Women players will be permitted to join the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) for the first time from next season. The announcement will see all players registered for the Women's Super League eligible to join the PFA - and to attend the traditionally all-male annual PFA awards dinner.

PFA chairman Clarke Carlisle said: "I think it is fantastic that women players will now be able to join the PFA - it has been a long time in coming.

"It's perfect timing that this is announced on international women's day and it should be good both for female players, who will now have the support of a long-established union, and for the PFA in terms of increased membership."