Karen Carney OBE

Karen Carney OBE is one of the most respected figures in English football. A former Chelsea, Arsenal and Lioness star, she is now the leading female pundit across men’s and women’s football for TNT Sports and ITV. In 2025, she joined the BBC Strictly Come Dancing line-up, taking her place alongside some of the UK’s biggest names in sport, entertainment and broadcasting.

With an extraordinary 144 England caps, Karen is the nation’s third most-capped player, having represented her country at four FIFA Women’s World Cups, four UEFA European Championships and the London 2012 Olympic Games. She retired from professional football in 2019 as one of the most accomplished and influential players of her generation.

Beyond her success on the pitch, Karen is celebrated as a trailblazer for women in sport. In 2022, she led a landmark government review with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport into the Future of Women’s Football in the UK. All recommendations from the review were formally backed by the government in 2023, cementing her status as a transformative voice in the industry. She also fronted ITV’s Leaders of the Pack, interviewing leading figures from across international women’s football.

Karen continues to make broadcasting history. At the 2022 men’s World Cup, she was part of the first all-female line-up to analyse a men’s game. She went on to lead ITV’s coverage of the men’s Euros in 2024, including the dramatic England vs Spain final, and again fronted ITV’s coverage for the Lionesses’ historic 2025 Euros victory.

Alongside close friend and fellow England legend Jill Scott, Karen co-hosts the popular podcast Long Story Short, a funny, nostalgic and heartfelt journey through their footballing careers and long-standing friendship.

As a speaker, Karen is in high demand for corporate events, leadership conferences and organisational away days. She offers powerful insights drawn from elite performance, team culture, resilience, and achieving success in high-pressure environments, helping businesses apply world-class sporting principles to the workplace.

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