FIFA demands female coaches for Super Falcons, Falconets and other women’s teams

World football’s governing body, FIFA, has introduced a new regulation requiring all women’s teams participating in its competitions to include at least one female coach in their technical team.

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According to the directive, teams must appoint a head coach or an assistant coach. In addition, during matches there must be a minimum of two female referees present on the bench.

The policy, which comes into effect immediately, will be implemented in upcoming tournaments, including the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland and the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.

It applies to both youth and senior competitions, and covers national and club teams such as the Nigerian Super Falcons.

The decision was approved during a FIFA Council meeting held on March 19, 2026, as part of efforts to boost female representation in coaching and leadership roles within women’s football.

FIFA football director Jill Ellis said the move is necessary to address the imbalance in coaching positions.

“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 of women in our sector,” Ellis said.

Despite the rapid growth of women’s football globally, coaching roles remain largely dominated by men. At the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, only 12 of the 32 participating teams were led by female coaches.

FIFA noted that the new rule is part of a broader long-term strategy that includes investment in coaching education and professional development programs aimed at empowering more women to take on technical roles.

The governing body hopes the initiative will significantly increase the number of female coaches for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.