Italy’s powerhouse, AC Milan, claims to be the first club in Europe to ensure contract renewals for players who become pregnant during the final year of their contracts.
The players will also receive support with childcare, as well as coverage for expenses related to their children and a companion.
This initiative aligns with the broader push for better rights for players, following FIFA’s introduction of new standards in May to protect pregnant female footballers.
The Italian Serie A turned professional in the 2022-23 season and is set to expand from 10 teams to 13 for the 2025-26 campaign.
A First In European Football
In a statement published on their official website, the Italian club announced that they will guarantee automatic contract renewals for female players in the event of pregnancy during the final season of their contracts.
This innovative maternity policy for players and staff members ensures a series of protections during pregnancy and early childhood beyond current regulations.
According to the 2017 FIFPRO Global Employment Report, a global study on working conditions in women’s football, only 2% of female players interviewed across four continents had children, and 47% said they would leave football to start a family.
What Does It Include?
With this policy, AC Milan aims to support female players and professionals making up the technical staff during their development journey, not just in their professional growth, by creating an environment that enables them to make significant life choices.
In addition to the protections already provided by current legislation, the Club will also guarantee:
Automatic contract renewal with a one-year extension on the same economic terms for players if their contract is due to expire during the season in which the pregnancy started
Assistance with childcare during sports activities and support for flights, accommodation, and other travel expenses for the children of the player who carried the pregnancy or is the sole guardian, plus one companion.
Rossonere players will also continue to benefit from protections related to pregnancy, mandatory remuneration, and return to activity as stipulated by current rules, especially FIFA guidelines, AIC collective agreements, and the Club’s internal regulations.
AC Milan also announced that it will provide its players with access to professionals in psycho-pedagogical support, physiotherapy, and nutrition, with the option to involve external experts as needed.
To define its policy, AC Milan engaged players from its First Team and Primavera Team in a process led by the club’s psycho-pedagogical area, utilizing meetings, interviews, and surveys.
In this same spirit of sharing, AC Milan will continue to build and shape its offerings to create an increasingly inclusive and safe environment for its players and staff members.
What Did They Say?
Elisabet Spina, Head of Women’s Football at AC Milan, stated: “The Club has always shown great attention to the well-being of its female players and staff members, both professionally and personally. For example, we were the first Italian Club to contribute social security benefits to our players, well before the introduction of professionalism.”
Giorgio Furlani, AC Milan’s CEO, added: “We are proud to present such an important project, which once again demonstrates AC Milan’s attention towards relevant matters for all the people of the Rossoneri family.”
“We want this new step to be a further motivation for growth and development for the entire Club, becoming a model to follow, at a national and international level, ensuring that the world of football increasingly becomes an environment where everyone can feel free to make important personal decisions.”
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