AC Milan make history as club introduces groundbreaking maternity policy for all female players and staff, becoming first European club to do so

Recent years have seen a growth in the movement for maternity rights in professional women's sports, with new regulations being introduced by sponsors and a number of sports governing bodies, including FIFA. AC Milan announced the introduction of a “series of protections during pregnancy and early childhood that go beyond current regulations” for players and staff at the club.

One of the safeguards the Rossonerre will provide would be an automatic one-year contract extension. If a player's contract is scheduled to end during the season that the pregnancy began, the player will get the same financial terms from the deal. In addition, the team will offer childcare throughout sporting events. This covers the cost of suitable lodging, other travel expenditures, and support for children during flights for the children of the player who carried the pregnancy or who is the only guardian, together with one companion.

Speaking to club media during the announcement of the safeguards, AC Milan CEO, Giorgio Furlani said: "We are proud to present such an important project, which once again demonstrates AC Milan's attention towards relevant matters for all the people of the Rossoneri family. We want this new step to be a further motivation for growth and development for the entire Club, becoming a model to follow, at a national and international level, ensuring that the world of football increasingly becomes an environment where everyone can feel free to make important personal decisions."

Rossonere players will also continue to benefit from pregnancy and return-to-activity provisions outlined in FIFA standards, AIC (Italy's Football Union) collective agreements, and club internal regulations. Additionally, Milan will offer its players the services of experts in the fields of nutrition, physiotherapy, and psycho-pedagogy. Milan also has the right to call in outside specialists when necessary to support their players.