Karen Carney

One of England’s greatest ever players, Karen earned 144 caps for the Lionesses, making her the third most-capped England player of all time. She competed at four World Cups, four European Championships and the London 2012 Olympic Games, before retiring from professional football in 2019. Her time at elite clubs including Chelsea and Arsenal gave her first-hand experience of winning cultures, sustained excellence and the realities of teamwork when the pressure is highest.

What makes Karen particularly compelling on stage is not just her success, but her ability to explain what elite performance really looks like behind the scenes. She speaks openly about decision-making under scrutiny, managing expectations, staying grounded in high-profile environments and performing consistently when margins are tight — themes that resonate strongly with business leaders and teams.

Since retiring, Karen has become the lead female pundit across men’s and women’s football for TNT Sports and ITV, valued for her calm authority, sharp analysis and ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and confidence. She made history at the Men’s World Cup 2022 as part of the first all-female pundit team to analyse a men’s match and went on to lead ITV’s coverage of the Men’s Euros 2024, including the final. She also fronted coverage of the Lionesses’ historic Euro victory in 2025 and is part of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing 2025 line-up, further cementing her national profile.

Beyond performance and media, Karen is widely recognised as a trailblazer for women in sport. In 2022, she led the UK Government’s Future of Women’s Football Review for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, with every recommendation adopted by the government in 2023. This experience allows her to speak credibly not just about performance, but about systemic change, leadership responsibility and long-term thinking.

Karen translates the lessons of elite sport into practical, business-ready insights, helping teams understand what high performance feels like day to day, not just in standout moments.

Karen co-hosts the podcast Long Story Short with Jill Scott, offering a humorous and reflective look at life, friendship and elite sport. She is a Global Ambassador for Pepsi, sponsored by Nike, and works with major brands including BMW, Heineken, Booking.com, Continental Tyres and Violife — reinforcing her credibility as a trusted voice both on and off the stage.

Karen Carney is often booked by organisations who want a speaker that brings authority without ego, inspiration without clichés, and performance lessons that genuinely translate beyond sport.

To book Keynote Speaker Karen Carney, contact The Speakers Agency on +44(0)1332 810481 or email enquiries@thespeakersagency.com