FIFA Mandates Female Coaches in Women’s Tournaments

FIFA has approved new regulations requiring all teams participating in its women’s football competitions to include female coaches on their technical benches.

The decision, announced after a FIFA Council meeting on Thursday, will take effect from this year’s women’s tournaments, including the Under-17 and Under-20 Women’s World Cups, as well as the Women’s Champions Cup.

Under the new rules, each team must have at least two female staff members on the bench during matches, with at least one serving as either head coach or assistant coach. The regulation applies across all levels of competition, covering both youth and senior tournaments for clubs and national teams.

The move is part of FIFA’s broader strategy to boost female representation in coaching, an area where women remain underrepresented. At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, only 12 of the 32 participating teams were led by female head coaches.

FIFA Chief Football Officer, Jill Ellis, said the initiative is aimed at accelerating progress and creating more opportunities for women in coaching roles.

“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,” Ellis said.

FIFA expressed optimism that the policy will significantly improve female representation ahead of future competitions, including the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Several high-profile female coaches are already making an impact at the international level. These include Emma Hayes, who leads the United States women’s team alongside assistant Denise Reddy, and England manager Sarina Wiegman, a four-time FIFA Best Women’s Coach award winner.

Other notable figures include Gemma Grainger (Norway), Casey Stoney (Canada), and Carla Ward (Republic of Ireland), while Rhian Wilkinson recently guided Wales to their first major tournament at Euro 2025.

Wiegman, who was the only female coach to reach the quarter-finals of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, has consistently advocated for greater gender balance in coaching.

“Of course what we hope is to get more female coaches at the top level and that the balance gets better than it is right now,” she said. “Males are welcome too, but if the balance improves, it will inspire more women to get involved in coaching.”

FIFA believes the new regulations, alongside targeted development programmes, will help build a stronger pipeline of female coaches and promote long-term gender equity in the sport.