In 2026, aiming to speed up progress, Fifa brought in new regulations, external for women’s tournaments, requiring every team to have at least one female medical professional and at least one female coach.
At the Curacao–Germany match, men’s World Cup history was made with an all-female, external medical team: Fifa match doctor Dr Emma Lunan, Curacao’s head of medical Dr Suzanne Huurman, Germany’s team doctor Dr Silja Schwarz, emergency physician Dr Carrie Bakunas and injury spotter Dr Kerry Peek.
Dr Lunan told Fifa she hoped the moment would highlight that expertise in sports and performance medicine isn’t tied to sex or gender, and that advancement should hinge on competence.
Dr Huurman welcomed the rule changes.
She noted that when she joined Real Madrid in 2020, she started with the women’s team before moving to the men’s side, and that when the women’s program launched, she was the only woman on staff.
Asked how football could improve, Dr Huurman advocated for more flexible, agile-working setups.
She pointed to Sweden’s rotating model—one doctor in week one, another in week two—as an approach that could better suit some female doctors, even if elite sport is more accustomed to a single, permanent team doctor.
Addressing women who face rejection, Dr Huurman urged perseverance, saying she was often told she couldn’t succeed because she was a woman—particularly in professional football—but that demonstrating quality and professionalism proves otherwise.
Nicknamed the Blue Wave, Curacao made history last Sunday by scoring their first-ever World Cup goal against Germany in Houston.
Germany, however, the four-time champions, went on to win 7-1.
Curacao now aim to add to their goal tally against Ecuador and Ivory Coast in the remaining group matches, and Huurman says spirits are high.
She expressed optimism for the next two games, noting the squad’s focus and pointing out that results like Spain’s 0-0 draw with Cape Verde show anything can happen.