Fara Williams: Career, Retirement, and Broadcasting Now

Few footballers leave a mark quite like Fara Williams. From youth at Chelsea to 172 England caps, she now brings sharp insight as a BBC Sport pundit.

Full name: Fara Tanya Franki Merrett MBE ·
Born: 25 January 1984 ·
Position: Midfielder ·
England caps: 172 ·
England goals: 40 ·
Clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, and others

Six career-defining numbers, one pattern: a player who combined durability with elite performance across two decades.

What is Fara Williams doing now?

Broadcasting career

Since retiring, Williams has become a regular pundit and commentator for BBC Sport (UK public service broadcaster). She appears on match-day coverage of the Women’s Super League and England internationals, offering tactical analysis drawn from her own experience at the highest level.

• Featured on BBC’s coverage of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
• Regular contributor to BBC Radio 5 Live and Football Focus

Public appearances and advocacy

Williams remains active in the public sphere. She speaks at events about diversity and inclusion, drawing on her own experience as an openly gay footballer. In 2024, the Professional Footballers’ Association awarded her the Merit Award for her contribution to the game (PFA (players’ union)).

Personal projects

While she keeps much of her private life away from the spotlight, Williams occasionally shares updates on social media, where she engages with fans and promotes women’s football. She has hinted at interest in coaching or mentoring roles, though no formal announcement has been made.

What this means: Williams is building a second career that keeps her close to the game while using her platform to advocate for the next generation.

What nationality is Fara Williams?

English nationality

Fara Williams is English, born in London on 25 January 1984 (Wikipedia (online encyclopaedia)). She represented England at every youth and senior level from under-16 upwards.

Birthplace and upbringing

She grew up in the London borough of Hackney and began playing football at age 7 with a local boys’ team, before joining Chelsea’s youth set-up (SheKicks (women’s football media)).

Cultural identity

Williams has spoken about the pride of representing England and how her London roots shaped her fighting style on the pitch. She also represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics in London.

The pattern: Williams’ identity is deeply tied to English football, but her Olympic appearance shows she also embraced the broader Team GB platform.

What age did Fara Williams retire?

Year of retirement

Williams announced on 26 April 2021 that she would retire at the end of the Women’s Super League season (BBC Sport (UK public service broadcaster)). Her final match was on 9 May 2021.

Age at retirement

She was 37 years old when she stepped away from professional football.

Reasons for retirement

In a post on X, Williams said she had “made the difficult decision” after more than 20 years in the women’s game (X / @fara_williams47 (player account)). She described it as a career she “could only have dreamed of.”

The catch: Retirement from playing opened the door to a broadcasting career that now reaches a wider audience than her playing days did.

Did Fara Williams play for Liverpool?

Liverpool career

Yes, Williams played for Liverpool across two spells. She first joined in 2012 and won back‑to‑back Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014 (SheKicks (women’s football media)). After a season at Arsenal, she returned to Liverpool in 2017 and stayed until 2020.

Other clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton

Williams’ senior career began at Chelsea in 1999. She then moved to Charlton Athletic, followed by a long spell at Everton (2004-2012) where she scored 70 goals in 122 appearances (SheKicks). After Liverpool, she had an 18‑month stint at Arsenal before returning to Liverpool and finishing at Reading.

Career highlights

• FA Women’s Cup winner with Everton (2007) and Arsenal (2014)
• FA WSL champion with Liverpool (2013, 2014)
• Appointed MBE in 2016 for services to football (Wikipedia (online encyclopaedia))

Why this matters: Williams played for almost every top club in English women’s football, leaving a trophy trail at each stop.

How many caps did Fara Williams earn?

England caps record

Fara Williams earned 172 caps for England from her senior debut in 2001 until her international retirement in 2019 (BBC Sport (UK public service broadcaster)). At the time, she was England’s most capped player across both men’s and women’s teams.

Goal tally

She scored 40 goals for her country (PFA (players’ union)), many from midfield runs and set pieces.

International tournaments

Williams played at four European Championships (2005, 2009, 2013, 2017) and three World Cups (2007, 2011, 2015). She also represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.

The trade-off: Her 172 caps stood as a national record for years, placing her among the most‑capped women’s footballers worldwide.

“I’ve had a career I could only have dreamed of.”

Fara Williams, in her retirement announcement (via BBC Sport)

“She is a legend of the game.”

Phil Neville, former England manager (press conference)

“It’s a huge honour to represent my country.”

Fara Williams, on receiving her MBE (official announcement)

For the next generation of English footballers, the choice is clear: follow Williams’ blueprint of excellence on the pitch, then use that platform to influence the game from the broadcast booth — or risk letting a legendary career fade into silence.