FIFA's initiative provides specialist, science-based educational knowledge tailor‑made for the preparation and development of female athletes
Some 30 modules covering 13 topics are available online, offering bespoke information to a range of audiences, from the general public to sports specialists and FIFA's 211 Member Associations
Training methods and systems had historically been shaped by research conducted on men, whereas this new initiative focuses on the specific needs of female athletes
As the women's game continues its rapid growth around the world, understanding and meeting the unique health and performance needs of female players has become more important than ever. However, many athletes still lack access to the scientific data needed to support their development and optimise performance. To help close this gap, FIFA has launched the groundbreaking FIFA Female Health and Performance Project .
A study analysing 5,261 research articles published in sport and exercise science journals between 2014 and 2020 revealed that only 34% of study participants were female, with just 6% of sport science research exclusively focusing on women.
This means that female footballers and athletes in other sports relied on training and recovery methods, workloads and systems that were developed based on research that did not reflect their physiological characteristics, potentially reducing the efficacy of training and heightening the risk of injury.
With the tenth edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup™ set to take place in Brazil next year, the urgency of closing this knowledge gap has never been greater.Recognising the need for more robust, female-specific research and data, FIFA has been exploring new ways to support players, coaches and staff across the women's game. In the lead-up to the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™ ,the first edition to feature 32 teams, world football's governing body offered specialised training programmes, as part of a pilot project that benefited ten national teams . The launch of the FIFA Female Health and Performance Project now means that all 211 FIFA Member Associations have access to specialised, peer-reviewed, science-based information via its 13 tailor-made educational modules.
"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."
Available to all on FIFA's Training Centre site, the FIFA Female Health and Performance education modules are the result of collaboration with world‑leading experts to generate, curate and apply the scientific content that underpins them.
The modules cover universal topics in football and elite sport science such as sleep, recovery, and strength and conditioning, all examined through the lens of the female athlete. Female-specific topics such as female physiology, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause are also addressed in the modules. Four separate levels - from "Introduction" to "Integrated" - provide bespoke information for all audiences, be they sports professionals or members of the general public.
In addition to providing access to much-needed knowledge and education, the initiative seeks to break taboos, normalise language, eliminate social stigma, encourage open communication and set the benchmark for a supportive environment in which female athletes can thrive.
"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," added Bareman. "It is not a weakness; it is a strength."
FIFA's Female Health and Performance Project covers the following topics, across all four knowledge levels:
Female physiology
Reproductive years
Menstrual health tracking
Pregnancy and postpartum
Fertility
Menopause
Pelvic health
Nutrition
Recovery
Sleep
Strength and conditioning
Screening and profiling
Injury and injury prevention
