Women’s Super League players will resume taking the knee this season after England’s Lionesses abruptly stopped performing the symbolic gesture at last month’s European Championship.
England’s players announced they would no longer be taking the knee before their semi-final against Italy because of the racist abuse aimed at Jess Carter during the tournament. The 27-year-old defender was targeted online by several individuals, with the first of what is expected to be several arrests in the case made on Thursday.
In a joint statement two days before the Italy semi-final the England squad said: “It is clear we and football need to find another way to tackle racism.” But the Guardian has learned that the WSL has decided, after talks with club captains in recent days, not to abandon the pre-match protocol it introduced five years ago.
Almost all of England’s Euro 2025 squad play in the WSL. Carter – whose club, Gotham FC, are in the US – is among the exceptions.
The WSL is expected to brief clubs on plans next week, before the season begins with the champions, Chelsea, facing Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Friday.
After discussions with captains, the WSL is understood to have resolved to adopt a model similar to that used by the Premier League, which announced this month that its players would perform the gesture before two selected fixtures during Black History Month in October.
The WSL has also decided to move away from taking the knee before every game owing to concerns that the symbol’s ubiquity may have reduced its impact, and will target specific fixtures to highlight the sport’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
England’s next match after winning the European Championship last month is a friendly against China at Wembley in November, and the players will decide on their stance before that game. The WSL declined to comment.
