In a groundbreaking move that sets a new standard in European football, AC Milan has introduced a maternity policy designed to protect and support its female players and staff. This initiative guarantees automatic contract renewals for female players who become pregnant during the final season of their contracts, a first among Europe’s elite football clubs.
The policy goes beyond the existing regulations, offering a suite of protections aimed at ensuring that female athletes can pursue both their professional careers and personal life choices without compromise. According to the 2017 FIFPRO Global Employment Report, only 2% of female footballers across four continents had children, with 47% indicating that they would leave the sport to start a family. AC Milan’s new policy directly addresses this concern, providing a supportive environment where players can continue their careers even as they embark on motherhood.
The club’s policy guarantees a one-year contract extension on the same economic terms for players whose contracts are set to expire during the season in which they become pregnant. Additionally, AC Milan will offer assistance with childcare during sports activities and cover travel expenses, including flights and accommodation, for the player’s child and one companion. This comprehensive support package ensures that players can focus on their game without the added stress of balancing their professional and personal responsibilities.
Players will continue to benefit from existing protections related to pregnancy, including mandatory remuneration and a guaranteed return to activity, as stipulated by FIFA guidelines and other relevant regulations. AC Milan is also committed to providing its players with access to professionals in the fields of psychology, physiotherapy, and nutrition, with the option to involve external experts as needed.
The development of this policy was a collaborative effort, with input from players on both the First Team and the Primavera Team. AC Milan’s psycho-pedagogical team led the process through meetings, interviews, and surveys, ensuring that the policy was shaped by the needs and experiences of the players themselves. This spirit of inclusivity will continue as the club refines its offerings, striving to create an ever more supportive and inclusive environment for its players and staff.
Giorgio Furlani, CEO of AC Milan, expressed pride in the club’s forward-thinking approach: "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."
Elisabet Spina, Head of Women’s Football at AC Milan, added: "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. We further demonstrated it through the #WeAllAreFootball manifesto to mitigate gender conflict, which led to the definition of principles, initiatives, and concrete interventions on the Club’s infrastructure. We are now about to start a new season in which we will work to achieve important goals, both on and off the field: we are excited to approach it by introducing our innovative policy."
This policy represents a significant step forward in the ongoing push for maternity rights in women’s sports, a movement that has gained momentum in recent years. FIFA’s introduction of new maternity standards in May and similar initiatives by other sports organisations have highlighted the need for greater protections for female athletes. AC Milan’s policy not only aligns with these global efforts but also sets a new benchmark for how elite football clubs can support their players in balancing their professional ambitions with their personal lives.
With this bold move, AC Milan is not just following the trend but leading it, demonstrating that football can indeed be an inclusive environment where players are free to make important life decisions without fear of losing their careers.
