World football governing body FIFA has announced a new regulation requiring all teams participating in its women’s competitions to include at least one female head or assistant coach.
The directive, approved by the FIFA Council, is aimed at increasing the representation of women in coaching roles at the highest level of the sport. The rule will take effect across major tournaments including the U 17 and U 20 Women’s World Cups as well as the Women’s Champions Cup.
According to FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis, teams must also have at least two female staff members on the bench during matches. She explained that the requirement will apply to all FIFA women’s competitions from youth to senior levels.
Ellis emphasized that there is a significant gap in female representation in coaching, noting that more efforts are needed to create opportunities and visibility for women in technical roles. She described the new regulation as part of a broader strategy to accelerate ce and support the next generation of female coaches.
Statistics highlight the imbalance in the game. At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, only 12 out of 32 head coaches were women. Notably, Sarina Wiegman was the only female coach to reach the later stages of the tournament, eventually leading England to a second place finish.
Further data shows that women make up just five percent of coaches globally across both male and female teams. However, FIFA’s recent benchmarking report indicated some progress, with women accounting for 22 percent of head coaches in women’s leagues worldwide.
FIFA stated that the new policy is part of a long term commitment to ensure that leadership and technical roles reflect the rapid growth of women’s football globally.
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