing Revenue – Supported by Sports Interactive

Alison Lomax, Managing Director of YouTube UK & Ireland, started by talking through the power of content creation coming straight from the players. “Think Ilona Maher, and Jude Bellingham, whose latest presence on social media has sold out stadiums. We’re really starting to see the rise of athletes as content creators.”

Lisa Parfitt, co-founder of the Space Between and Women in Football director, pointed out that: “There are over 17 million Lionesses fans. That’s not just a number; it’s a seismic opportunity for brands seeking unparalleled reach.” Speaking of differentiation thriving in the women’s game, she continued: “Inclusivity expands your audience beyond traditional boundaries. This isn’t just about reaching a market; it’s about shaping the future of sport.”

Rob Cottingham, Sports Interactive’s PR & Content Manager, urged brands to get to know women’s football and understand the potential for growth. He said: The next generation of audiences are more likely to engage with players on social media or get into football via players who are active on social media. That is how you inspire fan loyalty and growth of a club.”

Changing The Game, Changing Communities: The Social Impact of Grassroots Football and Inclusion Programmes – Supported by EFL

Mollie Kmita, founder of The Powerhouse Project, a coaching programme that has expanded to the media landscape with a Google Pixel partnership, said: “Football has the opportunity to make you believe.”

Co-Founder Rosie Kmita commented: “The work we are doing there is so important to us… we really just want to give back and make sure that no young girl or young woman goes through confidence shattering when the camera goes live.”

Ruth Shaw, OBE, CEO of the Premier League Charitable Fund: “Anything that is a societal issue, we can solve through football. The power of players is phenomenal,” pointing out that they are able to connect an entire population just by being active in the community and being that role model for the youth.

Julie Uhrman, CEO & Co-founder, Angel City FC, In conversation with Kelly Cates – Supported by Sky Sports

Julie Uhrman stands by the mantra “beat the no”, explaining that “you don’t have to be a risk-taker to say no. It is so much harder to say yes.”

Angel City FC’s strategy is to use sport and entertainment to build equity, she added. Investment came through the actor and film producer Eva Longoria as City promotes gender equity and is now using football for something greater.

The club’s crowds have been a remarkable 52% women to 48% men, as they continue to sell out. “I think Angel City has fundamentally changed football,” she said.

Conference wrap-up: Ebru Köksal, Chair, Women in Football

Photo: Ali Painter

WIF Chair Ebru Köksal nodded to Lise Klaveness for her “unwavering values – the fact that change is scary”. And she added that we can and must “rock the boat without falling off it – that’s the long game.”

She noted that everyone’s stories touched her greatly, and that we all carry responsibility to ensure the next generation do not face the same barriers we did.

Too many talented women are struggling to break through the glass (or grass) ceiling”, she said. “This is a loss for all businesses who miss out on diverse perspectives.”

She shared the many opportunities that Women in Football have created and will continue to create: “That’s why we are investing in pathways for women to lead, influence and shape the future of football. When diverse leadership becomes the norm, and not the exception, we start to grow.”

Expressing joy in seeing so many male allies present in the room. she added: “Men need to be on our side, to ensure we can do this all together – we cannot do this alone. They will be advocates, mentors and champions, supporting us on our journey.”

Words by Aimee-Lou Caldecourt, Verena Camesasca and Katie Vince

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