Women’s football has quickly become one of the fastest-growing sports in history. Following the Lionesses' victory at the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro, the sporting community has become very passionate about the rise of women’s football, allowing us to see icons such as Jill Scott MBE and Alex Scott soar to fame not only for their professional sporting career but also as a commentator on popular television channels. Inspiring audiences of all ages and backgrounds to enter the world of women’s football, the empowering speakers featured in this blog are highly sought-after to share their industry insights at events internationally.
Who are the Lionesses?
The England Women’s National Football team, nicknamed the Lionesses, has been governed by the Football Association since 1993. With women’s football soaring in popularity over recent years, we have seen the team take part in numerous high-profile events, including the 2022 Women’s Euro, where they left victorious, and the 2023 Women’s World Cup, where they secured second place overall. Currently consisting of star players such as team captain Millie Bright, and fellow team members Chloe Kelly, Rachel Daly, and Lauren Hemp, the Lionesses are paving the way for women in football, and inspiring audiences around the world to enter the competitive industry.
To learn more about the Lionesses, read our recent blog post which discusses The England Lionesses' Rise to Success.
Our Selection of the Top Female Football Speakers to Hire for Events in 2024:
- Sarina Wiegman
- Leah Williamson
- Mary Earps
- Jill Scott
- Rachel Yankey
- Hope Powell
- Emma Hayes
- Alex Scott
- Fara Williams
- Sue Smith
- Eniola Aluko
- Ellen White
Sarina Wiegman
Sarina Wiegman is a highly respected Women’s Football Manager, best known for leading the Lionesses into the finals of the Women’s Euros and the Women’s World Cup. After retiring from her footballing career in 2003, she has since gained great success as the manager for the Dutch and English women’s national teams. Due to her remarkable achievements throughout the industry, Sarina has been named ‘The Best FIFA Women’s Coach’ and the ‘World’s Best Women’s National Coach’ by IFFHS over recent years. In 2023, she received an Honorary CBA in the New Year Honours list. An inspiration to audiences globally, Sarina is highly sought-after to attend events of all kinds.
Leah Williamson
Leah Williamson is the treasured Captain for the Women’s England National Team and a current defender for the Arsenal Women’s team. A national treasure, she has represented England since 2010 and has continued to showcase her remarkable sporting abilities ever since. Having made her debut for the Lioness Senior team in the 2019 FIFA World Cup, Leah has taken the industry by storm over recent years and has starred as a crucial member of the iconic 2022 Women’s Euro team, and the 2023 FIFA World Cup squad. Following her incredible performances, Leah was appointed an OBE in the New Year Honours for her Services to Association Football. Widely respected for motivating women to break boundaries and inspiring them to strive for greatness, Leah is the perfect speaker to attend your upcoming event.
Mary Earps
Mary Earps is the current goalkeeper for both the England Lionesses and the Manchester United women’s team. Having started her career at the England U17 team, Mary has since developed her football knowledge and experience, allowing her to become one of the most successful female goalkeepers to date. Widely recognised as part of the successful squad that won the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros, and came second in the England Women’s World Cup, Mary has become an empowering female figure for audiences globally. In recognition of her incredible performances within crucial games, she has won awards such as Inspiration of the Year at the Pride Awards and become the recipient of the Golden Glove Award for her performances at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. When looking to inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds at your next event, do not hesitate to hire Mary today.
Jill Scott
Jill Scott MBE is a former English professional footballer, best known for devoting over 16 years of her career to the England Lionesses. With an extremely successful background in the sporting industry, Jill has been the recipient of numerous industry-leading awards, including Women’s Player of the Month and the FA Tesco Players’ Player of the Year Award. In 2020, Jill was awarded an MBE for her services to women’s football and has continued to break the boundaries of the highly stereotyped football community ever since. After announcing her retirement from professional sports, Jill decided to focus her career on presenting and punditry. Gaining the opportunity to present a wide range of high-profile games, Jill remains a highly sought-after speaker to attend events of all kinds to share her remarkable industry knowledge and experience with audiences.
Rachel Yankey
Rachel Yankey is admired for becoming one of the original superstars of women’s football. Having enjoyed a prolific career as a left winger, she was capped 129 times for England, allowing her to become the highest-capped player in the nation’s history until 2014. Lavished with individual and collective awards throughout her 20-year career, Rachel was named Nationwide International Player of the Year and was later awarded an OBE for her services to football in 2014. After retiring from the game two years later, Rachel focused her industry knowledge and experience on coaching. Named as a first-team coach for London Bees, she led the team to success and gained a respected reputation throughout the industry. An empowering sportswoman, Rachel is the perfect female football speaker to hire for your future events.
Hope Powell
Hope Powell is well-regarded for developing an illustrious career as a professional footballer and managing the Women’s National team. As the first woman to achieve a Pro License, Hope is keen to share her journey to success with audiences and empower women to overcome adversity the same way she did. After gaining experience playing for Millwall and Croydon, she utilised her natural leadership abilities and industry experience to focus her career on coaching. In 1998, Hope was named the England Women’s Head Coach, resulting in her becoming the youngest coach of any English National Football team, and also the first female and Black person to be named Coach of any English National Football team. An inspirational figure, Hope is admired for discussing the barriers she faced to become a footballing icon and is now highly sought-after to attend a wide range of events.
Emma Hayes
Emma Hayes is a respected female sports speaker, best known for becoming the first-team Manager of Chelsea Ladies FC. Entering the industry as an assistant first-team coach at Arsenal Ladies, she led the team to great success winning 11 major trophies over three seasons. Stepping up to become their Academy Director, Emma gained the opportunity to oversee the development of young players at the club, many of whom are now playing in the Women’s Super League. Now working as the first-team Manager at Chelsea Ladies FC, Emma has successfully led the team to the Women’s FA Cup and later went on to gain the Women’s Super League title, allowing her to complete a historic and memorable double. In 2016, Emma was the recipient of an MBE in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours list, shortly followed by receiving an OBE in 2022. A leading authority in her field, Emma has become a must-see speaker for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Alex Scott
Alex Scott is an esteemed member of the sporting community. As a former professional footballer turned popular sports pundit, she has proved her worth in the male-dominated sport, competing for England at three World Cups and the London 2012 Olympic Games. Keen to speak up on the topic of racial discrimination, Alex has transformed the world of football over recent years and is determined to empower audiences to gain success within any industry they are passionate about. Regularly working with the BBC and Sky Sports, Alex is renowned for translating her expert knowledge into award-winning commentary. In 2020, she was named the Sports Commentator of the Year for her coverage of the 2019 Women’s World Cup and was later inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame. Through punditry, media appearances, and hosting, Alex remains one of the most well-respected football speakers in the industry.
Fara Williams
Fara Williams is a talented English footballer, best known for playing as a central midfielder for Reading and the English National team. At just 12 years old, Fara joined the Chelsea Ladies U14 team and has continued to develop a respected reputation throughout the industry ever since. Renowned for appearing at iconic events such as the Women’s Euro and the Women’s World Cup, her remarkable career has inspired women around the world to enter the footballing community. During her remarkable career, Fara has worked with numerous charities, with the Homeless FA charity being the most prominent. In recognition of her illustrious career, she was rewarded an MBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours for her services to charity and women’s football. Making the perfect addition to all kinds of motivational events, do not hesitate to hire Fara today.
Sue Smith
Sue Smith is widely recognised as one of the most popular professional female footballers across the UK. With a remarkable sporting career behind her, she spent over two decades on the pitch for England before becoming a high-profile pundit. Respected for appearing as a co-presenter on the EFL highlights show ‘Quest’, as a pundit on BBC Sport, and as an expert on Sky Sports News, Sue’s industry knowledge and experience are treasured by audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Alongside her television career, Sue also writes regular columns for the Yorkshire Post in the sports category. Passionate to inspire the next generation of sportswomen, Sue has become one of the most popular sports speakers on the circuit, offering entertaining after-dinner keynotes surrounding her career with England and how she reached peak performance.
Eniola Aluko
Eniola Aluko is a renowned former professional footballer, best known for rising to fame at the Serie A club, Juventus. Having played for a variety of high-profile teams throughout her illustrious career, including Chelsea and Birmingham City, she has gained a wide range of industry knowledge and experience over her 20-year career. With nearly 200 appearances across eight clubs and over 80 domestic goals to her name, she has taken this industry by storm and is inspiring women globally to enter the sporting industry. Alongside this, Eniola has also been capped by England over 100 times throughout her 12-year international career. Now a popular commentator, Eniola shares her insights at a wide range of football’s major events, as well as becoming the first female pundit on BBC’s Match of the Day. When looking to hire a passionate football speaker for your next event, look no further than Eniola today.
Ellen White
Ellen White has enjoyed a successful career playing as a forward for the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, and the England Women’s National team. Having played a pivotal role in all teams she has been part of, she has represented England at a wide range of prestigious events, including the 2012 London Olympic Games, the 2017 Women’s Euro, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, and the UEFA Women’s Euro. In recognition of her illustrious professional football career, Ellen was awarded an MBE for her Services to Association Football in the 2023 New Year Honours list. After announcing her retirement in 2022, Ellen is now ready to share her remarkable career journey with audiences as a speaker at industry, corporate, and educational events.
Hire a Female Football Speaker Today!
To hire one of the female football speakers featured in this post, simply contact us today by filling in our online contact form or by calling one of our dedicated booking agents on 0207 1010 553.
