As a fan and coach, I’ve seen several soccer games on the men’s side, and I can’t remember seeing a female assistant coach, talk more, a female head coach.
To be honest, female coaches managing teams are still an oddity and a cause for celebration.
But does that mean female coaches can’t coach men’s soccer? Not at all.
There are no official rules prohibiting women from coaching men’s teams at any level of the sport.
This is not a straightforward scenario, however, the reality is mired in history, bias, culture, and systemic barriers that have normalized and entrenched exclusions against women in the soccer coaching pipeline.
Are Women Legally Allowed to Coach Men’s Soccer?
From a regulatory perspective, there is no governing body in soccer — not FIFA, not UEFA, not CONCACAF, not national associations — that has a rule against women coaching men.
Women can attain the same coaching licenses, receive the same training, and apply for the same jobs as men.
But the statistics reveal a different reality. If you see men coaching women’s teams at the highest levels, the reverse is much less common. Why is that?
Historical and Cultural Barriers
To get a sense of the current landscape, you need to look at history. Soccer has always been a male-dominated sport. For decades women weren’t even permitted to play professionally in many nations, much less take a coaching role at an elite level.
In the early 20th century, England’s Football Association (FA) infamously banned women’s soccer from the official fields, declaring it “unsuitable for females.”
Though that ban was lifted in 1971, the sport had already built a strong association with masculinity. So many other countries, too, stuck to those same patterns, keeping women’s soccer at best an afterthought for years.
This long history of marginalization created conditions under which women were seldom seen as candidates for the highest levels of governance of the sport.
Male players, executives, and even fans grew up without seeing women in authoritative roles on the sideline, one of many factors that led to the view that coaching men’s teams was not a place for women.
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Challenges Women Face in Coaching Men’s Soccer
Even though there are no official barriers, women seeking to coach men’s teams face several significant challenges:
Gender Bias and Stereotypes
Many people still associate leadership in sports with men. There’s this ongoing notion that men are born to know the game better or that male players won’t take kindly to female coaches.
This bias is not about merit — it’s about tradition and outdated gender roles.
Lack of Opportunities and Representation
Without many role models or predecessors, women seeking out men’s teams often have little chance at the door.
If clubs and national teams have become accustomed to employing men, they will be less inclined to hire a woman for the job unless she has a stellar résumé, which is difficult to assemble without having the chance to begin with.
Resistance from Players and Fans
A woman stepping into a men’s locker room as a head coach often faces resistance, sometimes from the players themselves.
While some male players are open to female leadership, others may question her authority purely because of her gender.
Fans can also be brutal. Women coaches in male-dominated spaces have encountered misogynistic comments, abuse on social media, and increased scrutiny that their male peers have not known.
If a male coach fails, it’s often treated as an individual matter. When a female coach fails,it can be framed as proof that women “don’t belong” in men’s soccer.
Fewer Networking Opportunities
Networking is a big part of many industries, coaching included. Coaching jobs, particularly at the professional level, are often filled based on connections and previous relationships, not open applications.
Women have historically not held sway in those circles, they are hampered in being able to establish the kinds of relationships that lead to getting top-tier coaching jobs in men’s soccer.
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Women Who Have Broken the Barriers
Despite these obstacles, trailblazing women have had productive spells coaching men’s teams. There are a few noteworthy names:
- Corinne Diacre — Diacre was the first woman to coach a men’s professional team in France when she took charge of Clermont Foot in Ligue 2 in 2014. She served in that role for three seasons before taking a position coaching the French women’s national team.
- Helena Costa – Also hired by Clermont Foot, Costa was about to become the first woman to coach a professional men’s team in France before resignation after internal disputes.
- Renate Blindheim — In 2020, Blindheim became the first woman to coach a professional men’s team in Norway when she took the reins at Sotra SK.
- Briana Scurry and Jill Ellis — They may not have coached professional men’s teams, but they have shaped coaching development and opened the door for women coaches to follow in soccer.
Progress and Changing Perceptions
That is slowly shifting. More women are seeking high-level coaching licenses, and governing bodies are actively promoting diversity in their coaching departments.
FIFA and UEFA, for example, introduced initiatives that support women in coaching by offering mentorship programs, training courses, and funding for women to develop their coaching careers.
Some clubs and national teams have also started bringing women on as assistants to men’s teams, a slowly changing attitude.
Moreover, expectations for leadership are changing in society.
Younger generations are used to women holding powerful positions in many different fields, which could encourage an easier acceptance of females coaching in men’s soccer down the line.
SEE ALSO | When Do College Soccer Coaches Stop Recruiting
What Needs to Change?
For real progress to be made, several things must happen:
- More Opportunities for Women at Lower Levels – Women must be given opportunities to coach boys’ teams and lower-division men’s teams to tackle the pipeline issue. This would allow for building experience and credibility.
- More Inclusive Coaching Education ‑ Coaching courses must actively recruit and support women, ensuring they aren’t just there, they’re thriving.
- Cultural and Institutional Support – That means clubs and national associations should actively resist bias and advocate for hiring based on people’s merits and not the culture of positions.
- Increased Media Coverage – The more that stories about female coaches in men’s soccer are spotlighted and celebrated, the more normal it will become for the fans, players and executives of these men’s teams to see women in these roles.
The Future of Women Coaching Men’s Soccer
The road is far from over, but the outlook is bright.
Having more success stories means more doors will open for aspiring female coaches. As walls keep teetering down and opinions keep evolving, it is only a matter of time before the concept of women coaching men’s soccer becomes less an outlier and more a norm.
So, are women allowed to coach men’s soccer? Absolutely.
The real question is: How long will it take for the world of soccer to fully embrace them? Change is coming, and when it does, the sport will be better for it.
