Curacao Makes World Cup History With First All-Female Medical Staff
In brief
- Curacao fielded the first all-female medical staff in World Cup history at its June 14 match against Germany
- Dr. Suzanne Huurman leads the five-doctor squad and is the tournament's only female team doctor
- FIFA officials hailed the milestone as a 'fantastic example' for women in football medicine and sports leadership
Breaking a barrier
The medical team consisted of Dr. Suzanne Huurman, Dr. Emma Lunan, Dr. Silja Schwarz, Dr. Carrie Bakunas, and Dr. Kerry Peek. Huurman, the head of medical staff, brings elite-level experience: she's worked with top European clubs including Real Madrid and PSV before joining Curacao's national setup.
What makes this moment even sharper is context. Huurman is the only female team doctor at the entire 2026 tournament—a statistic that underscores the gap between aspiration and reality in sports medicine. One woman leading one nation's medical operations. That's the state of the game.
The smallest nation's boldest move
Curacao is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea. The island secured its World Cup qualification in November 2025, becoming the smallest country by both population and land area ever to reach the World Cup finals.
For a nation of that scale to field an all-female medical squad at soccer's biggest stage isn't just symbolism. It's a statement about what's possible when institutions decide to act.
FIFA's response
FIFA's medical leadership called the all-female team a "fantastic example" for women in football medicine.
The governing body framed the move as something that could inspire more women to pursue careers in football medicine and leadership roles in sports. Whether that inspiration translates into systemic change—more female team doctors, more women in sports leadership across federations—remains an open question. But the precedent is set. Curacao showed it can be done.
