Dr. Suzanne Huurman, the Head of Medical Staff for the Curaçao men's national football team, has become the only woman serving as a head team doctor among the 48 nations competing at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The FIFA World Cup 2026, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams. Dr. Huurman is responsible for overseeing the medical care of Curaçao's players during training sessions and matches throughout the competition.
Dr. Huurman is a sports medicine physician with experience in professional football and other competitive sports.
Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Huurman later moved to the Netherlands, where she completed her medical training and built a career in sports medicine. She completed her medical degree at Radboud University Nijmegen and later specialized in sports medicine in the Netherlands.
According to her professional profiles, she currently works as a sports physician at SMC Papendal and is the owner of SH Sports Medicine, a practice focused on sports medicine and performance care.
Before joining Curaçao's national team setup, she worked with organizations including Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, Go Ahead Eagles, the Netherlands Under-16 men's football team, and the Dutch women's handball team.
She has also worked with elite athletes from multiple sports and has experience in injury prevention, rehabilitation, return-to-play protocols, and performance optimization.
Her responsibilities include injury assessment, emergency medical management, player health monitoring, rehabilitation planning, and coordination with physiotherapists and coaching staff.
According to BBC, Dr. Huurman Suzanne is only the third woman to serve as a team doctor for a men's national team at a FIFA World Cup since the tournament began in 1930. She is also the only female head of medical staff among participating teams in the 2026 competition.
In 2010, Dr. Celeste Geertsema became the first woman to serve as a team doctor for a men's national team at a FIFA World Cup when she worked with New Zealand during the tournament in South Africa. More recently, Dr. Silja Schwarz has been part of Germany's men's national team medical staff since 2023, as reported in BBC.
I didn't realize 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. Suzanne Huurman, Head of Medical Staff, Curaçao Men's National Football Team
To encourage greater female participation in football, FIFA introduced new regulations in 2026 for women's international tournaments. Under these rules, each team must include at least one female member of the medical staff and at least one woman in a coaching role.
The World Cup match between Curaçao and Germany also marked a historic moment in football medicine. FIFA reported that it was the first men's World Cup fixture to be supported by an entirely female match medical team. The group included FIFA Match Doctor Dr. Emma Lunan, Curaçao Head of Medical Staff Dr. Suzanne Huurman, Germany Team Doctor Dr. Silja Schwarz, Emergency Medicine Doctor Dr. Carrie Bakunas, and Injury Spotter Dr. Kerry Peek.
FIFA Medical Director Dr. Andrew Massey described the occasion as "a fantastic example of excellent clinicians providing expert care" and said he hoped the milestone would encourage more women to progress into leadership roles within football medicine. He added that promoting equity and diversity in access to football medicine knowledge forms part of FIFA's broader mission.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Dr. Huurman discussed the challenges and opportunities facing women in football and outlined measures that could help improve female representation in the sport. She said that while she is comfortable working in a predominantly male environment, women pursuing careers in football still encounter certain obstacles.
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.Dr. Suzanne Huurman, Head of Medical Staff, Curaçao Men's National Football Team
She also noted that entering the field can be difficult because women often have to overcome skepticism and repeatedly prove themselves in male-dominated environments.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Huurman said that greater visibility and mentorship are important to encourage more women to pursue careers in football medicine and leadership roles in the sport. She expressed hope that more women would enter the field in the coming years.
Huurman's achievement comes alongside a landmark moment for Curaçao football. The Caribbean nation secured qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026, becoming the smallest country by population to reach the tournament.
The country has a population of roughly 150,000 to 160,000 people and qualified unbeaten, recording seven wins and three draws during qualifying.
Curaçao's World Cup debut began with a 7-1 defeat to Germany, but the Caribbean nation rebounded with a goalless draw against Ecuador to secure its first-ever FIFA World Cup point. Goalkeeper Eloy Room produced a record 15 saves, the most by any goalkeeper in a World Cup match since records began in 1966.
As the tournament continues, Huurman remains part of Curaçao's support staff, providing medical oversight and helping safeguard player health during the country's first FIFA World Cup appearance.
Suzanne Huurman. "Over Suzanne." Accessed June 22, 2026. https://www.suzannehuurman.com/over-suzanne.
LinkedIn. "Suzanne Huurman." Accessed June 22, 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannehuurman/.
FIFA. "History Made as FIFA World Cup 2026™ Match Features All-Female Medical Team." FIFA, June 16, 2026. https://inside.fifa.com/health-and-medical/news/history-made-world-cup-2026-all-female-medical-team.
BBC Sport. "One Woman and 47 Men: Curacao's Trailblazer Doctor on Football's Big Stage." June 2026.
(Rh/SS/MSM)