Karen Carney

Biography

Karen Carney is a former England international footballer turned broadcaster. With 144 caps, she is England's third most-capped player, having competed at four World Cups and four European Championships, as well as with Team GB at the London Olympics. During her club career, Karen played for both Chelsea and Arsenal, and was a key part of teams that won every domestic club competition.

Following her retirement from playing, Karen moved into broadcasting and has become a lead pundit for both men's and women's football across TNT and ITV. She made history at the men's World Cup in 2022 as part of the first all-female line-up to analyse a men's football game. She has led ITV's coverage of major tournaments including the men's Euro 2024 final between England and Spain, and the women's Euro 2025 competion, which saw England defend their European title. Her broadcast work has also included commentary for the BBC at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and regular contributions to talkSport and Sky Sports. Away from sport, Karen succeeded in a different area, winning Strictly Come Dancing alongside her dance partner Carlos Gu.

Beyond broadcasting, Karen has been instrumental in advancing women's football and women in sport in general. She has led a government review with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport into the future of women's football in the UK. She has hosted the ITV series Leaders of the Pack, conducting candid conversations with key figures in women's international football. She also co-hosts the podcast Long Story Short with Jill Scott, exploring their friendship and football careers.

Karen explores what it takes to consistently achieve elite-level performance and overcome obstacles, drawing from her experiences competing at the highest level of international sport.