Cheryl Foster MBE and Emily Carney have joined the FA in two new appointments to our refereeing division.
Cheryl Foster MBE joins as our senior manager – referee progression, pathways and development. Cheryl’s role will focus on overseeing progression pathways for match officials across the National League system (Steps 2–6), the Women’s Football Pyramid, Futsal and disability football. The role will also prioritise referee wellbeing and create sustainable pathways to enhance performance and progression across the refereeing ecosystem.
Emily Carney will also be joining as our new national talent manager for women's refereeing. Carney has a wealth of experience, serving as a FIFA and UEFA assistant referee. She has represented England on the global stage at the Paris Olympics and the UEFA Champions League Final, as well as domestically in the Women’s FA Cup Final and the EFL.
Cheryl has been a key figure officiating in the top tier of women’s football in England since the start of the 2022-23 season, when the former international player turned referee combined officiating duties in both England and Wales, taking charge of fixtures in the Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) as well as in the Genero Adran Premier and JD Cymru Premier competitions.
Throughout her impressive career, she's overseen some of the biggest games in women’s domestic football, as well as being selected to officiate some of football’s most prestigious tournaments, including the 2022 UEFA Women’s EUROs which saw her handed three fixtures including the semi-final between France and Germany.
She has also officiated at the 2022 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica where she was fourth official for the final, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup where she oversaw the third-place match between Sweden and Australia and the 2023 UEFA Women’s Champion’s League final.
Our Refereeing Strategy, To Grow, Guide & Govern, was launched in July 2023 and has already exceeded our targets to increase the number of female referees by 2026. Our 2024 target was 2,800 and we currently stand at 3,139 female referees.
Nathan Magill, our head of referee development, said: "Over the last six months, we have reviewed and implemented a new structure that is designed to help us deliver our ambitious Refereeing Strategy. I am delighted to welcome Cheryl and Emily into our refereeing development team at the FA. Their exceptional backgrounds and clear vision will modernise our referee development process and establish robust, sustainable pathways for match officials at every level. With Cheryl and Emily on board, I'm confident that we will continue to drive innovation, performance, and professional growth for match officials in England."
Cheryl Foster MBE said: "I’m very excited to begin this new chapter at the FA. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the growth of the game, support the development of officials, and to help shape the future of refereeing in England. I look forward to working alongside the team to make a positive impact and drive excellence on the field of play."
Emily Carney said: "Taking on the role of talent identification manager is an incredible opportunity to nurture and guide the next generation of female match officials. I’m excited to play a key role in identifying, developing, and supporting exceptional talent, celebrating their growth and successes throughout the journey, as well as helping to shape the future of the game."
