FIFA launches Female Health and Performance Project, bridging the gap in research within the women’s game | OneFootball

As many involved in the women’s game know all too well, there is a significant lack of research that can be effectively applied to female athletes’ health.

Earlier this week, FIFA launched its Female Health and Performance Project. It consists of e-learning modules accessible to everyone, and features research conducted through the female lens.

The project hopes to make a positive impact on the women’s game, providing vital knowledge and education specific to female athletes.

Why is this research needed for the women’s game to progress?

A common struggle with using current research and applying it to women’s health within sport is that the research used to influence aspects such as training methods and systems has historically been shaped by research conducted on men. However, FIFA’s new Female Health and Performance Project focuses on the specific needs of female athletes. It provides specialist, science-based, educational knowledge specifically tailored to the preparation and development of female athletes.

“FIFA’s aim is to optimise every female footballer’s health, well-being and performance, and to improve knowledge around women and girls in football at every level of the game,” said Dame Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer. “Collectively, we can do so much more to better support our growing number of female players and ensure they are trained, supported and understood according to their specific needs as women.”  

With this new knowledge readily available and female athletes at the forefront, the women’s game will only improve and move forward. Female footballers and athletes will no longer have to rely on old methods, workloads, and systems developed based on research that did not reflect their physiological characteristics. In turn, this could help improve the effectiveness of training and preparation while also reducing the risk of injury.

What do the modules cover?

A total of 30 modules covering 13 topics are available online to everyone. Meaning this information can be accessed by the general public as well as sports specialists and all 211 FIFA Member Associations. 

The FIFA Female Health and Performance Project covers the following topics, across all four knowledge levels from ‘Introduction’ to ‘Integrated’.

You can find the e-learning modules via this link.

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