The Football Association and WSL Football have launched a major research project to better understand why anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries occur in women’s football and identify ways to reduce them.
Funded by the FA, the PhD study with Imperial College London and sports knee surgeon Simon Ball will be led by researcher Hanna Lehtovirta and involve clubs across the Women’s Super League and WSL2.
ACL injuries are among the most serious issues facing the women’s game, often keeping players out for months.
Research suggests female footballers are two to six times more likely to suffer the injury than their male counterparts.
Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Sam Kerr are among the players to have suffered the injury over recent years.
While previous studies have highlighted potential risk factors including anatomical, hormonal, biomechanical and environmental influences, researchers say less is known about how those factors interact in the day-to-day experience of elite football.
The study aims to provide one of the most comprehensive examinations of ACL injuries in women’s football by combining scientific data with the experiences of players and staff.
Players from every WSL and WSL2 club will be invited to take part, alongside medical, performance and coaching staff.
The research will be conducted in two phases.
The first will use player surveys to gather data on injury history, training and match load, and hormonal, nutritional and psychological factors.
Data from players who have suffered ACL injuries since 2018-19 will be compared with those who have not.
The second phase will involve interviews with players and staff to explore perceptions of ACL injuries and current approaches to training and prevention.
Researchers hope the findings will help shape future injury prevention, rehabilitation and player welfare strategies in the women’s game.
In April 2025, Fifa announced they were also funding research into whether hormonal fluctuations during menstrual cycles could be contributing to the rise in ACL injuries in women’s football.