KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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For the first time, FIFA is mandating female representation on women’s national team coaching staffs. A new policy requires national teams to include at least one woman on their coaching staff, who must be present at international matches.
FIFA says this change will expand opportunities and increase the visibility for women on the sidelines. Local coaches think it’s about time.
I cover Johnson County and have worked with Surf KC soccer club on other stories. One of their coaches flagged the new rule to me.
“You really had as a woman had to like overprove yourself just because it was male dominated,” said Leigh Ann Brown, Surf KC soccer coach. “The change is great and now it's going to happen even sooner, and I think critics will say like ‘Oh well these women need to be qualified,’ there are qualified women ready to go.”
Coaching in women’s soccer is largely male dominated, even at the highest levels. In the 2023 Women’s World Cup, FIFA reported that only 12 of 32 head coaches were women.
Brown says young girls already look up to professional players, but now, they’ll have new role models on the sidelines too.
“Little girls want to be like the players that they're watching, and now they can see those coaches and say, ‘Well, I want to do that. I want to lead. I want to teach. I want to coach," said Brown.
Brown hopes this rule sends a message to leagues everywhere. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is coming up in 2027 in Brazil. Viewers will see more female coach representation on the biggest stage in soccer.
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