Women’s football ‘could be billion-pound industry’ claims Karen Carney | OneFootball

Women’s football could be a billion-pound industry within 10 years if it gets the right investment now, according to the chair of a new independent review.

Former England international Karen Carney’s review panel has called for wide-ranging reform at the elite and grassroots level of domestic football to fully capitalise on the Lionesses’ Euros success last summer.

Among the key calls in the review to grow the women’s game published a week before the start of the Women’s World Cup are:

Carney recognises many of the measures outlined in the review will require significant investment but said: “Women’s football is a start-up business.

“If you’re starting something you have to have an influx of money. In 10 years’ time I really do believe this sport could be a billion-pound industry.

“But these standards and these requirements for investment are the foundation that will lead us to that point.

“I really do think we can make that (investment) back.”

Carney said the review’s aim was to introduce minimum standards across all areas of the game, and insisted that even though there were significant cost implications for clubs and the FA in particular, this was not something anyone in the game could afford to ignore.

“I have to have every confidence that these recommendations will be implemented and with urgency,” she said.

“This should never, ever sit on the shelf, it’s got to stand for something.

“Do I want players going on the NHS (to get treatment for injuries)? No. Do I want players to be using bin bags for curtains? No I don’t.

“I understand there is going to be a lot of pushback, people saying that it’s a big investment piece, but that’s what is needed now.

“In 2011 when the WSL was launched, I bet the same conversations happened then