Global football body FIFA has announced a new requirement for teams competing in its women’s tournaments to include female coaches on their benches, in a move aimed at addressing the ongoing underrepresentation of women in leadership roles across the sport.
Under the updated regulations, national teams participating in upcoming FIFA women’s competitions, including youth World Cups and the 2027 senior Women’s World Cup, will be required to appoint at least one female coach, either as head coach or assistant. Teams will also be expected to include a minimum number of women in broader technical and support roles.
The decision comes as global participation in women’s football continues to grow, but leadership pathways lag behind.
According to data from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, fewer than half of all teams were led by women, with representation dropping further in the later stages of the tournament. Across the wider football ecosystem, women remain significantly underrepresented in coaching, particularly at elite levels.
A 2023 report from UEFA found that women make up a small minority of coaches holding top-level licences across Europe, while research from FIFPRO has highlighted ongoing structural barriers, including access to qualifications, cost, and limited professional pathways following playing careers.
FIFA’s Chief Football Officer, Jill Ellis, said the new regulations were designed to strengthen the pipeline of women in coaching and ensure greater representation at major tournaments.
The organisation has also pointed to its broader development programs, which include coaching scholarships, mentoring initiatives and investment in technical education for women across member associations.
The introduction of minimum requirements reflects a wider shift across sport towards more formal mechanisms to improve gender balance in leadership.
In Australia, similar concerns have been raised about the visibility of women in coaching roles, despite the success and growth of competitions such as the A-League Women and increased participation at grassroots level.
Sports governance experts have noted that without targeted intervention, representation in coaching and high-performance roles has been slow to change, even as participation rates increase.
FIFA has positioned the new policy as part of its long-term strategy to grow women’s football globally, with the next Women’s World Cup in Brazil expected to be the largest tournament yet.
The impact of the new requirements will be closely watched as teams begin preparations for upcoming competitions.