FIFA, the world football governing body, has approved 14 weeks maternity leave for women players.
The new development, which was proposed in November, was given approval by the FIFA council on Friday.
According to the council, a player’s club will be “obliged to reintegrate her after returning from maternity leave” and as well provide adequate medical support.
In a video shared on the governing body’s Twitter page, Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, said the landmark measures are meant to protect women footballers.
“The players are the protagonist of the game, they are the most important part of the game and we have to make sure that we set the stage for them to shine,” he said.
“When it comes to female players, we should bring more stability to their careers. For example, if they need to take a maternity leave, then they don’t have to worry.
“If we are serious about boosting the women’s game, we have to look at all these aspects.”
The mandatory 14-week maternity leave would see players guaranteed a minimum of two-thirds of their salary by their clubs.
The new rules will be added to FIFA’s regulations on the status and transfer of players and will be enforced worldwide.
