**FIFA Mandates Female Coaches in Women's Teams Globally** The world football governing body, FIFA, has announced a new directive that requires the compulsory inclusion of female coaches and officials in all women's teams participating in its competitions. The decision, made after a FIFA Council meeting on Thursday, will take effect across all FIFA women's competitions going forward. According to FIFA, the new regulation aims to promote gender equality and reflect the investments being made by the organization across the game. "To promote gender equality and to reflect the investments being made by FIFA across the game, all FIFA's women's competitions going forward will include the regulatory requirement that the head coach and/or at least one of the assistant coaches, as well as one member of the team's medical staff and two of the officials on the team bench, be female," FIFA stated. Nigeria's women's national teams are not expected to be immediately affected by the new directive, despite currently being led by male coaches. The Super Falcons, Flamingos (U-17), and Falconets (U-20) teams are led by Justin Madugu, Bankole Olowookere, and Moses Aduku, respectively. However, these teams have female assistants as required by FIFA in the new directive. Historically, female representation in coaching the Super Falcons has been limited. Since the team's inception, only two women – Uche Eucharia and Florence Omagbemi – have officially managed Nigeria's senior women's national team. Omagbemi's tenure ended in December 2016, and since then, male coaches have consistently occupied the top role. However, female coaches have been selected as assistants at different times. FIFA's decision reflects a growing global emphasis on inclusion and gender balance within football structures, particularly in the women's game, where investments have increased significantly in recent years. The governing body believes the move will not only create opportunities for female professionals but also ensure that women's football is shaped by those directly connected to the game. In addition to coaching reforms, the FIFA Council has approved several measures aimed at strengthening women's football and safeguarding standards globally. The council has confirmed that hosts for the 2031 and 2035 editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup will be decided at an Extraordinary Congress scheduled before the end of 2026. The bidding process is currently ongoing, with Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, and the United States involved in a joint bid for 2031, while England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales are bidding for the 2035 edition. The 2031 tournament will mark a historic expansion, becoming the first FIFA Women's World Cup to feature 48 teams. FIFA has also approved a new Safeguarding Policy aimed at ensuring a football environment free from harassment and abuse.