England and Chelsea defender Niamh Charles believes progress is being made in the bid to address the lack of diversity in women’s football.
The subject is back under scrutiny after Arsenal Women last week released an all-white squad photo, with none of their 27 first-team players from non-white backgrounds.
Arsenal have since accepted they have a diversity problem, while a review into women's football earlier this year identified the need to create greater diversity on and off the pitch.
There were just two non-white players in the England squad at the World Cup this summer.
The FA and the WSL want to improve pathways and accessibility and Charles said: “In times gone by, we’ve not had the access in place and we’ve probably failed at some points.
“The things that have [since] been put in place, you might not see the progress from right now. In the future, hopefully it will be more representative of the society we live in.
“I do have hope that in the future with the things the FA have set up, and also the clubs across the country in terms of access at grassroots level, it will be more representative.”
Manchester City’s 19-year-old goalkeeper Khiara Keating has been called up by England for their Nations League double-header with Belgium this month.
If selected, she would become the first-ever senior goalkeeper from an ethnic minority to play for the Lionesses.
Keating said: “Coming from a background of colour, there’s not many of us. We’re starting to see a rise. I’m just happy that I can be an inspiration. I am grateful to be in a position where I can be a role model.”
Anita Asante played 71 times for the Lionesses between 2004 and 2018 and has long been a vocal advocate of increasing diversity within the women’s game.
Asante, who this week joined the England Under-23s set-up as a coach, said in April: “It’s got to be a multi-faceted approach. It’s not just about the talent off the pitch — it’s in the boardroom, where decision-making is happening. All of that can facilitate the change we want to see by getting the right topics on the table.
“As a player, I didn’t really experience much of that diversity as a player in the game. For the next generation, it can really help them to get involved in women’s sport.”
