NORTHERN Ireland women’s captain Marissa Callaghan will head to Uefa’s HQ as part of a meeting om Monday of distinguished females in football.
The 38-year-old has been selected as one of 19 past and present players and top level coaches to be on the Uefa Football Board, which will meet in Nyon, Switzerland to discuss various themes related to women’s football.
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Also taking part are former England star turned commentator Karen Carney and her compatriot, present-day star Leah Williamson, along with Norway’s Ada Hegerberg, Denmark’s Pernille Harder, and Alexia Putellas of Spain.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: "UEFA is delighted to welcome some of the most distinguished players and coaches in football, and many of those who paved the way for the all the successes of women’s football that we are seeing today across the continent.
“The expertise and insights of this board will play a pivotal role in ensuring continued growth and success built on inclusivity, equality and excellence, not only in Europe but around the world."
Managing Director of Women’s Football Nadine Kessler commented: “I am delighted and thankful that such a powerful and respected group of players and coaches will come together to help us assess the game of today and shape the one of tomorrow. Much more needs to be done, and their voices need to be heard and listened to.”
Approved by the UEFA Executive Committee in April, the prominent advisory body was established to give an institutional yet independent voice of experience and expertise on fundamental women’s football-related topics, such as the Laws of the Game, refereeing, the match calendar, and player welfare, as well as the UEFA Women’s Football Strategy.
Members of the UEFA Football Board were selected based on their outstanding club or national team achievements, strong international reputation and extensive experience.
The agenda for the meeting will include discussions on refereeing matters, such as the UEFA line of intervention, VAR and handball, plus competition and medical football matters, as well as the post-2024 UEFA Women’s Football Strategy.
These meetings will be an annual fixture in the UEFA calendar, but the members will also meet when needed and necessary.
The UEFA Football Board, a distinguished group of current and former football stars and elite coaches, who will convene at the House of European Football on Monday, September 11, are as follows:
The members of the UEFA Football Board are:
Verónica Boquete, Spain
Marissa Callaghan, Northern Ireland
Karen Carney, England
Jovana Damnjanović, Serbia
Jonas Eidevall, Sweden
Magdalena Eriksson, Sweden
Laura Georges, France
Gemma Grainger, England
Ada Hegerberg, Norway
Pernille Harder, Denmark
Josephine Henning, Germany
Eugénie Le Sommer, France
Carolina Morace, Italy
Francisco Neto, Portugal
Alexia Putellas, Spain
Lotta Schelin, Sweden
Viktoria Schnaderbeck, Austria
Tessa Wullaert, Belgium
Leah Williamson, England
