Suzanne Huurman, the only female head of the medical staff at the FIFA World Cup 2026

Suzanne Huurman is the only woman appointed as the head of a team's medical staff at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — and only the third woman in the tournament's nearly 100-year history.

Huurman is responsible for the medical aspect of the Curacao team, which is also recognized as the smallest team in World Cup history in terms of population and size. When FIFA informed her that she was the only woman with such a role in the tournament, she did not hesitate to accept.

In an interview with the BBC, Huurman said that she didn't immediately notice being alone because she was used to being one of only a few women in a room. "All'inizio non ci ho fatto caso perché è normale essere l'unica donna, o una delle poche nella stanza," she said, adding that she hopes to see more women in the future because there are many who deserve it.

She was not afraid to work in a predominantly male environment. He said, when you show the ability and quality of your work, it's easier to accept you because what matters is the result and professionalism. However, Huurman also admits that it's not easy to break into this field: some say it's impossible for women to work in a male-dominated environment.

Huurman studied medicine in the Netherlands, where her college batch consisted of 70–75% women. But when she entered the discipline of sports medicine, she noticed that the percentage of women dropped to 20–30%. From there the presence of women decreases even more until she reaches the World Cup 2026: out of 48 teams in this tournament, 47 have a male head of medical staff — she is the only woman in this position.

Huurman's action is considered historic and serves as a challenge for more representation of women in sports medicine and the wider world of football. While her role is celebrated, it remains clear that there is still a long way to go for equal representation on the international stage.

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