World football governing body FIFA has introduced a new regulation requiring all women’s teams participating in its competitions to include at least one female coach on their technical crew.
The directive, approved by the FIFA Council, stipulates that teams must appoint either a female head coach or assistant coach as part of efforts to increase female representation in football’s technical and leadership roles.
In addition, each team will be required to have a minimum of two female officials on the bench during matches, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to gender inclusion across all levels of the game.
The new policy will apply to all FIFA women’s competitions, including youth and senior tournaments, and is expected to take effect at upcoming events such as the FIFA U-17 and U-20 Women’s World Cups, as well as other global competitions.
FIFA said the decision forms part of a broader strategy aimed at addressing the imbalance in coaching roles within women’s football, where men continue to dominate technical positions despite the sport’s rapid growth.
FIFA’s Chief Football Officer, Jill Ellis, emphasised the need for deliberate action to create more opportunities for women 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.
The governing body noted that the initiative will be supported by long-term development programmes, including coaching education and professional training, aimed at empowering more women to take up technical roles globally.
The move comes against the backdrop of low female representation in coaching, with only 12 of the 32 teams at the 2023 Women’s World Cup led by female head coaches.
FIFA expressed optimism that the new regulation will significantly boost the number of women in coaching positions and align leadership representation with the continued expansion of the women’s game worldwide.
