From players to leaders: The journeys of Laura McAllister and Lise Klaveness

Both Klaveness and McAllister carved out distinguished careers as international players before moving into influential roles off the pitch, helping to shape the future of European football.

Their stories show how football can empower women to lead, break down barriers and inspire the next generation.

Lise Klaveness: A journey from the pitch to football leadership 

Klaveness earned 73 caps for Norway and finished as a runner-up at UEFA Women's EURO 2005 during her 14-year playing career. She also helped Swedish club Umeå FC reach the 2007 UEFA Women's Cup final.

While still playing, she pursued a master's degree in law, demonstrating the same passion for leadership and fairness that defined her career on the pitch. She later worked as an assistant judge in the Oslo district court and as a special adviser to Norway's central bank.

After retiring, Klaveness worked as a TV pundit, becoming the first Norwegian woman to commentate on the men's game. In 2018, she was named technical director at the Football Association of Norway (NFF) and was then elected as the organisation's first female president in 2022.

In the same year, she graduated from the UEFA Executive Master for International Players programme, which equips former players with the tools required to transfer their playing strengths into effective management skills.

"As technical director of the Norwegian FA, and later as the first Norwegian woman to commentate on the men's game, I learned the power of visibility, of opening doors for others," said Klaveness, who was recently re-elected as NFF president for a further two-year term.

"In 2019, I joined the UEFA MIP programme and those two years transformed me, sharpening my vision and giving me the tools to lead. In 2022 I became the first female president of the Norwegian Football Federation and then I was elected to the UEFA Executive Committee in April 2025.

"My journey is still unfolding, but if it shows anything, it's that football's future is built by those who dare to step forward and never stop learning."

Laura McAllister: Encouraging more women to lead in football

A former international player and captain, Laura McAllister was capped 24 times by Wales while representing Cardiff City Ladies FC.

After hanging up her boots, she served as chair of Sport Wales and as a UK Sport board member from 2010 to 2016, working to strengthen pathways, support athletes and widen access to sport across the country.

Currently deputy chair of the UEFA Women's Football Committee, McAllister is professor of Public Policy at Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre, chair of the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and co-chair of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales. She was elected to the UEFA Executive Committee in April 2023 and has since been appointed as UEFA’s first female vice-president.

McAllister also teaches at the UEFA Academy, helping women progress into senior leadership roles in the football industry.

"My path has taken many forms, but one thing never changed," McAllister said. "Sport will always remain a powerful force for progress.

"On International Women's Day, my message to women is to trust yourself and what you bring to the table because I know we need more women making decisions about football at every level."