FA Women’s National League strategy continues to make positive progress | OneFootball

The FA Women’s National League has provided an insight into the impact of their ‘Empowering for Success’ strategy. This is a strategy which aims to empower all 72 clubs across the league, both on and off the pitch.

‘Empowering for Success’ was introduced during the 2022/23 season, and focuses on advancements across the women’s game, including tiers three and four. Since its implementation over two years ago, there have been significant areas of growth across eight different priority areas.

The eight key targets

What else has the strategy achieved?

Support and investment from the Premier League ensured several key targets were met or surpassed ahead of schedule. During the first year, targets relating to club and player satisfaction were met. Additionally, recognition for the FA WNL from women’s football fans has surpassed targets and grown from 25% to 34%.

One key achievement over the last year has been the introduction of minimum standards across the leagues. These standards enable clubs to foster a safe, professional, and sustainable environment which every club is now working towards implementing.

A further key aim was to increase diversity across coaching staff in these 72 clubs. Meeting the target of 7% of managers or assistant roles consisting of people from minority ethnic backgrounds, the project ensures equal opportunites for all. Furthermore, the target of 23% coaches being women currently stands at 22%. The FA WNL will hope to meet that target during the second half of the season.

‘We are witnessing exceptional growth and increased interest across all levels’

Sue Hough, Chair of the FA Women’s National League board, said: “As we reach the midpoint of our ‘Empowering for Success’ strategy, we are witnessing exceptional growth and increased interest across all levels. The second year of the strategy also marked a historic achievement for the FA WNL, with both Portsmouth and Newcastle securing promotion to the second tier. Fans of both clubs celebrated these milestones with great excitement, showing just what makes the pyramid so special.

“While we’ve made significant strides, there’s of course still more work to be done to fully unlock the potential of the FA WNL. We remain dedicated to providing the right support to ensure that our 72 member clubs can perform and operate at their highest level.”

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