The Football Association have launched a version of the Football Leadership Diversity Code tailored for the National League System, women’s pyramid and grassroots football, aiming to tackle inequality and improve the representation of diverse groups across senior leadership positions, wider team operations and coaching roles.

The Football Leadership Diversity Code has been developed in collaboration with club leaders, community football representatives, County FA Chief Executives and others across the game to ensure English football, at all levels, better represents a modern and diverse society.

Recognising that, off the pitch, club administration and support structures do not currently reflect the increasing diversity seen on the pitch, the code will increase accountability and transparency. Its aim is for clubs across the non-elite game to commit to being leaders in football diversity, ensuring they promote and deliver the highest standards of inclusion across their clubs.

The code focuses on increasing equality of opportunity by encouraging the selection of leaders and coaches based on merit from a wider pool of diverse talent. At the heart of the code is the desire to change culture within club environments to be holistically inclusive, with realistic commitments, recognising the unique challenges presented to clubs with primarily volunteer-based workforces.

This means ensuring club culture encourages people from all backgrounds to be part of football in their local communities, both as participants and in roles off the pitch. The FA are encouraging all clubs to sign up to the code as it will form part of the minimum requirements for England Football-accredited status each season.