FIFA's landmark policy mandating female coaches in international tournaments and club competitions has placed the Women's Super League (WSL) under scrutiny. Only three of the WSL's ten teams currently meet the requirement for at least one female coach on the bench at matches, according to BBC research. Just a third of WSL managers are women, with two clubs lacking any female head coach or assistant. Three teams would comply with Fifa's rules, highlighting the league's current shortfall.

The WSL and the Football Association (FA) acknowledge growing female coaching representation is a priority but emphasize a 'thoughtful approach', pointing to established initiatives like the Coaching Initiative and mentoring programmes designed to improve access for women. Sonia Bompastor (Arsenal) and Renee Slegers (Arsenal) stress the need for adequate development pathways to ensure qualified female candidates emerge, cautioning against fast-tracking players into prominent roles without sufficient experience. The policy, effective for the 2024 Women's World Cup and Champions Cup, aims to rapidly increase female representation in coaching, building on progress seen since 2018. Coaches consistently call for adequate provision to support player-to-coach transitions, with Ellie Roebuck (Aston Villa) affirming that the coach's gender doesn't inherently alter player relationships, though the focus remains on identifying the best-qualified individuals regardless of gender.