Spanish women’s national team players will have access to a range of reproductive health services, including egg freezing and in vitro fertilization, under a new agreement announced Tuesday by the Spanish Football Federation.
The agreement, which runs through 2029, is part of the federation’s broader effort to improve work-life balance and support the personal and professional needs of its players.
“It is an innovative agreement (for a federation) at a global level,” RFEF president Rafael Louzan said.
Louzan said the initiative grew out of discussions with members of the national team and represents another step in the federation’s efforts to strengthen support for women’s players.
The RFEF has undertaken a series of reforms in recent years following a prolonged period of strained relations with the women’s national team.
The agreement will provide players with information about assisted reproduction and access to services including fertility treatments, egg freezing and IVF.
The federation said the initiative is designed to give international players greater flexibility when making decisions about their careers and reproductive health.
The agreement retroactively covers players called up for at least two matches with La Roja since April 2025, as well as referees, RFEF employees and women’s futsal internationals.
The RFEF will cover the cost of egg freezing for eligible players, initially providing for the eggs to be preserved for five years.
The goal of the agreement is that “during the athletes’ most fertile years, they are protected, have access to information, and we can meet their needs,” said Reyes Bellver, the RFEF’s director of women’s football.
The agreement was presented Tuesday in the presence of Spain internationals Patri Guijarro and Olga Carmona.
“It’s a very important step for us,” Carmona said. She scored the winning goal in Spain’s 2023 Women’s World Cup final victory over England.
For Guijarro, the agreement is important because “athletes don’t have to choose between their personal life and their sporting life.”
The agreement has drawn some criticism, with opponents arguing that greater emphasis should be placed on measures that allow athletes to become mothers when they choose, rather than relying on assisted reproduction.
The RFEF’s initiative follows similar moves by some clubs, including English club Chelsea.
Spanish women’s national team players had been at odds with the RFEF for years over their treatment and working conditions, with tensions coming to a head after the team’s World Cup final victory in August 2023.
Disgraced former RFEF president Luis Rubiales kissed striker Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent during the trophy ceremony after Spain won the title.
Rubiales resigned in September 2023 after FIFA suspended him amid worldwide outrage, while the players demanded extensive changes within the federation.
