FIFA Return to Sport Postpartum Guidelines

Returning to high-performance sport after pregnancy is about far more than physical recovery. Athletes must navigate changes in their bodies while balancing sleep, nutrition, mental health, breastfeeding, childcare, team expectations, and career demands.

That's why we're excited to share FIFPRO's Postpartum Return to Play Guide, a comprehensive, athlete-centred resource developed by professional footballers with lived experience alongside leading medical and academic experts. The guide was created to help athletes, coaches, medical staff, clubs, and sporting organizations better understand and support the journey back to competition after childbirth.

Although written for professional football, the principles extend well beyond one sport. The guide recognizes that there is no universal timeline for returning to performance and instead emphasizes individualized care, multidisciplinary support, and informed decision-making throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. It also highlights the importance of understanding maternity rights, communicating proactively with teams, and prioritizing long-term health and wellbeing alongside performance.

At MOMentum, we believe resources like this represent an important step toward changing the culture of elite sport. Athletes deserve evidence-informed guidance that acknowledges both their performance goals and their desire to build a family—without feeling they must choose between the two.

We encourage athletes, coaches, practitioners, and sport leaders to explore this resource and consider how its recommendations can be applied across sports.

Read the full guide here:
https://media.fifpro.org/media/wnknl34l/fifpro-pprtpg-20-08_en.pdf