The government’s decision to accept all the recommendations made in the bold Karen Carney‑led review of women’s football should be welcomed. Coming six days after Women’s Super League and Championship clubs agreed to proceed with an independent new company (NewCo) being launched to take over the running of the top two divisions from next season, the response comes at a critical juncture.
The government acceptance of the review serves as a reminder of what a holistic approach to the development of the women’s game should include at a time when vested interests, particularly of clubs with Premier League men’s teams, risk arising. Central to the disagreement which delayed Championship clubs from fully supporting the proposed launch of NewCo initially, with some opposing it and others only conditionally supporting it, had been over the voting power of those clubs.
