English Football League (EFL) clubs will be required interview at least one qualified black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) candidate for vacant academy positions as part of a strategy to increase the diversity of the coaching workforce.

Clubs will have to advertise academy positions that require a UEFA A or UEFA B qualified coach for at least seven days on their club websites and the EFL website.

While clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two are permitted to promote from within, the subsequent vacancy should be advertised in accordance with the new regulations. To keep the process transparent, each of the 72 clubs will be required to provide all details of all recruitment processes.

In addition, 10 teams are piloting a Voluntary Recruitment Code in which they will be expected to interview at least one suitable BAME coach for first team managerial/coaching roles. The clubs taking part are Birmingham City, Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers (all Championship), Chesterfield, Coventry City, Millwall, Peterborough United (League One), Accrington Stanley and Carlisle United (League Two).

Greg Clarke – the departing Football League chair – thanked the National Football League (NFL) in the US for the Rooney Rule, which “provided the inspiration” for the changes made. In the NFL each franchise is required to interview at least one BAME individual for every coaching position.

“It is clear to us that we currently have an under-representation of BAME managers and coaches at club level and it is therefore the right time to take proportionate action to ensure the best talent, from all backgrounds, is given a fair opportunity to enter and progress through the system,” he added.