One woman among 47 men: that is the reality of the gender split among heads of medical staff at the 2026 World Cup. Dr Suzanne Huurman, Curacao's head of medical staff, is only the third female doctor to serve in that role across the 96-year history of the tournament.

Curacao — the Caribbean island of approximately 158,000 people and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands — is the smallest-ever team by population and size to reach a World Cup. They qualified unbeaten, recording seven wins and three draws.

When FIFA informed Dr Huurman she was the sole female head of medical staff at the 2026 edition, she was largely unsurprised. "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," she said. "But I hope to see more women soon because there are a lot more women out there who are capable."

A trailblazing history

Dr Huurman joins a short but significant lineage. Dr Celeste Geertsema became the first female team doctor at a men's World Cup when she worked with New Zealand at the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Dr Silja Schwarz has served as team doctor for Germany's men's side since 2023.

Brazil-born Dr Huurman brings considerable experience to the role, having previously worked with Real Madrid, Go Ahead Eagles, and PSV Eindhoven, and served as medical lead for the Netherlands Under-16 boys' team as well as doctor for the Dutch women's handball team.

Breaking into a male-dominated environment

The Curacao delegation travels with 49 people — players and staff — and Dr Huurman is the only woman among them. She describes the challenge of gaining acceptance in a male-dominated field with characteristic directness.

"If you show them you're capable and you're good at what you do, then it's easy that they accept you," she said. "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 — how can women work in a male environment?"

Dr Huurman studied medicine in the Netherlands from 2008 in a cohort that was roughly 70–75 percent female. When she completed her sports medicine specialisation in 2014, that ratio reversed sharply, with women making up only 20–30 percent of the intake.

The 'always-on' culture as a barrier

Asked why female doctors remain underrepresented in football, Dr Huurman pointed to the demands of the lifestyle rather than questions of competence. "It's the travel, the lifestyle which can affect your personal life," she said. "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."

She suggested that flexible or rotating systems — similar to a model used in Sweden where different doctors cover on a weekly basis — could make elite sport more accessible to female medical professionals, even if such arrangements remain uncommon in the game.

A historic moment at the 2026 World Cup

During the group-stage match between Curacao and Germany, the medical team on the touchline made history: for the first time in men's World Cup history, all five medical staff present were women. Dr Huurman was joined by FIFA match doctor Dr Emma Lunan, Germany team doctor Dr Silja Schwarz, emergency medicine doctor Dr Carrie Bakunas, and injury spotter Dr Kerry Peek.

Dr Lunan said: "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."

FIFA also introduced new regulations for women's tournaments in 2026, requiring at least one female medical staff member and at least one female coach per squad.

Curacao's World Cup campaign

On the pitch, Curacao made their own history last Sunday, scoring their first-ever World Cup goal against Germany in Houston. The result, however, was a 7-1 defeat to the four-time world champions. Curacao still have group games remaining against Ecuador and Ivory Coast, and Dr Huurman says the squad is staying positive.

"We are optimistic for our next two games," she said. "They're happy, they're focused. I saw Spain drew 0-0 with Cape Verde, so you never know."