World Sevens Football has today announced that Claire Bloomfield has been appointed Chief of Football Affairs and Governance.
In the new role, Bloomfield will steer the organisation’s approach to competition development and regulatory frameworks, ensuring that W7F is fully integrated into the women’s football ecosystem. The role also carries responsibility for implementing initiatives that safeguard integrity and financial sustainability while supporting innovation in competition formats and player pathways.
Bloomfield is a recognised authority in global women’s football with almost 20 years of wide-ranging experience in the industry, across journalism, roles at Chelsea and West Ham, and senior leadership positions in the European game. Most recently, she served as the European Club Association’s (now European Football Clubs) first Head of Women’s Football, where she led major reforms of the competition landscape, developed governance frameworks, and introduced game-changing professionalisation policies and initiatives, positioning women’s European football clubs at the centre of global decision-making.
She was instrumental in launching the ECA’s first women’s football strategy, twice reforming the Women’s Champions League in partnership with UEFA, and driving the creation of a second European competition – the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup. Bloomfield also worked hand in hand with FIFA to evolve the international match calendar and secure the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, strengthened maternity provisions together with FIFPRO, and led a pioneering study into women’s football boots. Equally transformative has been her work driving governance reform, with women’s clubs now holding seats on the ECA Board for the first time.
World Sevens Football CEO Sarah Cummins said: “Claire joins us at a pivotal inflection point for both our business and the wider women’s game.
“Her experience at the intersection of sporting, political, and commercial decision-making in women’s football gives World Sevens Football a unique edge and will ensure that our governance framework protects the integrity of the competition, underpinning a compelling proposition for sponsors, broadcasters, and host cities for years to come.”
Bloomfield said: “After almost 20 years working across the industry, it’s exciting to encounter an organisation with both the ambition and conviction to genuinely reimagine the future of women’s football. W7F is prepared to think beyond established formats, act with intent, and turn vision into reality.
“I’m thrilled to bring my experience to a highly talented, female-led leadership team, united by a shared belief in advancing the women’s game with credibility, purpose, and lasting global impact.”
Jen Mackesy, Co-Founder and Lead Investor, said: “As we move toward multiple events per year across new regions, we need a governance and regulatory leader who understands both the technical detail and the bigger picture of where women’s football is heading. Claire will be key in shaping formats, calendars, and sporting standards that protect player welfare, enhance competitive balance, and ensure the best clubs in the world view World Sevens Football as a must-play event.”
