The English Football League has made it policy that clubs must interview at least one black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) candidate when searching for a new first-team manager.

The regulation, extending to all first-team vacancies, was introduced at the EFL's annual general meeting on Friday and follows an 18-month pilot.

There are currently just three BAME first-team managers in the EFL.

It hopes the rule will "help address the under-representation" in the game.

"That commitment has now been formalised with the introduction of a new regulation ensuring that the principle of providing more opportunities to BAME candidates is mandatory when clubs consider multiple applicants for a role," said an EFL statement.

The EFL said the rule is a "further commitment to improving equality in first-team football".