Jul 19, 2023

Maternity rights for women’s pro soccer players are still evolving

Ira L. Black - Corbis / Getty Images

We are looking at the business stories around women’s soccer this week with the Women's World Cup starting on Thursday. Today the story is what it's like to be a pro player and a mom, and how maternity leave rules have changed.

When USA won the last world cup in 2019, teams in the National soccer Women’s League were only given four weeks maternity. That changed in January 2021… when Soccer’s governing body FIFA brought in a minimum requirement of 14 weeks maternity leave… paying a minimum of two thirds of their contracted salary. Players are also entitled to medical and physical support on their return to work. One of England’s most capped players – and now primetime sports presenters, Alex Scott – has been to see a former colleague who’s benefitted from the improvements.