(Reuters) – A major independent review of women’s soccer in England has called for the top two tiers to become fully professional environments and for the women’s game to have a dedicated broadcast slot to boost visibility.
The review, headed by former England midfielder turned pundit Karen Carney, was commissioned by the UK government in September following England’s triumph at the European Championship last year.
Among 10 recommendations laid out in the review, Carney said the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship should become “fully professional environments” to attract and develop the world’s top talent.
“It is clear that domestic women’s football has reached a defining moment,” former Arsenal and Chelsea player Carney said.
“The women’s game in this country can become a world-leading sport that not only generates immense economic and social value but sets the standards for women’s professional sport globally.
“These recommendations must be a blueprint for how this can be achieved, and must be acted upon with urgency.”
Carney said women’s football must also address a “lack of diversity” on-and-off the pitch.
The government is set to release a full response to the recommendations in the coming months.
England begin their World Cup campaign against Haiti on July 22 in Brisbane.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
