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Throughout 2026, we will celebrate the diversity of WIF's membership via their own words and personal experiences. We start with WIF Membership Committee representative, Maria Xing.

Growing up with Asian heritage in the United States, I rarely saw people who looked like me working in sports, let alone in football, a sport rooted in a country I had no personal ties to. The industry often felt distant and difficult to break into. Yet sport itself was always present in my life, as a universal language that transcended borders.

Although I grew up in America, I developed a strong affinity for British football from an early age. I was drawn to the passion and sense of community, and to how deeply the game is embedded in culture and identity. I loved the history and storytelling of football, and the way it connects heritage, pride, and place. That perspective resonated deeply with me as someone navigating multiple cultures and learning how to hold them all at once.

My early career took me into finance and investing, predominantly in New York, where I began working at the intersection of capital, growth, and global sport. Breaking into English football and the wider sports industry as an Asian-American woman meant learning how to move confidently in rooms where no one else shared my background. It meant speaking up even when I didn’t see others like me around the table, and trusting that my perspective was not a weakness, but an asset. As the industry professionalised and attracted more long-term capital, football began to feel not just aspirational, but viable - as a career and as a place to build lasting impact. I was fortunate to spend time abroad working on global football acquisitions and investments, and to join the Membership Committee at Women in Football, where I found not only an incredible community, but a mission and vision that aligned closely with my own.

Lunar New Year is a moment of energy, resilience, and forward momentum. As we enter the Year of the Horse, I’m reminded of the importance of drive, endurance, and progress. It is also a call to action: to support one another, mentor those coming up behind us, and widen pathways into sport, especially as the game continues to globalise.

My hope is that the next generation of women see football not as an unlikely destination, but as a place where they belong. Where their ambitions are valid, and where their voices can help shape the future of the game. This journey is a reminder to myself of the little girl who once dared to dream big – and that there is still so much more to build.

Connect with Maria on LinkedIn here.

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