Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award

Brentford FC – Women and Girls Strategy

In 2025, Brentford FC accelerated its commitment to women and girls’ safety, in football and in the community.

Dedicated activity focused on prevention, early intervention, and the importance of community action and allyship. Education was key, with players, fans, and staff engaging in bystander intervention workshops and other training to stop harassment and violence against women.

Our stadium was designated as a 24/7 Safe Haven to offer our community round-the-clock support and security, and we built strong relationships with the Police to give our fans the confidence that we are working together to protect women in our local area.

Overwhelmingly positive feedback shows that our work to listen, act, and educate resonated with our staff and fans. Together, we’re making sure that women and girls feel welcome, safe, and equal within the game, and they will always have a home at Brentford.

 

Brighton & Hove Albion FC – We Are Brighton

Brighton & Hove Albion is defined by a “people-first” culture that transcends the pitch. Following our Advanced Level PLEDIS achievement in 2024, we launched the ‘We Are Brighton’ EDI Strategy (2025-2030), moving beyond symbolic gestures to embed systemic equity across our global brand and Sussex roots.

Our strategy targets four key pillars—Women, Disability, Underrepresented Ethnicities, and LGBTQ+ allyship—informed by rigorous census-aligned data. We have set ambitious 2027 targets, including 16% female fan representation and 15% disability representation, supported by our 1,604 registered disabled supporters.

Key Achievements:

• Inclusive Talent: The MyAlbion Pathway currently supports 20 diverse colleagues through internships and apprenticeships, bypassing traditional barriers to create a sustainable internal pipeline.
• Fan Accessibility: Launched accessible stadium tours and established a Fan Advisory Board to ensure the 32,000-capacity American Express Stadium remains a sanctuary for all.
• Community Impact: Through the BHAFC Foundation, we’ve deepened ties with “Equality Critical Friends” and faith leaders to widen participation in underrepresented areas.
• By amplifying lived experiences through our Equality Champions, we have ensured that inclusion is not a standalone initiative, but the very fabric of our identity.

 

Crystal Palace FC – Palace for All

Crystal Palace Football Club were awarded the Advanced level of the Premier League Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard (PLEDIS) at the end of the 2024/25 season and has continued to strengthen its commitment to EDI across the Club through the “Palace for All” umbrella brand.

The Club’s three main areas of focus are gender, ethnicity, and disability. In October, Palace launched a Black History in Football exhibition in partnership with Surrey FA and the FA. The exhibition celebrated pioneers and current players, particularly from South London and Surrey, highlighting their impact on the game and the wider community. It was shared with Academy players, staff, fans and EDI practitioners.

CPFC also introduced the Level Up – Women in Sport series with Motorsport UK and Marylebone Cricket Club, supporting 30 young women aged 16–24 through workshops, industry insight and networking opportunities.

To improve accessibility, the Club updated their sensory room for matchdays, described by Sky News as the best they had seen, and created a video guide to help autistic fans prepare for the matchday experience.

 

Fulham FC – Fulham For All Strategy

Fulham Football Club is a multi-entity sports and entertainment organisation spanning elite football, community delivery and a major riverside destination. In 2020, like much of the sports industry, we faced many gender-equality challenges: women were underrepresented across our workforce, leadership and academy, our gender pay gap was above the national average, and opportunities for girls to participate in football were limited.

In response, we launched our Fulham For All Strategy, underpinned by a dedicated Fulham Female Strategy, committing to achieving gender equality and tackling violence against women and girls. This strategy set clear ambitions: reducing our gender pay gap, increasing female representation on and off the pitch, creating accessible pathways for women and girls, investing in our women’s teams, and promoting safe, inclusive environments across all Club spaces.

We have taken bold, visible action, from implementing and mandating inclusive recruitment practices, to delivering a two day effective bystander course to over 80% of colleagues. We have amplified women’s voices through our Female Working Group, invested in girls’ participation, and used our platform to champion gender equality.

Since 2020, female representation has risen from 20% to 27%, our gender pay gap has reduced significantly & girls’ participation has more than doubled.

 

LFC Foundation

The LFC Foundation is at the heart of our community, committed to ensuring that the work we do creates meaningful opportunities for everyone. As part of our mission to become the most inclusive and diverse football club foundation, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) sits at the centre of our strategy and guides how we design and deliver all programmes.

We work intentionally to remove barriers and expand access for people across the nine protected characteristics outlined in the Equality Act 2010, ensuring our services are welcoming, representative and accessible. Our commitment extends beyond compliance; we recognise the complex ways in which multiple characteristics can intersect, creating unique challenges for individuals who experience overlapping forms of disadvantage.

Understanding intersectionality enables us to tailor our support, proactively address inequalities and create spaces where every participant feels valued, seen and able to thrive. Through this approach, we aim to build a Foundation where diversity is celebrated, inclusion is lived, and every member of our community has a pathway to belong.

 

Stockport County FC – County Collective

Stockport County’s County Collective EDI campaign demonstrates the club’s commitment to ensuring football is accessible, welcoming and representative of its diverse local community. With Stockport experiencing significant demographic change—including increased ethnic diversity and LGBTQ+ representation—the club recognised that its fanbase and workforce did not yet reflect the borough. In response, County Collective was established to position Stockport County as “an inclusive club at the heart of the community.”

The campaign focuses on three core objectives: improving inclusivity on matchdays; strengthening governance and supporter voice; and removing barriers for under represented groups. Delivery is driven by a strategic structure involving senior leadership, an internal working group and an external advisory group representing LGBTQ+ fans, disabled supporters and community advocates. Collaboration with local third sector organisations further strengthens insight, accountability and programme design.

County Collective has delivered a wide range of impactful outcomes, including new accessibility measures such as at seat service for wheelchair users, subtitled video content and BSL interpretation on matchdays. The club has executed themed awareness campaigns, expanded female supporter representation, embedded EDI training across operations and gained external recognition for its LGBTQ+ inclusion programmes. Community initiatives—such as the asylum seeker programme—have created meaningful pathways into matchday engagement, contributing to a more inclusive

 

Walsall FC – Saddlers United

Saddlers United, launched by Walsall FC in Summer 2025, is a long term, community led inclusion programme transforming how the Club engages with and represents the diverse communities surrounding the Pallet Track Bescot Stadium. Based in a ward with one of the largest Pakistani Muslim populations in the borough, the Club set out to remove cultural, religious and financial barriers that had historically limited participation.

Guided by a diverse Steering Group of mosques, churches, Sikh organisations, refugee groups, disability partners and youth leaders, Saddlers United has delivered structural change and meaningful community impact. Key achievements include a Multi Faith Prayer Room, a co designed Kirpan Policy, enhanced support for visually impaired fans, and over £20,000 worth of complimentary tickets distributed to local families and community groups.

The programme has driven increased representation across multiple ethnic minority groups, rising average attendances, strengthened faith partnerships and deeper community cohesion through Community Iftars and cross community football and food events. Saddlers United shows how football can unite communities and create a club that truly reflects the people it serves.