FIFA have shocked the world of women's football with a new rule that will reshape the game as we know it. They have ruled that all national teams and club competitions in women's competitions must now include either a female head coach or assistant coach.
The new regulations are set as follows. Every team must have at least two women's staff members on the bench. One of those must be either the head or assistant coach, and the rules apply immediately across all women's FIFA competitions.
The scope of this change is enormous; it applies to both youth and senior tournaments across club and country. It will come into effect during the U17 and U20 World Cups and the FIFA Women's Champions Cup. The FIFA Council approved the decision as part of what FIFA describes as a long-term strategy to improve female representation in coaching roles.
This reflects that, at the 2023 Women's World Cup, only 12 of the 32 head coaches were women. Among them was Sarina Wiegman, England manager, who went on to become the only female coach to reach the quarter-final stage of the tournament. Though more national sides now have female managers, like Spain.
Jill Ellis explained FIFA’s position, saying, “There are simply not enough women in coaching today. We must do more to accelerate change by creating clearer pathways, expanding opportunities, and increasing the visibility for women on our sidelines.”
This decision comes as part of a broader strategy that combines statutory changes, development programmes, coach education and long-term professional investment, with the hope of increasing female participation, including ahead of the World Cup in Brazil next summer.
Emma Hayes has previously described the lack of female coaches in English football as a “massive issue” and has urged football authorities to develop more creative solutions.
Ironically, Marc Skinner, Manchester United manager, says he “absolutely welcomes it,” but does it not put his own job at risk? But there are no high-calibre women's managers at every club and country team, which could lead to a bidding war.
While I feel this policy came from a place of good intention, the way it has been done is terrible. People should be in positions based on merit, not on their gender.
If we choose a woman over a capable man, we are as bad as the patriarchy, which did not let women work; we would become our own hypocrites.
I want more female managers, but it feels like we are going backwards. We need to invest in developing strong female managers like Sarin Wiegman, rather than just adding a woman to the team to tick a box.
To also enforce this with immediate effect is wrong, as it puts pressure on clubs and the FA to sack and hire people. Why sack someone capable, but because they are a man who does not align with the Equality Act 2010?
Instead, FIFA should arguably focus its time on energy in coach programmes, getting women into management and giving them access to complete the relevant training.
It feels like the game is going backwards, moving away from equality and towards enforced segregation, alienating parts of the workforce and fanbase, and risking becoming as flawed as the system women’s football was meant to move away from.
I want to progress.
I just don’t want it at the cost of fairness, merit, or credibility.
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