Curacao's trailblazing doctor at the World Cup
Key takeaways
- Suzanne Huurman is the only female chief doctor at the 2026 World Cup.
- https://p.dw.com/p/5Fvzn Suzanne Huurman is making history as the only head of medical at the 2026 World Cup Image: Pro Shots/IMAGOAdvertisement Dr.
- Silja Schwarz, who has been a doctor (but not the lead one) for Germany's men side for the last three years, Huurman is the only female doctor at the entire tournament.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Suzanne Huurman is the only female chief doctor at the 2026 World Cup. Her work is inspiring change in men's football.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Fvzn Suzanne Huurman is making history as the only head of medical at the 2026 World Cup Image: Pro Shots/IMAGOAdvertisement Dr. Suzanne Huurman is the only female chief doctor at the 2026 World Cup. The 36-year-old from the Netherlands is working for Curacao, the smallest nation to ever qualify for a World Cup and Germany's opponents in the first round of games.
Other than Dr. Silja Schwarz, who has been a doctor (but not the lead one) for Germany's men side for the last three years, Huurman is the only female doctor at the entire tournament. In the history of the competition, Huurman is just the third woman ever to be any kind of doctor for a team at the World Cup.