Fifa Expands Maternity Protocols for Players and Coaches

Fifa has made changes to further protect female footballers and coaches during and after pregnancy, as well as in non-biological motherhood.

It includes the addition of a minimum of 14 weeks paid maternity leave for coaches, having previously been in place for just players.

If choosing to adopt, players and coaches will be granted a period of leave that ranges dependent on their child’s age, while family leave is available for parents who are not the biological mother.

There are changes to player registration, allowing clubs to sign players outside of a transfer window if a squad member has taken maternity, adoption or family leave.

Players will also be entitled to request absence from training or matches because of menstrual health reasons, while still receiving full pay.

The changes from football’s world governing body will come into place from June 1 and was approved by the Fifa council in May.