What Happened to Maternity Leave in Sports?

Historically, female athletes faced significant challenges when starting families, often encountering a lack of formal maternity protections, leading to career interruptions, financial penalties, and even contract terminations. Early policies were largely informal and inconsistent, leaving athletes vulnerable and forcing many to choose between their professional careers and motherhood. This began to change significantly in the late 2010s and early 2020s, fueled by high-profile athletes speaking out and the growing professionalization of women's sports.

A pivotal turning point occurred around 2018-2019, when tennis star Serena Williams' return from maternity leave highlighted issues with seeding and ranking, prompting the WTA and US Open to revise their rules to protect returning players' standings. Concurrently, track and field Olympian Allyson Felix publicly challenged Nike's maternity policies, revealing a proposed 70% pay cut during her pregnancy. Her powerful op-ed in 2019 led to widespread outcry and ultimately forced Nike to change its policy, guaranteeing pay protections for sponsored pregnant athletes. These events galvanized a broader movement for athlete parental rights across various sports.

In the subsequent years, collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) became a primary driver of change. The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) ratified its first-ever CBA in 2022, which included parental leave and salary continuation for pregnant players. This was further expanded in an August 2024 agreement to include broader parental leave and childcare benefits, making the NWSL one of the most progressive leagues in this regard by 2026. Similarly, FIFA introduced groundbreaking mandatory maternity leave regulations in 2021, guaranteeing at least 14 weeks of paid leave at a minimum of two-thirds salary, and explicitly protecting players from dismissal due to pregnancy. These rules were further strengthened in June 2024 to include adoptive parents, non-biological mothers, and provisions for menstrual health leave. A landmark Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling in August 2026, involving Swedish footballer Maja Göthberg, reinforced FIFA's maternity protection clause, ordering an Italian club to pay compensation for unlawfully terminating her employment due to pregnancy.

The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) also made significant strides with its 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement. This new CBA introduced fully paid maternity leave, expanded family planning benefits, childcare stipends, housing accommodations for players with children, and dedicated lactation facilities. A key provision, dubbed the 'Hamby Clause' after player Dearica Hamby's 2023 trade while pregnant, now requires player consent before a pregnant athlete can be traded, removing financial disincentives for teams to retain pregnant players. Even individual sports like the LPGA updated its maternity policy in 2019, allowing players to freeze their status for up to two years without event limits and providing on-site childcare. USA Track & Field (USATF) expanded its maternity support in April 2024, offering extended financial and medical assistance beyond the standard one-year period provided by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

As of September 2, 2026, the landscape of maternity leave in sports is vastly improved, with a clear trend towards comprehensive support systems. International bodies like the World Players Association (WPA) have issued best practice guidance, and World Athletics launched the CARES project in June 2026 to further inform policy development. While significant progress has been made, particularly in women's professional leagues and international federations, the United States notably remains the only 2026 World Cup qualifying nation without a national law mandating paid maternity leave, underscoring the continued importance of individual sports organizations and player unions in securing these vital protections.