Women's European Championship Marks Historic Milestone for Female Coaches

The Women's European Championship, which will commence on Wednesday in Switzerland, signifies a remarkable achievement for female coaches in the sport. Notable figures such as Pia Sundhage and Sarina Wiegman will be participating, alongside debutant Rhian Wilkinson, underscoring the increasing presence of women in coaching roles. Despite this progress, there remains a slight dominance of male coaches, with nine out of the 16 competing teams being led by men and seven by women.

The participation of female coaches has dramatically risen to 43.75% at Euro 2025, a significant improvement from the mere 18.75% at Euro 2013. This ratio saw an encouraging rise in subsequent years, nearly doubling by 2017 and stabilizing at 37.5% in 2022. The Female Coaching Network recognizes this advancement as a clear indication of gradual progress, although they acknowledge that the journey toward equal representation remains ongoing and challenging.

Interestingly, the success of female coaches hasn't hindered progress. From 2000 to the 2023 Women's World Cup, except for Norio Sasaki’s male-led Japan team in 2011, all major international competitions, including the World Cup, Women's Euros, and the Olympics, were won by teams coached by women. In 2023, Wiegman led England to their inaugural World Cup final, although they were ultimately defeated by Spain.

The championship also reflects changing dynamics within national teams, highlighted by the recent dismissal of Spanish manager Luis Rubiales, who was convicted for misconduct during the World Cup celebration. Among the coaches present, Sundhage stands out with her extensive experience from leading teams in the United States, Sweden, and Brazil. Additionally, Wilkinson, guiding Wales in their first major tournament, along with other debutants like Elisabet Gunnarsdottir and Gemma Grainger, represent a new generation of female coaches gaining momentum.

Despite the progress in women's soccer coaching, last year's Paris Olympics indicated that women still represented only about 13% of all coaches, a figure that remained largely unchanged since the Tokyo 2020 Games. Variations existed among sports, with women's basketball achieving a significant 50% female coaching participation, while fields such as athletics and women's golf lagged behind considerably.