FIFA launches Female Health and Performance Project to support women’s football development

FIFA has launched the groundbreaking Female Health and Performance Project, a major initiative aimed at advancing research, education and knowledge tailored specifically to the health and performance needs of female athletes.

The project comes at a crucial time as women’s football continues to experience rapid growth worldwide, with FIFA seeking to ensure that female players receive support based on scientific evidence that reflects their unique physiological characteristics.

Historically, training methods, recovery strategies and performance systems in sport have largely been developed using research conducted on male athletes.

According to a study analysing 5,261 sport and exercise science research articles published between 2014 and 2020, only 34% of study participants were female, while just 6% of studies focused exclusively on women.

Recognising this significant gap, FIFA has created a comprehensive educational platform featuring 30 online modules across 13 key topics.

The initiative provides peer-reviewed, science-based information to all 211 FIFA Member Associations, as well as coaches, medical staff, athletes and the general public.

The modules cover essential areas including female physiology, reproductive health, menstrual health tracking, pregnancy and postpartum care, fertility, menopause, pelvic health, nutrition, recovery, sleep, strength and conditioning, screening and profiling, and injury prevention.

FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer, Dame Sarai Bareman, emphasised the importance of the initiative in supporting the continued development of women’s football.

“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,” Bareman said.

“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.”

The project builds on FIFA’s pilot programme introduced before the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, which provided specialised support to ten national teams preparing for the tournament.

With the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup set to be hosted in Brazil, FIFA believes the new initiative will play a vital role in equipping players, coaches and support staff with the knowledge required to maximise performance while safeguarding player welfare.

Beyond education, the project also seeks to challenge social stigmas and encourage open conversations around female health issues that have often been overlooked in sport.

“We need to normalise conversations around female health and embrace this, using it to our advantage instead of ignoring it or being fearful of discussing it,” Bareman added. “It is not a weakness; it is a strength.”

The FIFA Female Health and Performance Project is available through FIFA’s Training Centre platform and is expected to become a key resource in the ongoing professionalisation and growth of women’s football globally.