Launching the Female Health and Performance Project
Historically, female match officials taking maternity leave harboured genuine fears of losing their hard-earned places on the international stage. The physical toll of childbirth, combined with the rigorous fitness demands of elite football, often forced women to time their pregnancies around major tournament cycles.
To combat this, world football's governing body launched the Female Health and Performance Project in 2026. The initiative reinforces existing structures by offering comprehensive, tailored support throughout a referee's pregnancy and postpartum journey. Officials now benefit from modified training programmes, nutritional monitoring, and routine well-being check-ins with technical and physical performance staff.
Crucially, the programme ensures expectant mothers maintain their status on the active international refereeing list. Following childbirth, officials are provided with a structured return-to-play timeline, alongside dedicated support for their sleep and feeding choices. The physical rehabilitation adjusts gradually from gentle mobility and pelvic floor function through to aerobic fitness, ensuring officials achieve match readiness without facing premature pressure.
Eliminating the pressure of a premature return
For Mauritian official Queency Victoire, the reality of stepping away to have her first child in 2020 brought immediate anxiety about her career prospects. However, FIFA's revamped approach alleviated those fears, allowing her to officiate at the 2023 Women's World Cup before welcoming a second child and subsequently taking the flag at the 2026 U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
"As a woman, you are scared of coming back. You’re not sure how it’s going to go, what’s going to happen," Victoire explained, noting that she was encouraged to return strictly on her own timeline. "We’re asked how things are going and so on, so in my opinion, the support we’ve had from FIFA has really helped us. Mentally, psychologically, and physically, everything really helps us as female referees."
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Canadian referee Myriam Marcotte experienced a similar boost in professional confidence when she was invited to a prestigious Concacaf elite seminar in Costa Rica in February 2025 while seven months pregnant. She successfully returned to the pitch to officiate at the 2026 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
"The fact that I was so quickly involved in that seminar felt to me like, ‘Okay, I still have my chance. I can still continue the process,’" Marcotte said. "To know that you are not going to be replaced while you are away for a certain amount of time, knowing that people still care about you and invite you to competitions or events even though you’re pregnant."
Building a family-friendly tournament environment
The initiative extends far beyond physical rehabilitation, addressing the logistical hurdles of travelling to major tournaments as a parent. FIFA Head of Women's Refereeing Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb has championed a family-first approach, guaranteeing officials the option to bring an accompanying support person to international events alongside family-friendly travel and accommodation.
"We understand that every pregnancy journey is different and in all cases we aim to give them peace of mind," Steinhaus-Webb stated. She also highlighted the profound impact of having families integrated into the refereeing camp. "The kids being around at the events bring a real positive vibe to the group. Their smiles are infectious and they are vital for the social bonding that goes so much more easily through their eyes."
Australian official Lara Lee, who gave birth to her daughter two years ago and recently refereed at the 2026 U-17 Women's World Cup, believes this shift is transformational for the workforce. "Potentially people will have babies when it’s right for them, rather than the right timing for the international break that you need between World Cup cycles," Lee noted. "In doing that, that may risk maybe never having a child. So, I think that it’s really important that being really open gives you more opportunities."
Eyes on the prize in South America
With the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil rapidly approaching, the focus now shifts to ensuring these progressive policies translate to the sport's biggest stage. Victoire, Marcotte, and Lee are all actively pushing to secure their spots on the final refereeing roster for the South American showpiece.
For those who make the final cut, FIFA has already confirmed that dedicated in-stadium pumping facilities and quiet rooms for nursing mothers will be standard issue throughout the 2027 tournament. Ultimately, by removing the ultimatum between family and elite football, the governing body is ensuring that the global game retains its most talented officials at the absolute peak of their careers.