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Women in Football Chair Ebru Köksal was among the influential figures who appeared in Rome last week at the 32nd general assembly of European Football Clubs (formerly the European Clubs Association).

From 7 to 9 October, representatives from more than 800 clubs spanning 50+ countries convened for the event. One important item on a packed agenda was the launch of the new EFC Women’s Network. Alongside EFC vice chair Martina Pavlová, Ebru participated in a ‘fireside chat’ hosted by broadcaster Amanda Davies, before a panel comprising Joyce Cook (governance and inclusion pioneer), Lina Souloukou (CEO, Nottingham Forest FC), Richard Garlick (CEO, Arsenal FC) and Pascale VanDamme (president of the Belgian FA and FIFA Council member) took to the stage.

Women executives from clubs across Europe came together to share experiences, talk about their journeys and discuss how they can open more opportunities for women across the game. Discussions – guided by Ebru and EFC’s Head of Sustainability Gaia Pretner – also centred on how women can reach leadership roles in clubs and the importance of male allyship in making that happen.

The EFC’s commitment to gender equality is outlined in its Sustainability Strategy published in 2024, which outlined an ambitious series of governance reforms. This includes a target of 25% female representation on the EFC board by 2027, rising to 35% by 2030. In a similar vein, the goal is to reach 40% female representation on EFC working groups by 2027, rising to 50% by 2023.

One of the initiatives set up to support these targets is the Women on Board programme. Co-run by the EFC and Women in Football, the second season got under way in mid-August with club representatives from a dozen countries.

Concluding the event in Rome last week, Amanda Davies told the delegates: “Today we’ve heard powerful insights, and we’ve started to turn words into action. The EFC Women’s Network is here to keep this momentum alive.” 

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