Mentally Healthy Football Declaration.

The landmark Declaration is to be signed by CEOs and Chairs from across the football system, including The FA, the Premier League, the EFL, the National League, the Scottish FA, FA Wales, the Irish FA, LMA, PFA, PGMOL and League Football Education (LFE).

Kelly Simmons [The FA’s Director of the Women’s Professional Game] will sign the Declaration on behalf of The Barclays FA Women’s Super League, The FA Women’s Championship and The FA Women’s National League.

The Mentally Healthy Football Declaration will see football recognising that mental health is as important as physical health, and pioneering a ‘team approach’ on this important issue. The UK football family will lead from the top to build on the important work that clubs and football organisations are already doing, working together to scale up these efforts across the football system and develop ‘mentally healthy clubs’ at every level of the game.

Through the Declaration, football commits to working together towards an environment:

1. Where players and staff are encouraged to look after their mental health just as they look after their physical health;
2. where they feel able to spot the signs that they, a team-mate or colleague might be struggling and know where to access support;
3. and where speaking out about mental health is seen as a sign of strength rather than weakness.

The Declaration will see leading football organisations forming a UK-wide mental health implementation group next season, working towards a collective ‘game plan’ for the first time to ensure the mental health of players, staff, managers, coaches and officials is prioritised across the game. Together, the group will share best practice and drive progress towards the pledges in the declaration, which include rolling out mental health training and education to all clubs, implementing mental health strategies, and embedding mental health within policies and practices.