ACL injuries are two to six times more likely in women than in men. To address this, FIFPRO, PFA England, Nike, and Leeds Beckett University launched Project ACL, which is being piloted in the Women’s Super League and will run until 2027. The project’s main goal is to understand the risk factors for ACL injuries in professional football. Here’s what happened in the first year, and what comes next.
Women’s Player Workload Monitoring Platform
Results Project ACL Year One
Since its launch in April 2024, all 12 WSL clubs have completed a questionnaire focused on best practices in injury prevention, perceptions of club conditions, and return-to-play strategies. Players are also being monitored in real time for workload and travel, which is displayed in the Women’s Player Workload Monitoring Platform.
In the next phase, clubs and players will take part in interviews with multidisciplinary teams to deepen the insights gathered so far.
Women’s Player Workload Monitoring Platform
The Women’s Player Workload Monitoring Platform, available on the FIFPRO website, allows multi-level analysis aimed at improving the integrated management of match calendars and player workload.
Metrics include:
General match schedules
Player match load information
Competition format breakdowns
Season-by-season analysis
Duration of international travel
Rest and recovery periods
This tool helps decision-makers shape the next generation of sustainable and integrated competitions in women’s football.
Words from Dr Alex Calvin
Dr Alex Culvin, FIFPRO’s Director of Global Policy & Strategic Relations for Women’s Football, said: “This project is first and foremost about responding to the rightful calls from players for more research.
“As we have taken the initial steps towards that, I would like to extend our gratitude to all 12 WSL clubs for their willingness and participation in phase one of the research. It has been incredibly encouraging to see this. As the first research project to focus on environmental modifiable risk-factors potentially contributing to ACL injury, we are very pleased with the progress made so far.”
Source: Project ACL