The Royal Spanish Football Federation has announced an agreement to fund fertility treatments, including egg freezing and in vitro fertilisation, for female football players and referees. According to Reuters, the initiative was unveiled on Tuesday following an agreement with the Tambre clinic, offering sportswomen greater support to manage the demands of professional athletic careers alongside family planning.
Eligibility and Financial Coverage Under the Tambre Agreement
Under the terms of the agreement, which runs through 2029, the federation will cover the full cost of egg-freezing treatments for all international players who have been called up at least twice, according to Reyes Bellver Alonso, director of women’s football at the Royal Spanish Football Federation. The program also provides a range of benefits linked to different fertility treatments for eligible sportswomen. Federation officials stated that the measure aims to ensure players do not feel forced to rule out motherhood due to the constraints of elite athletic schedules.
Player Reactions and Work-Life Balance in Elite Sport
Spain internationals Olga Carmona and Patri Guijarro attended the official announcement to endorse the initiative. Carmona welcomed the agreement as an option that gives players more autonomy in deciding when and how to start a family. Guijarro described the policy as part of a wider effort to improve work-life balance within women’s football, noting that athletes have spent years advocating for structural changes to ensure a professional career does not act as a barrier to motherhood.
Bellver Alonso noted that the initiative builds upon existing maternity safeguards in Spanish football, which include the elimination of anti-pregnancy clauses and rules allowing players to keep their children close during training camps, away matches, and tournaments. Federation representatives emphasized that the new medical support is designed to complement these existing workplace protections rather than discourage active players from having children.
Wider Debate Among Labour and Equality Organizations
The announcement has drawn varied responses from equality organizations and labour groups across Spain. Trade union CCOO argued that the primary focus of sports administration should remain on strengthening workplace protections and safeguarding pregnancy rights during active competition. Meanwhile, Olympic bronze medallist and triple jumper Ana Peleteiro criticized the measure on social media, describing the policy in a video post as deeply sexist.
Related reading