Women's soccer: US shows up Europe on maternity care

Women's football has been on a remarkable upward trend over the last decade, with significant steps taken towards growth, professionalization and equality.

Domestic and national teams are evolving their support staff to develop a better understanding of the female body to enable players to play to their peak.

Yet adequate care and support have often been lacking for players who wished to have children before, during and after pregnancy. There are strong disparities in available remuneration and support for athletes driven by which country and league they play in.

European clubs continue to lag far behind what teams in the United States offer in maternity pay and care, but recent developments, such as a comprehensive guide by FIFPRO, the global union for professional footballers, for players and clubs on pregnancy has spelled out what they believe is required.

"There are practical things that we need to normalize, especially in Europe, for us as players to feel good about just playing," former Lyon and Juventus midfielder Sara Björk Gunnarsdottir explained to DW during an X Spaces discussion. 

"We can be comfortable on the pitch and be able to focus 100% when we're at training, knowing things have been taken care of.

"Normalizing a player having a child and a family is just not there yet, as we are just doing our first steps now in Europe."

Gunnarsdottir landmark lawsuit victory forced change

The importance of formalizing maternity rights in women's football in Europe came to the fore when Gunnarsdottir sued Lyon in 2022.

The French club, one of the best in Europe, stopped paying the Icelandic midfielder's salary when she became pregnant in 2021. FIFA's dispute resolution chamber heard the lawsuit and ruled in favor of Gunnarsdottir in January 2023, ordering the club to pay her the full amount owed.

FIFA introduced maternity rules for female players as far back as 2021, but clubs have continued to pay players according to local state or country laws, which are often contradictory. Gunnarsdottir's case highlighted the lack of clear European policies and protections for pregnant players.

"In Europe, we are still not really there when it comes to maternity," Gunnarsdottir said. "Obviously, my case in Lyon was not ideal and there was no support from the club in that way.

"Clubs are becoming more open to normalizing it, and they are willing to help and get all the information they need to best help a player, but still, I feel as players we need to push for things instead of things being in order before we return, and that's stressful."

FIFPRO act to protect players’ futures

Gunnarsdottir , alongside United States defender Crystal Dunn, former Germany goalkeeper Almuth Schult and former Jamaica international Cheyna Matthews, formed a FIFPRO taskforce alongside four leading medical experts in women’s football.

They produced a 45-page guide for players, clubs and national teams working on how to best manage pregnancy before taking maternity leave (prepartum), what to expect after childbirth (postpartum), and how to best prepare for their return to football, which was released in August 2024. 

Schult, a mother of three who struggled to return to football following her pregnancies, welcomed the advice for future mothers.

"The first thing a club needs is not to say: 'We will go to that topic if we have a pregnant woman,' because then it's too late," she said. "They should be aware of this topic before: it means they’re a professional club, that they're thinking about what help they can provide, and that mothers feel like they’re welcome."

"These guidelines are so important to try to ease the pressure on players," Gunnarsdottir added. "If I put myself in a player’s position right now after this guide is coming out, I would feel more at ease and more confident about getting pregnant or wanting to get pregnant."

How the NWSL in the US is leading the way

In contrast to Europe, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States has had a relatively progressive standard for maternity pay and pregnancy care since 2022. 

Under the NWSL Collective Bargaining Agreement, players are entitled to six months of fully paid maternity leave, which includes medical coverage and continued access to team facilities and resources. 

The agreement also provides guaranteed job security, meaning players are not at risk of losing their contracts due to pregnancy or maternity leave.

In contrast, there is no consistent or legally binding framework for maternity pay in many European leagues, leaving players dependent on individual club policies or national labor laws. 

"In the US, you have a league that's fully independent," Dr. Alex Culvin, FIFPRO Director of Policy and Strategic Relations for Women's Football, explained. "Clubs and unions in the US can, therefore, develop policies that are very focused on women's needs.

"In Europe, where women's teams are integrated into the men's clubs, historically, men are in positions of power and make decisions that are usually based on the needs and the league their male players play in.

"This is where we see the difference between the US and the kind of innovative gender-specific policies that they're able to develop, and Europe, which is very slow and stagnant in catching up to develop these player-centered or gender-specific policies for women players."

AC Milan a model for European clubs to follow

Change is happening, albeit slowly, in Europe. In August 2024, AC Milan, one of Italy's most prominent football clubs, announced large alterations to its maternity and pregnancy care policies.

Milan now provide comprehensive support for pregnant players, including paid maternity leave, medical coverage, and the option for remote or modified training sessions to accommodate the player’s health and needs.

Culvin admitted that FIFPRO's guidelines are not enforceable but she is hopeful FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players will take the guide onboard and continue progressing, to be as inclusive and holistic as possible, enabling female players across the globe to have equal access to maternity care.

Edited by: Matt Pearson