FIFA mandates female coaches in women’s competitions to boost representation

World football governing body FIFA has introduced a new policy requiring teams in its women’s competitions to appoint at least one female head coach or assistant coach.

The decision, announced on Thursday following approval by the FIFA Council, is part of efforts to increase female representation in technical roles at the highest levels of the sport.

Under the new regulations, teams must also include at least two female staff members on the bench across both youth and senior competitions.

New rules to take effect across major tournaments

According to FIFA, the policy will take effect later this year, beginning with the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup scheduled to be held in Poland.

It will also apply to subsequent tournaments, including the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.

FIFA described the move as a “groundbreaking regulation” aimed at reshaping the structure of women’s football by ensuring female presence in team leadership.

FIFA cites gender gap in coaching roles

Speaking on the development, Jill Ellis said the policy is intended to accelerate progress in addressing gender imbalance in coaching.

“There are simply not enough women in coaching today. We must do more to accelerate change by creating clearer pathways, expanding opportunities, and increasing visibility for women on our sidelines,” she said.

FIFA noted that despite the rapid growth of women’s football globally, coaching roles remain largely dominated by men.

The organisation highlighted that only 12 of the 32 teams that participated in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup had female head coaches, underscoring the scale of the disparity.

The new directive is expected to compel national teams and clubs to rethink their technical structures while creating more opportunities for women in coaching and leadership positions.

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