Fifa funds Kingston University study on menstrual cycle and ACL injuries

In late April 2025, football's world governing body Fifa announced it would fund a study into whether hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle play a role in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among women footballers. The project was based at Kingston University London and supported through Fifa's research scholarship scheme.

The study, led by PhD researcher Blake Rivers, was to take blood samples to track hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. These levels would then be compared with movement tests that mimic common injury situations, including landing after a header and changing direction suddenly. Players from elite and grassroots clubs in London were due to take part.

The announcement mattered because ACL tears, a serious knee injury that often means many months out, have affected high-profile players including Sam Kerr, Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead. Women are widely reported to be several times more likely than men to suffer the injury, though estimates vary. Researchers stressed that any link between hormones and injury risk was still unproven. They hoped the findings could eventually help clubs adapt training to individual players.