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Leaders Week, one of the largest gatherings in sports business, is currently taking place in London where a host of amazing Women in Football members and partners have already been recognised for their best-in-class work at the Leaders Sports Awards.

The awards reception on Tuesday 15 October marked a hugely exciting and emotional night for the Women in Football community, as the organisation's Chair Ebru Köksal won the Trailblazer award. This  prestigious honour is bestowed on a person who is forcing change, breaking barriers and exerting influence in global professional sport.

Ebru has led the board of directors at Women in Football since October 2015, in which time the organisation has grown in size, influence and credibility. Ebru has helped to improve women's representation at all levels of the game by advocating WIF's Open Doors Agenda and tutoring on the industry-leading Women in Football Leadership Course in partnership with Barclays, alongside her high-profile ambassadorial role for the organisation.

Many would agree that there can be no worthier recipient of the Leaders Sports Awards Trailblazer prize – warmest congratulations to Ebru on receiving the award.

Also among the awards, WIF members Preeti Shetty and Natalie Gibson were honoured as members of the Leaders Under 40 category, a group of high performers who have moved the sports industry forward in the last 12 months.

View the full Leaders Under 40 Class of 2024

 

 

Proud partners

WIF's lead partner Barclays won the Partnership Award at the Leaders Sports Awards for their work with the FA, recognising a series of actions that have played a significant role in the  recent development of women's football in England at both grassroots and professional level.

In 2019, Barclays made a landmark investment in UK women’s sports by becoming the title sponsor of the Barclays Women’s Super League and launching the Barclays Girls’ Football School Partnerships in collaboration with the FA. The initiative aimed to ensure that by 2024, all girls in England would have equal access to football in schools.

To support this ambitious goal, Barclays launched the campaign “It all starts with a chance,” which included a heartwarming film featuring Ian Wright and highlighted the importance of equal access in schools. The campaign built on the excitement surrounding the UEFA Women’s EUROs. Over five years, the partnership grew from 3,000 to nearly 20,000 schools, totalling 89% of all schools in England.

Barclays have been championing football for over 20 years, and are vital to the growth of Women in Football as lead partner. Their commitment to the progression of women in the football industry has been manifest in:

• the Be Inspired Conference, a forum for career progression which brings together WIF members at Wembley Stadium for networking, expert panels and inspirational keynote speakers

• the Women in Football Leadership Course, which has been a vital element in the professional development of hundreds of women over recent years

• the #GetOnside campaign, launched in 2021, which continues to attract pledges of action from organisations and individuals in both elite and grassroots football – and all points between – to level the playing field for women and girls, on and off the pitch

 

 

A first-of-its-kind partnership between Sela, RNID and WIF corporate member Newcastle United FC culminated in Unsilence The Crowd, a groundbreaking initiative to enhance the experience of deaf fans. Sela used their technological capabilities to bring the electricity and roar of St James Park to the incredibly passionate, yet underrepresented community of NUFC fans who are deaf or have hearing loss.

Sela and technology partner Cute Circuit incorporated haptic technology into replica NUFC match shirts which transform the noise of the stadium into real-time touch sensations, allowing this community to experience the atmosphere of a live football match like never before. The use of this breakthrough technology in Unsilence The Crowd was revolutionary for deaf fans.

 

 

More WIF members attend The Summit

Wednesday 16 October marks the start of The Summit at Leaders Week London 2024. The Summit packs a two-day agenda with networking opportunities and talks exploring the key topics for those at the heart of global sport business. Over 30 free places have been provided to Women in Football members via a #GetOnside pledge made by Leaders in Sport earlier this year.

The Summit sessions are already under way, and fresh off the back of her superb trailblazer win, Ebru Köksal joined the Women’s Sport Breakfast panel with Nikki Doucet, hosted by Victoria Monk from Wasserman Collective.

Find more about Leaders Week London 2024

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