FIFA launches Female Health and Performance Project to better support women’s soccer players

FIFA’s Female Health and Performance Project was created to advance research and knowledge around female athletes, with the goal of helping players receive more individualized support throughout their careers.

The initiative is designed to provide a fuller understanding of the female athlete, taking into account individual and environmental needs while tailoring support to optimize overall health and performance.

The project also addresses a long-standing issue in sports: female athletes have often been trained, coached and evaluated through systems created with men in mind.

The project covers several key topics, including:

Female physiology
Reproductive years
Menstrual health tracking
Pregnancy and postpartum
Fertility
Menopause
Pelvic health
Nutrition
Recovery
Sleep
Strength and conditioning
Screening and profiling

“FIFA’s aim is to optimize 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 the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup approaching, FIFA is putting a greater focus on research and education specific to women’s health and performance.

The 2027 tournament will mark the 10th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, making this initiative a timely step toward ensuring players are supported with the needs of female athletes at the forefront.

The project is now live, with all 211 FIFA Member Associations able to access the initiative and its 13 educational modules.