Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

LCFC commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Board and CEO of Lincoln City Football Club are publicly accountable and firmly committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion across all areas of the club. We actively support initiatives that challenge discrimination, celebrate diversity, and foster an inclusive environment for staff, players, supporters, and the wider community. This commitment is reflected in the club’s policies, partnerships, and ongoing efforts to ensure football is welcoming and accessible to everyone.

To ensure that our commitment is validated, the board will ensure compliance to our policies and address any actual or potential breaches in a fair and consistent fashion.

As evidence of this commitment, Lincoln City was the first EFL club to establish a designated female supporter group – the Lady Imps Supporters Association was established in 2017 and remains a valued member of the Lincoln City family today. Lincoln City also recognises that it has a social responsibility to lead the way in encouraging more young females to get involved in sport.

Click here to read our 2024 equality, diversity and inclusion report

Click here to read the FA Rule N data submission 2025

Lincoln City Football Club has demonstrated a strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) through various initiatives and partnerships.

EDI pledge and initiatives:

Abolish gender-stereotypical terminology, such as replacing 'ball boys' with 'matchday ball assistants'.
Collect and review equality monitoring data to assess the impact of inclusivity messaging.
Promote best practices in corporate and social responsibility by ensuring partners and sponsors celebrate and welcome equality, diversity, and inclusivity among matchday guests.
Use imagery and video that showcase diversity across its fan base, workforce, stakeholders, and partners
Support campaigns that demonstrate integrity in line with their own pledges, ensuring long-term impact.
Actively promote opportunities for female sports participation.
Ensure regular and engaging communications with stakeholders.
Create and celebrate an inclusive environment by endorsing the non-acceptance of all forms of hate crime, misogyny, and other forms of discrimination.

Achievements in EDI:

In April 2024, Lincoln City became one of the first 10 clubs to achieve the Silver standard in the EFL Equality Code of Practice. This recognition reflects the club's ongoing commitment to EDI practices across various initiatives, including:

Supporting campaigns such as Rainbow Laces, Her Game Too, and Unite for Access to highlight commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion, equality, International Women's Day, and accessibility.
Running initiatives through the Lincoln City Foundation, such as the Extra Time Hub, English in the Community, twinning project, National Citizen Service, Premier League Kicks, and Sincil Bank Community, as well as providing a Warm Hub for the community.
Providing audio descriptive commentary devices to supporters who are blind or partially sighted.
Reviewing and implementing internal policies and strategies to ensure alignment with EDI commitments.
Conducting annual diversity surveys to measure progress and identify areas for improvement.
Collaborating with Level Playing Field to conduct regular external accessibility audits of the LNER Stadium.

Partnerships for inclusive football:

In October 2024, Lincoln City Foundation formed a strategic partnership with Lincoln Invictus Inclusive Football Club to enhance inclusive football opportunities in Lincolnshire. Lincoln Invictus is a two-Star England and Lincolnshire FA LGBTQ+ accredited club offering pan-disability, deaf and hearing-impaired, and inclusive football to individuals aged four and over.

The partnership aims to:

Expand inclusive football programmes for individuals of all ages and abilities.
Increase participation by signposting players between sessions and encouraging regular physical activity.
Co-host events, programmes, and initiatives to enhance football accessibility and inclusion across Lincolnshire.

The collaboration also focuses on developing new sessions, including Saturday Comets pan-disability football sessions, LGBTQ+ and allies' sessions, and offerings for deaf and hearing-impaired youth players.