Spain’s FA to fund IVF, egg freezing for female football players, referees

The Royal Spanish Football Federation has launched a fertility support programme for female footballers and referees, providing treatments such as in-vitro fertilisation and egg freezing. The initiative, announced on Tuesday in partnership with Tambre clinic, aims to offer women in elite football greater flexibility in their decision to become mothers.

Spain's international players Olga Carmona and Patri Guijarro attended the announcement and expressed their support for the move. Carmona and Guijarro emphasized the importance of balancing professional careers with motherhood. The federation will cover the entire cost of egg-freezing treatment for all international players who have been called up at least twice, with the programme set to run until 2029.

The decision to introduce the programme was not meant to discourage players from having children while still competing but rather to provide an additional option for those who might otherwise need to delay motherhood due to their sports careers. The RFEF also highlighted existing measures to support footballers who become mothers, such as allowing players to have their children accompany them during away trips, training camps, and tournaments.

However, some labour and equality groups in Spain have criticized the announcement, arguing that fertility treatment should not replace stronger workplace protections for pregnant athletes and mothers.