While women’s football continues to grow globally, there are still significant gaps in research on female athletes. The impact of this ‘gender data gap’ can be seen in many areas, including the development of training and recovery concepts. FIFA’s Female Health & Performance Project aims to help close this gap. “For me, it’s about starting a movement”, explains Dawn Scott, best known for her work with the US women’s national team. As performance coach, she was part of the team that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ twice and gold at the Olympics. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in women’s football and increased investment in the game. However, much of that investment is concentrated at the very top level – probably benefiting only around 2% of the global women’s football population. Meanwhile, many girls in grassroots football still lack clear development pathways, quality training environments, and access to coaches with the knowledge and resources to support them. They often miss out on athletic development windows and, importantly, education about their bodies and physiology.”

This is precisely the gap FIFA’s Female Health & Performance Project seeks to address. The project provides free training resources that can be accessed worldwide and aims to normalise conversations around women’s health and performance. The goal of the initiative is to establish a common language and a shared understanding to provide everyone involved in the sport – from parents and coaches to professionals to the players themselves – with knowledge grounded in science about the female body and female physiology.

“Ultimately, this is about empowering players to better understand their own bodies”, says the technical expert from FIFA. “We know that many girls drop out of sport during puberty – not just football, but sport more broadly. One reason for this is that they are often trained in the same way as boys and are not adequately educated about the physiological changes taking place in their bodies. The Female Health & Performance Project is designed to help fill that gap, including within schools.”

A key feature of the project is its global approach: All 211 FIFA member associations will be given access to tailored training modules on 13 topics with specialised, scientifically reviewed information. The content is structured in four tiers to cater to different levels of knowledge and experience.

“More than 30 global experts have contributed to the content, ensuring that it reflects the best current and available evidence,” explains Dawn.

“One of the project’s greatest strengths is the diversity of its global expert network. The contributors represent different regions of the world, and we also benefit from the practical perspectives of FIFA’s six confederations. This diversity extends beyond geography. It includes different cultures, backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking. Bringing together such a wide range of perspectives enriches the discussions and the learning experience.”

In addition to the training platform, the program also offers specialised training programmes for women’s national teams, with 47 member associations from all six FIFA confederations currently taking part.

“This has given us valuable real-time feedback on how the educational content is being received and applied in different environments. For example, one of my mentees is based in South Africa. He is male, and we have worked closely together on developing his understanding, knowledge, and comfort level around some of these topics and conversations. We have also explored how the content can be adapted and implemented within the South African context.

That ongoing dialogue and real-world application have been incredibly valuable. It has not only helped us understand the impact of the programme but has also informed the way we continue to develop and refine the content.”

As Scott is keen to emphasise, it’s about starting a movement and fostering collaboration. Existing initiatives are not to be replaced but built upon. The aim is to establish a common language based on the best scientific findings available. And that’s exactly what FIFA’s Female Health & Performance Project aims to achieve.

“We already know, for example, that many female athletes experience menstrual symptoms, or that ACL injuries occur three to six times more frequently in women than in men. The next step is understanding what interventions can reduce symptom severity, lower injury risk, and improve outcomes”, explains Scott. “When examining injury risk, we must avoid focusing solely on physiology and hormones. We should also ask broader questions: Are athletes participating in injury-prevention programmes? What developmental opportunities are available to young girls? What support systems exist after injury or surgery? What level of medical care is accessible to female athletes? Research only has value if it can be translated into practice. Ultimately, the priorities are clear: greater investment in research, stronger collaboration across organisations, and a greater focus on translating evidence into actionable insights. That is how we can best support girls and women in sport and help them enjoy healthy, sustainable, and successful sporting careers.”