FA Appoints Strong Board for Euro2021

The English FA has announced the formation of a Euro 2021 Board, which will support UEFA in the delivery of the next edition of the UEFA European Women’s Championship.

The Board has been empowered by The FA Board to deliver the host association’s obligations, with overall accountability and budgetary control for the tournament.

The composition of the board is made up from a mix of skillsets and also calls on the expertise of those who played a major role in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

There is a strong media presence on the group with Alex Scott, former international and BBC analyst during the FIFA Women’s World Cup part of the group alongside Joanna Manning-Cooper, Group Director of Corporate Affairs at Sky and former Director of Marketing and Communications for the Rugby World Cup when it was staged in England, as well as Head of PR for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The others on the Board are drawn from within the FA and include COO Mark Burrows who will act as Chair; CEO Mark Bullingham; Director of Women’s Football Baroness Sue Campbell; Women’s Professional Game Director, Kelly Simmons, and Chris Bryant as Executive Lead in tandem with his role as Head of Delivery for Euro 2020 when England will stage the Final, and Euro 2021.

In line with UK Sport’s major event governance guidance, Joanna Manning-Cooper and Alex Scott join the Board as independent directors to deliver experience from a major event marketing and communications and ex-player perspective respectively.

One additional Board member will be appointed in due course, bringing the total number of representatives to eight. With at least 50 per cent female representation, the Board goes above and beyond UK Sport’s minimum 30 per cent target criteria for each gender.

In conjunction with UEFA, the Board will be responsible for approving the tournament’s vision as well as key strategic plans, including strategies around event promotion, ticketing and volunteering. Discussions at the first Board meeting will focus on the tournament vision, the match schedule – due to be formally approved by UEFA later this year – and a proposed resourcing plan for the delivery of the tournament, amongst other topics.

UEFA Women’s Euro 2021 will be played across eight English host cities in the summer of 2021 and promises to be a record-breaking tournament for UEFA, with approximately 700,000 tickets due to be available and extensive coverage of every game of the tournament on free-to-air television, radio and online.

“UEFA Women’s Euro 2021 promises to be a tournament which delivers record audiences and amplifies the positive development already taking place within the women’s game,” said Burrows.

“I am confident that through the formation of this Board, with its breadth of experience and expertise, we will be able to make that a reality.”

“I am particularly pleased to welcome Alex and Joanna as independent members to the Board. Alex brings vital player knowledge and experience, and Joanna brings vast marketing and communications expertise. Their input will be of huge value as we look to deliver not only the biggest UEFA Women’s European Championship to date, but also a lasting legacy for the women’s game in this country.”