Fiona McIntyre elected to Women’s Leagues Forum

The SWPL has announced that its Managing Director, Fiona McIntyre, has been elected to the Board of the newly established Women’s Leagues Forum.

In a landmark moment for women’s football, the World Leagues Forum announced the establishment of the “Women’s Leagues Forum” this evening, a ground-breaking initiative that will empower and unite professional women’s football leagues from around the globe.

Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) Managing Director, Fiona McIntyre, said: “The establishment of the Women’s Leagues Forum is a groundbreaking moment for women’s football across the world, and I am delighted to have been selected to represent the SWPL and be an advocate for our game.

“As women’s football continues to grow at a rapid pace, it’s important that the SWPL is at the forefront of progressive initiatives such as this. We have made great strides since establishing a new organisation alongside our member clubs, and today illustrates global recognition of the development of the Scottish game alongside some of the best leagues in the world.

“I look forward to working alongside my fellow league leaders and colleagues from around the world to drive the game forward and ensure Scotland is well served and represented across the globe.”

Today’s announcement further adds to the representation of Scottish Football across the globe, with SPFL Group Chief Executive Neil Doncaster elected to the Board of the European Leagues and Peter Lawwell appointed as the vice chairman of the European Clubs Association earlier this year.

The Women’s Leagues Forum already connects 16 bodies responsible for their women’s national football league. These leagues are either independent professional structures (USA, Sweden, Spain, Japan, Norway) or structures integrated with the men’s professional league (Australia, Mexico, Scotland, Belgium, Costa Rica, Panama). Considering the rapidly evolving landscape of women’s football, several federations responsible for their national women’s league also connect with the group (including England, France, Denmark and Finland).

The Women’s Leagues Forum decided to set up a board of 8 professional league leaders to represent them. It will be co-Chaired by two distinguished leaders in the world of women’s football: Jessica Berman, Commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (USA), and Annika Gralls, Chair of OBOS Damallsvenskan (Sweden). Together, they bring a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to advancing women’s football. In addition, the board includes the following professional women’s league representatives:

• Fiona McIntyre, Managing Director, Scottish Women’s Premier League (Scotland)
• Mariana Gutierrez, Head of Liga MX Femenil (Mexico)
• Haruna Takata, Chairwoman, WE League (Japan)
• Beatriz Alvarez, President, Liga F (Spain)
• Nick Garcia, Commissioner, A Leagues (Australia)
• Loryn Paris, CEO, Pro League (Belgium)

The Board also nominated Jean-Michel Aulas as a co-opted member, representing the French Women’s League (integrated to its Federation).

Moya Dodd, a former national team player for Australia and former member of the FIFA Council who has consulted with World Leagues Forum on women’s football since 2021, was appointed Secretary of the Board and will steer its work, together with Jerome Perlemuter, General Secretary of the World Leagues Forum.

The Women’s Leagues Forum will provide an essential platform for women’s leagues to collaborate, exchange best practices, pursue business development opportunities, and advocate for their collective interests. Importantly, it will address the unique needs and aspirations of women’s football leagues, ensuring their voices are heard.