New female health developments to provide lasting change for women and girls in football

As part of our women’s and girls’ football strategy Reaching Higher, female athlete health and wellbeing is now being placed firmly at the heart of the game.

As a strategic ‘golden thread’ that weaves through every level from grassroots to the elite level, prioritising female health support is now considered fundamental to retaining players, optimising performance, removing barriers and prioritising wellbeing.

Kate Kenyon, our strategy lead for female health, gives us the lowdown on the work that’s being carried out across our organisation to transform this area of the game.

“So much work has been done to open doors for women and girls to play, to professionalise the women’s game, and to deliver winning performances on the international stage," explained Kate.

"But for us to truly take the sport to the next level, we need to build a game-wide ecosystem designed specifically through the lens of being a female in football – we know that has the power to be transformational."

Research and insight in the last strategy cycle has supported the FA in better understanding the challenges and opportunities for female athlete health in football.

In 2022, the women’s professional game undertook a significant piece of research to explore the state of play for female athlete health support within Barclays WSL and WSL2 clubs. Shortly after, a follow up project was commissioned to cover the entire grassroots football landscape.

“Findings from both research projects showed that levels of education and knowledge across performance support staff, coaches, parents and players themselves around how to manage, support and optimise female athlete health were really low," added Kate.

"In addition to this, the research painted a picture of the breadth of opportunity to make a positive change, with areas such as nutrition, injury resilience, menstrual health, pelvic health, kit and footwear, facilities, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause all playing a role in a football player’s experience or performance."

Recognising the scale and significance of the findings and the opportunities to take the game to the next level led to the development of the FA’s first ever Female Athlete Health Framework, which outlines five key pillars that will be the focus areas for transformational change until 2028:

• Awareness and profile
• Facilities and settings
• Education
• Female health interventions
• Research and insight

So, what can you expect to see…

Education will be a priority in this first phase of work, with a new female health-focused training and awareness programme launching next month for grassroots clubs, as part of the Equal Game initiative. This training aims to help clubs better understand the unique barriers women and girls may face – whether that's starting their period for the first time at training or not getting the support they need from a well-fitting sports bra – and provide practical guidance on how to support players through these important life stages.

In addition, a digital hub is also in development which will transform the accessibility of information and resources for women and girls in the game.

“Players will be able to access trusted information, practical support tools and get the guidance they need all in one place,” said Kenyon. “We’ve never had a front-facing hub like this before, where players can self-serve and find answers about their health on their own terms. That’s really exciting for the grassroots game.

“There’s certainly some myth-busting for us to do in this space as well. In recent years, awareness and interest has grown around topics like ACL injuries and menstrual health in football, but there is still a need for more robust research to inform practice to support players most effectively. We have a responsibility and duty of care to ensure players are provided with high quality, evidence-based information and guidance."

Across the women’s football pyramid, significant progress is already being made. “We’ve introduced new minimum standards for the FA Women’s National League,” Kenyon explained.

“From the 2025–26 season, at least two staff members at every club in Tier 3, and at least one at Tier 4, will need to complete an education module on female athlete health. It’s not just about optimising performance, this work is equally as important in supporting player wellbeing and ensuring being a woman in the game is never a barrier to participation or progress.”

And change is also happening at the highest level of the game, with a comprehensive scoping exercise having just been completed to review the access to female athlete health support within the England setup.

This review is being used to inform the development of a new programme for the Lionesses and Young Lionesses which will focus on three critical areas: menstrual health, pelvic health and breast health.

“We know that system change doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s so exciting to see this work starting to take shape this season," concluded Kenyon.

"We’re working towards achieving our ambition of creating an ecosystem in football where women and girls can thrive and reach their full potential."

Over the next four years, the FA will continue to drive and review research, gather data, influence new policy and standards and develop education and resources, to help close the knowledge gaps and ensure female health support interventions are grounded in evidence and real-world insight.

It’s a long-term commitment, but one that promises meaningful, lasting change for women and girls in football.