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FIFA has revealed extensions to its coverage for female footballers and coaches to support them through maternity leave, adoption leave, or family leave.
Under the new protocols, approved by the FIFA Council in May and introduced on June 1, the soccer association will offer both players and coaches a minimum of 14 weeks of paid maternity leave. That level of coverage was previously only available to players.
Alongside greater support for women during pregnancy, the new rules also include adoption leave and family leave.
Players and coaches are entitled to a minimum of eight weeks of paid leave if they adopt a child younger than two years old. The period drops to four weeks for a child between two and four years old and to two weeks for a child older than four years.
Eight weeks of paid leave is also available to players and coaches who are not biologically related to the child.
The new coverage applies to associations affiliated with FIFA in 211 countries, including the US Soccer Federation.
New protocols for clubs and international teams
Players can now sign with clubs if they return from maternity, adoption, or family leave outside of the typical registration window—and clubs can sign players outside the standard period to cover those who are absent.
The new protocols also entitle players to request leave from training and matches due to menstrual health reasons while still receiving full pay.
Associations will support players who cannot participate in training or matches due to medical complications that arise due to pregnancy.
Clubs and international teams are also being pushed to allow players and coaches to consistently keep in contact with their families, including permitting players to bring children with them to international tournaments.
Former USA Head Coach: "It’s a big statement"
Many have hailed the new protocols from FIFA, with coaches and players previously facing difficulties when juggling their careers and family life.
Jill Ellis, former USA head coach and two-time World Cup winner has described it as a “big statement.”
"[A career in soccer] shouldn't be exclusive of being a mum or raising a child, it should be inclusive of that," Ellis stated. "If I didn't have support around me, I wouldn't have had the ability to do that and maintain my career.”
Ellis added that the “big steps and big strides” will normalize the journey of women within soccer. "That's what we want to provide now at every level, the club level, the national team level, the opportunity for pro players to have the chance to be mums,” she added.
Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s Chief Football Women’s Officer praised the new policy offering women paid leave for severe menstruation.
"When you're playing sport for a living, and in a professional environment, we have to factor in that the female menstrual cycle can also impact on your ability to deliver within your role," she said. "So, it's important that we protect those that are affected by their menstrual cycles in a way that it doesn't put at risk their employment situation with their club and, ultimately, their ability to earn money."
Bareman also described the move to encourage affiliate associations to allow for mothers to have children with them at camps and tournaments as “a really important step which will support not only female players but all players in our sport."
