Spain women footballers offered egg freezing by RFEF

Spanish women's football internationals will be offered reproductive health services including egg freezing and in vitro fertilisation under an agreement announced on Tuesday by the Spanish Football Federation.

The RFEF said the deal runs until 2029 and applies retroactively from April last year. It covers players who have been called up for at least two matches with Spain's women's national team, as well as women's futsal internationals, referees and RFEF employees.

The federation will cover the cost of egg freezing for players, initially including five years of egg preservation.

RFEF president Rafael Louzan called the deal innovative for a federation at a global level. Reyes Bellver, the federation's director of women's football, said the aim was to protect athletes during their most fertile years and give them access to information.

Spain internationals Patri Guijarro and Olga Carmona attended the presentation. Carmona called it a very important step, while Guijarro said the deal was important so athletes did not have to choose between personal life and sporting life.

The federation has sought reforms after years of strained relations with the women's national team, including the fallout from former RFEF president Luis Rubiales kissing striker Jenni Hermoso without her consent after Spain won the 2023 World Cup.