Meet Dr Suzanne Huurman, the only female head of medical staff at FIFA World Cup 2026
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Meet Dr Suzanne Huurman, the only female head of medical staff at FIFA World Cup 2026")
Suzanne Huurman Photograph: (Others)
Dr Suzanne Huurman becomes the only female head of medical staff at the 2026 Men's FIFA World Cup, breaking barriers in football
Dr Suzanne Huurman has made history as the only female head of medical staff among the 48 teams competing at the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup. Representing Curaçao, Dr Huurman is just the third female team doctor to serve a men's national team at the tournament in its 96-year history. Before her, Dr Celeste Geertsema became the first female doctor for a men's World Cup team with New Zealand in 2010, while Dr Silja Schwarz has worked with Germany's men's national team since 2023.
When FIFA informed Dr Huurman that she was the only female head of medical staff at the 2026 World Cup, she initially saw nothing unusual about it. "I didn't realise in the beginning because it's so normal to be the only, or one of the few, women in the room. “But I hope to see more women soon because there are a lot more women out there who are capable.” Dr Huurman, who was born in Brazil, has built an impressive career in sports medicine. She has worked with Real Madrid, Go Ahead Eagles, PSV Eindhoven, the Netherlands Under-16 boys' team, and the Dutch women's handball team.
Curacao, a Caribbean island with a population of around 158,000, secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup without losing a match, recording seven wins and three draws. Despite operating in a male-dominated environment, Dr Huurman says she focuses on proving her abilities through her work. "If you show them you're capable and you're good at what you do, then it's easy that they accept you because it's about quality and performing. If they see you're capable and you have the same goals, it's straightforward," she was quoted as saying in an interview.
"But you have to prove yourself. It's hard to get in because in the beginning you always have a lot of people that say no, this cannot be possible. How can women work in a male environment? "With Curacao, the whole federation was completely male - no females, not only in the medical team but anywhere. We travel with 49 people - players and staff. I'm the only woman."
Also Read: Australia Coach Tony Popovic slams referee after Australia’s 2-0 loss to USA at FIFA World Cup 2026
Challenges facing women in sports medicine
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Dr Huurman noted that medicine in general attracts a large number of women, but sports medicine remains heavily male-dominated. "When I studied medicine, it was around 70-75% women and the rest were men. "I did my speciality in sports medicine in 2014 and then it skewed the other way - it was only 20-30% women. So it was in this [sport] speciality that I saw the difference."
She believes the demanding nature of elite sports can discourage female participation. "It's not only your capabilities - if you're a good professional that's one thing, but it's the travel, the lifestyle which can affect your personal life. "If you have a family [or] you're pregnant, you will be out of work for a certain period, and you cannot time it perfectly with a professional football season. There must be someone who can cover. And that's hard as you want to be there for the team. “It's not only in football, but the whole elite sports world, which is demanding 24/7.”
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Suzanne Huurman Photograph: (Others)
FIFA's push for greater representation
To improve diversity in football, FIFA introduced regulations requiring women's tournament teams to include at least one female medical staff member and one female coach. A historic moment occurred during the World Cup match between Curaçao and Germany, when an all-female external medical team was involved. The team included FIFA match doctor Dr Emma Lunan, Curaçao head of medical Dr Suzanne Huurman, Germany team doctor Dr Silja Schwarz, emergency medicine doctor Dr Carrie Bakunas, and injury spotter Dr Kerry Peek.
Dr Emma Lunan highlighted the significance of the occasion. “Hopefully this is a springboard to show that expertise in sports medicine and performance medicine is not dependent on your sex or gender and the opportunities to progress can be based on your competence.” Dr Huurman welcomed FIFA's efforts and reflected on her own experience at Real Madrid.
"When I started with Real Madrid in 2020, I worked with the women's team and after that I switched to the men's. When they started the women's team, all the staff except me were male," she said. She suggested that football could become more accessible by introducing flexible staffing models. "I know countries like Sweden have a rotating system with different doctors, week one, one doctor, week two, a different doctor and so on. This flexible-working approach might suit female doctors better, although elite sport is not used to it yet - they are used to having one permanent doctor with one team."
Offering advice to aspiring female professionals, she encouraged persistence and confidence. "I heard it a million times - you cannot do this because you're a woman - especially in professional football. "But if you prove your quality and you're a good professional, you can do it."
Curacao's World Cup journey
Known as the Blue Wave, Curaçao celebrated a milestone when they scored their first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Germany in Houston. However, Germany responded strongly, securing a 7-1 victory. Despite the setback, the squad remains positive ahead of matches against Ecuador and Ivory Coast. "We are optimistic for our next two games," she added. "They're happy, they're focused. I saw Spain drew 0-0 with Cape Verde, so you never know."
