UEFA introduces expert panel to study ACL injuries in female players

The panel has begun crafting an ACL injury awareness questionnaire for all members of the women’s football community, aiming to gather insights.

England’s Leah Williamson was one of the multiple players to miss out on the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. | Photo Credit: Lisi Niesner

UEFA has introduced a women’s health expert panel with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and their occurrence in the women’s game, European football’s governing body said on Wednesday.

The panel has begun crafting an ACL injury awareness questionnaire for all members of the women’s football community, aiming to gather insights.

“Addressing the prevalence of ACL injuries in women’s football is crucial for the wellbeing of athletes and the advancement of the sport,” UEFA Chief Medical Officer Zoran Bahtijarevic said.

Multiple female players, including England’s Leah Williamson and Beth Mead, missed the Women’s World Cup earlier this year due to significant injuries.

The initiative will form the centrepiece of a wider ACL injury awareness campaign slated to begin in the latter half of 2024.