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Tom Hamilton
Multiple Authors
FIFA has introduced new regulations requiring that women’s teams in its tournaments have either a female head coach or assistant coach on the sidelines. This legislation was approved by the FIFA Council on Thursday and takes effect immediately ahead of the under-17 and U20 Women’s World Cups and the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.
As part of the new rules, each team must have a minimum of two women on their coaching staff, including at least one in a head coach or assistant coach role. This applies across all of FIFA’s women’s tournaments, whether for youth or senior levels, and in club competitions as well.
FIFA chief football officer Jill Ellis emphasized the importance of this change: “There are simply not enough women in coaching today. We must take more decisive actions to foster change by creating clearer pathways, expanding opportunities, and enhancing the visibility of women on our sidelines.”
She added that, “The new FIFA regulations paired with targeted development programs represent a significant investment in the current and future generations of female coaches.”
This initiative seeks to boost the presence of women coaches in football. FIFA has indicated that it forms part of a broader long-term strategy that combines legislative changes with ongoing investments in coach education and professional development to better equip women for leadership roles.
At the 2023 World Cup, only 12 out of 32 head coaches were women.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed the need for more women in crucial roles within football during the UEFA Congress in February: “Of course, we need more women in significant football positions, including coaching roles in women’s teams.” He noted, “This is a discussion we must continue, particularly in light of the outstanding female coaches showcased at the last European Championship, highlighting the health and growth of women’s football.”