**Last week, The FA and Chelsea FC proudly hosted _Beyond the Pitch – Celebrating Culture, Heritage, and Innovation_ at Stamford Bridge, marking a celebration of Black History Month 2025.**
The event forms part of our ‘_Your Game, Your Way_’ programme, which has been run through online sessions over the past two years as part of our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Community of Practice Programme. Designed to amplify the voices and spotlight the experiences of underrepresented communities within football, the programme has sparked vital conversations around inclusion. Partnering with Chelsea FC, the initiative was brought to life at this event through its first-ever in-person gathering.
The evening brought together a diverse audience from across the footballing world; from grassroots champions to former professional players in a celebration of Black culture, heritage, and innovation within the game. The event featured inspiring conversations with Paul Canoville, the first Black player to play for Chelsea, and Kerry Davis, the first Black woman to play for England Women’s national team, as well as a panel discussion with key figures across both the FA and Chelsea FC’s EDI teams and the wider football community. Also on show was a creative showcase of the talented Shanna Bent’s Black History Month England Football shirt. Shanna is the founder of Maison Bent, a fashion label rooted in heritage, sustainability and inclusivity.
‘_Beyond the Pitch_’ is a direct reflection of our wider commitment to creating a game that is truly inclusive and reflective of the communities it serves. It supports the goals set out in our ‘_**[A Game Free from Discrimination](https://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/what-we-do/fa-equality-diversity-inclusion-strategy-2024-2028)**_’ strategy, which outlines our pledge to not only tackle discrimination in all its forms, but to actively celebrate and promote diversity across football.
**Anwar Uddin, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at The FA**, said: “‘_Your Game, Your Way_’ has become a key feature of our inclusion work. To celebrate Black History Month, we wanted to build on that foundation through ‘_Beyond the Pitch_’, creating a space that brings people together to celebrate Black culture, community, and innovation in football. This is about moving the conversation forward and continuing our commitment to creating a game that truly reflects the diversity of those who love it, both on and off the pitch.”
**Trisha Champaneri, DEI and Culture Lead at Chelsea FC**, said: “We were delighted to partner with the FA for such an important and iconic event. We’ve chosen this moment as the official launch of Chelsea Roots – our internal network for those from underrepresented heritage. It seemed like a fitting addition to an evening of reflection, celebration and inspiration. As a club, we are making great strides in our work to embed true inclusion across all areas, and amplifying that work is key to creating wider change.”
[VIEW OUR EDI STRATEGY 2024-2028]( https://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/what-we-do/fa-equality-diversity-inclusion-strategy-2024-2028 )