The world of football is in full turmoil during this 2026 World Cup, and not just for sporting reasons.
This Friday, June 19, on the set of the show The Shock Teamjournalist France Pierron sparked a lively controversy by virulently asserting that Belgian international Jérémy Doku, whose partner Shireen is due to give birth within a few days, should put the competition before the birth of his first child.
Faced with public outcry and public apologies from the journalist (the channel even distanced itself from her comments), the question of the place of fathers in the birthing room returns to the forefront. Why is their presence today considered essential by the medical profession?
Childbirth: the father, an essential pillar of support for the mother
The idea that the father would be useless during childbirth is a completely outdated concept in 2026. For Dr. Samuel Salama, gynecologist, the first major role of the father is the accompaniment and support of his partner in this moment of rare intensity. The latter also recalls a fundamental principle:
“The father is important in supporting the mother. The couple anticipated this, they prepared for this moment throughout the pregnancy. It completely has its place at this moment”he reaffirms.
This pillar role becomes even more crucial in the event of unforeseen medical complications (emergency cesarean section, use of instruments, hemorrhage during delivery). “The wife seeks support from her husband at this time“, underlines the specialist.
Childbirth is not a purely mechanical event: it is an emotional and physical ordeal where the reassuring presence of the partner proves therapeutic.
Welcoming the newborn: magical moments that cannot be made up for
Beyond support for the mother, birth marks the first physical meeting between the father and his child. If certain professionals or players – like the Norwegian Leo Ostigard, whose wife gave birth two days ago – sometimes resign themselves to using FaceTime from the other side of the world due to major geographical constraints, the screen will never replace physical contact.
Dr Samuel Salama insists on the inestimable value of these first moments. “There is the welcoming of your child and these first moments, which are magical and irreplaceable: the wonder of seeing him arrive, the first skin to skin, the first bath, the first change.”
Missing these steps means depriving yourself of a unique emotional imprint that lays the foundation for the future relationship.
The scientific and emotional virtues of paternal skin-to-skin
Finally, we know today, thanks to numerous clinical studies, that early contact between father and baby brings concrete benefits for the health of the newborn. Dr. Salama highlights three major axes of paternal skin-to-skin:
- Thermal regulation: the parent’s body helps stabilize the infant’s temperature.
- The child’s reassurance: the baby soothes when in contact with the skin and by discovering new smells.
- Creating the link: “There is the emotional exchange, the creation of the first links, the first contacts.“
Unlike the mother, who carries the child for nine months, the father must build this bond from birth. The gynecologist also cites a particularly evocative saying: “The mother makes the child, the child makes the father. The father becomes a father the day he has his child in his arms.”
Logistics and priorities: birth, a priority event
Thus, wanting to plan a birth around a sports or professional calendar is a perilous exercise. Apart from programmed triggers, “if it is a spontaneous start of labor, it can occur at any time“, recalls Dr Salama. Distance constraints (such as a long-haul flight between the United States and Europe) complicate things for athletes, but the human value of this event remains greater than any challenge.
Society has evolved profoundly on this point, granting capital importance to this parental right. The doctor also concludes with a strong comparison to close the debate: “You know, we allow certain people to leave prison to attend the birth of their child, so… There is no debate, really.“
The controversy triggered by France Pierron had the merit of recalling medical and societal evidence: in 2026, the presence of the father at childbirth is no longer an option or a figurative role. A World Cup remains a childhood dream, but witnessing the birth of yours remains, in a man’s life, the greatest trophy.