Spanish FA launches fertility support for female players and referees

What the report says

Spain’s Royal Spanish Football Federation has announced a fertility-support agreement aimed at female players and referees, describing it as a new measure to help women in elite football decide if and when they want to become mothers. The deal, reported by Al Jazeera from Reuters, is with the Tambre clinic and covers treatments such as in vitro fertilisation and egg freezing.

The federation said the program is intended for international players who have been called up at least twice, with the RFEF covering the full cost of egg-freezing treatment and offering other benefits tied to different fertility procedures. According to the federation, the agreement will run until 2029. Spain internationals Olga Carmona and Patri Guijarro attended the announcement and said the initiative could help players balance professional careers with family life.

The RFEF framed the measure as part of broader efforts to strengthen maternity protections in women’s football, including the removal of anti-pregnancy clauses and support for players who travel with children. The federation said the goal is not to discourage motherhood during active careers, but to add options for athletes. More broadly, the announcement comes amid wider debate in Spain about whether fertility support is enough without stronger workplace protections for mothers; some labour and equality groups have raised that concern, while Olympic medalist Ana Peleteiro criticized the move on social media.