FIFA has announced a new regulation set to take effect in September 2026, aimed at strengthening the presence of women in the technical staff of women's national teams. From now on, each team will be required to include at least two women in its coaching staff, one of whom must hold a position as head coach or assistant coach.
This decision, approved by the FIFA Council on March 20, 2026, marks a significant step towards gender equality in football. The main goal is to increase opportunities for women to access key positions and improve their representation on the sidelines.
The new rule will be applied for the first time at the U20 Women's World Cup in Poland in September 2026. It will then extend to other competitions, including the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil in 2027. In addition to the presence of a head coach or assistant coach, each team must also have at least one woman on its medical staff and two women among the officials on the bench.
This initiative comes in a context where the head coach positions of women's national teams were mainly held by men. FIFA wants to rebalance the situation and give women a more important place in women's football.
FIFA has also put in place development programs and scholarships to support the training and access of women to higher qualifications. Between 2021 and 2024, 795 women have benefited from this program in 73 member associations.
"There are simply not enough women in coaching today," said Jill Ellis, FIFA's Chief Football Officer. "We must do more to accelerate change by creating clearer pathways, expanding opportunities and increasing the visibility for women on our sidelines".
This new regulation represents an important investment in the current and future generation of female coaches. It aims to correct a persistent imbalance, as women represent only 5% of coaches in FIFA member associations.
