The Women's Side of Sport

This is SUCH an incredible move for women – and especially women in coaching. Finally. On March 19, FIFA made a decision that doesn’t just tweak policy—it shifts power.

Starting this year, every team competing in FIFA women’s tournaments must include women in leadership roles:

• At least one female head coach or assistant coach
• At least one female medical staff member
• At least two female officials on the team bench

This goes into effect immediately, beginning with the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, followed by the U-17 tournament, the Women’s Champions Cup, and ultimately the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Let’s call it what it is:

A structural intervention in a system that has long excluded women from leading women.

The Problem Was Never Talent. It Was Access.

For years, women’s soccer has grown at an explosive rate—more visibility, more investment, more fans.

But behind the scenes?

Leadership hasn’t bothered to keep up. At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, only 12 out of 32 head coaches were women.

That’s not a pipeline issue. That’s a gatekeeping issue.

Because women aren’t just missing from the sidelines—they’ve been systematically kept from the rooms where experience is built:

• High-performance environments
• Professional pathways
• Decision-making roles

You can’t become what you don’t see.

And you definitely can’t become what you’re never hired to do.

This Isn’t About Quotas. It’s About Correction.

There will be people who say this is forced. That it’s a “quota.” That it undermines merit.

Let’s be clear:

Merit has never operated in a vacuum.

When access is unequal, outcomes will be too. This policy doesn’t hand out jobs—it forces opportunity into existence.

And opportunity is what creates:

• Experience
• Confidence
• Credibility
• Future head coaches

FIFA isn’t just asking federations to “do better.”

They’re saying: you must.

The Bigger Play: Building the Pipeline

This move doesn’t stand alone—and that’s what makes it powerful.

FIFA has been investing in women coaches for years:

• 795 female coaches supported across 73 countries since 2021
• Global mentorship programs pairing elite and emerging coaches
• Scholarships for advanced licensing (including UEFA A & Pro)
• A new Female Coach Educators’ Development Pathway

This is the part people miss. You can’t just demand representation. You have to build readiness AND create access at the same time.

FIFA is finally doing both.

What This Means for the Game

This is bigger than a policy change.

This is about:

• Who shapes player development
• Who influences team culture
• Who is seen as a strong and capable leader

Because when more women are on the sideline:

• Young players see new possibilities
• Coaching becomes a viable career path
• Respect for women coaches increases
• The game evolves with more diverse perspectives

And let’s be honest—

Women coaching women isn’t a nice idea. It’s a competitive advantage.

The Tension: Visibility vs. Tokenism

Now here’s the real conversation.

This only works if it goes deeper than compliance.

If federations:

• Hire women just to check a box
• Limit them to low-impact roles
• Fail to invest in their development

…then this becomes performative.

But if done right?

This becomes the most important accelerator women’s coaching has ever seen.

For Coaches Reading This—Pay Attention

If you’re a woman coach—this matters to you.

Because what FIFA just did will have to ripple.

Across:

• National governing bodies
• College athletics
• Youth systems
• Private clubs

The expectation is shifting. Not just can women coach.

But:

Where are they? And why aren’t there more? How can we keep them in the game?

Jill Ellis said it best:

“There are simply not enough women in coaching today. We must do more to accelerate change.”

This is acceleration. Not perfect. Not complete. But necessary.

And long overdue.

If FIFA Can Do This—Why Can’t Field Hockey?

Here’s the uncomfortable question:

If FIFA can mandate this at the highest level of global sport… when will the FIH?

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) oversees a game that is heavily participated in by women worldwide—especially at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels. And especially in the states.

And yet, when you look at elite coaching?

It tells a different story.

Too often:

• Men dominate head coaching roles in the international women’s game
• Women are underrepresented in high-performance pathways
• Leadership pipelines remain unclear or unsupported

Sound familiar?

It’s the exact gap FIFA just chose to address—structurally, not symbolically.

Growth Without Representation Isn’t Progress

Field hockey has grown. Participation is strong. It is the fourth most popular sport in the world according to many news outlets. The college game in the US is thriving. But growth without representation is a ceiling.

Because if women aren’t:

• Leading junior and senior teams
• Standing in front of benches
• Driving tactical decisions
• Modeling strong female leadership

…then they’re not shaping the future of their own olympic sport.

And that matters.

Not just for equity—but for performance, perspective, and long-term sustainability.

The Opportunity for Field Hockey

This is a moment.

A chance for the FIH and other national governing bodies to:

• Get ahead of the curve
• Invest in women coaches intentionally
• Set standards that match the growth of the women’s game
• Be seen as progressive and forward-thinking

Because right now, FIFA just raised the bar. And athletes, coaches, and fans. They’re going to start expecting more—from every sport.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t just about women’s soccer.

It’s about a shift in what leadership in women’s sport should look like. FIFA made a move that forces the game forward. Now the question is:

Who follows next?

Because the future of women’s sport shouldn’t be built around women. It should be built with them—on the sideline, in the locker room, and in every decision that shapes the game.

A Snapshot of Women’s International Field Hockey Coaching

As the game evolves, there’s an opportunity to further align participation with representation on the sidelines.

The next step is ensuring women are equally visible and supported in:

• Coaching roles
• High-performance coaching environments
• Clear Coaching Pathways and Education Programming
• Decision-making spaces on teams
• Decision-making spaces behind the scenes

Because right now, if we look back at the last major tournament for the women’s side of the sport of hockey, 2 of the 12 head coaches were women. The information regarding assistant coaches was less robust – but the Netherlands won gold behind two men in leadership. The US was actually one of the better governing bodies with clear appointments – it’s easy to find Tracy Fuchs and Maddie Hinch listed as assistant and specialist coaches under David Passmore. Other governing bodies? MUCH more difficult to find information (to the point that I literally have none).

This is a moment for women coaches, and we as members of the NFHCA and USA Field Hockey Coaching Membership, need to push for this adoption within our own sport governing body.

Learning From the Moment

What FIFA has introduced is one model—one that combines:

• Clear expectations
• Intentional investment
• Long-term development pathways
• Signaling that women coaches are valuable & important

It’s not about replicating it exactly.

But there’s value in asking:

What could this look like in both domestic and international field hockey?

And how might governing bodies continue to build environments where women are not only participating—but leading?

Moving the Game of Hockey Forward

The FIH and its member associations have already played a significant role in growing the global game. This moment presents a chance to build on that progress.

To continue investing in:

• Female coach development
• Mentorship and education pathways
• Visibility at the highest levels
• Support for coaches with families

Because the future of ALL women’s games isn’t just about who plays.

It’s also about who gets the opportunity to lead.

In Closing

FIFA’s new regulation is a step forward—not just for one sport, but as part of a larger shift in women’s athletics and coaching.

It highlights what’s possible when intention meets action.

And across the global sports landscape, there’s an opportunity to keep that momentum going. Because as women’s sports continue to grow, women in leadership should grow with it—on every sideline, in every system, and at every level.