WSL: What is the maternity leave policy in women's football?

Kristie Mewis of West Ham United runs with the ball during the Barclays Women´s Super League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at Chigwell Construction Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Dagenham, England.

WSL maternity leave was updated in 2022 when the Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association agreed new regulations.

The policy has also been updated to include coaches in May 2024.

It says that players and coaches are entitled to 14 weeks maternity leave fully paid with statutory pay in place after that point.

WSL maternity leave: How long do stars play while pregnant?

Hannah Blundell had a gender reveal at United training (Image credit: Charlotte Tattersall - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Maternity pay in England's top-flight is also not conditional on how long they have been playing for the club.

In previous policies only players who had been at a club for 26 weeks would be granted maternity leave but that is not in the latest policy.

Katrina Gorry's children have visited her mum at the club (Image credit: Paul Harding - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

There are multiple examples of WSL players having children recently and returning to football. West Ham's Katrina Gorry has two children, as does Hammers' Dagny Brynjarsdottir.

West Ham's Kristie Mews announced her pregnancy with Chelsea's Sam Kerr on Monday.

Arsenal's Amanda Ilestedt is currently on maternity leave and Manchester United's Hannah Blundell has announced her pregnancy.

How long a player competes while playing is decided on a case-by-case basis between the player, club and medical professionals.

USWNT star Alex Morgan recently played her final game of football while pregnant. Morgan also trained throughout her first pregnancy. West Ham have not disclosed Mewis' plans throughout her pregnancy and in FourFourTwo's view, the information won't be shared unless the US international wants it to be public knowledge.

Mewis' contract with the Hammers runs until June 2025 and automatic contract renewals are not currently a part of the WSL policy.

However, clubs cannot cancel a contract based on pregnancy. But it is also true that there would be no breach if Mewis' contract expires during her pregnancy and there is no renewal.

AC Milan have just introduced a club policy that automatically renews a player's contract by a year if their deal is due to end during the season their pregnancy started.

Also, Kerr will be entitled to eight weeks paid absence. Mothers who do not carry the child in same-sex relationships are entitled to the leave but must take it in the first six months of the birth.

Kerr is currently sidelined with an ACL injury with no timeline for her return.