The FA has appointed Sue Day MBE as its Director of Women’s Football, taking on oversight of the women’s game from the outgoing Baroness Sue Campbell.
Day will take the reins from Campbell in December 2024 with a responsibility for leading the delivery and evolution of the FA’s 2024-28 women’s strategy. She will also be tasked with strategic leadership around development and improvement of English disabled football.
Women’s football has embarked on a growth trajectory in 2024, building on the success and widespread viewership of the 2022 Women’s Euros and the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which drove significant public and commercial interest in the sport.
Day remarked: “It is an honour to be able to join The FA in this incredibly exciting role, at a pivotal moment in the history of the sport. Women’s football has the opportunity to change the sporting and societal landscape forever, and I am very excited to be part of that.
“The challenge to develop disability football from the grassroots to the elite is also deeply motivating. I grew up playing football every day in the school playground, then one day I was told I wasn’t allowed to play with boys on the school team.
“I am passionate about making sure that future generations have the equal opportunities that weren’t afforded to so many girls like me. I’m really looking forward to working with the brilliant team at The FA and the many external stakeholders to bring all of these possibilities to life.”
In addition to her aforementioned tasks, Day will also be charged with representing the FA on the board of NewCo, the independent club-led company which acquired the top two divisions of English football, the Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Championship.
The announcement of her appointment at the FA comes shortly after the WSL inked its latest media rights extension. The top flight women’s league renewed its arrangements with Sky Sports and the BBC, guaranteeing a mix of subscription-based and free-to-air (FTA) media coverage for the next year.
A former rugby union player, capped at England level, Day joins the FA from her role as Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer at the Rugby Football Union (RFU), where she was responsible for finance, technology, people, strategy, and executive leadership for womens’ rugby, inclusion and diversity.
With Day taking leadership of sports strategy for womens’ football, Kay Cossington, the FA Women’s Technical Director, will retain leadership of the England senior and development teams.
FA CEO, Mark Bullingham, said; “We’re delighted to welcome Sue Day into The FA at the end of this year. Sue’s professional expertise and passion for women’s sport, combined with her business acumen made her the standout candidate for this role.
“Her credentials show she has the vision and leadership to make the most of this moment in time to take the women’s game and para football to new heights.
“I would also like to again reiterate my thanks to Baroness Sue Campbell, these exciting times for the women’s game are testament to Sue’s brilliant leadership, total commitment and deep passion for the sport. She has inspired us all and we are grateful for her continued contribution across the women’s game and para football.”
