FIFA launched a women's health and performance project on Monday to fill the void of of information and research into the specific needs of female athletes as women's soccer continues to grow.
The initiative, a series of online modules, provides peer-reviewed research, data and knowledge on 13 topics that impact female athletes, from pregnancy and fertility to recovery and nutrition.
Currently, only 6% of sports science research exclusively focuses on women, according to FIFA. As a result, women are often trained using methods developed for male athletes because of the lack of available information on optimizing female performance.
In addition to athletes, the FIFA Female Health and Performance Project seeks to educate coaches and administrators at all levels of the sport, as well staff from teams, leagues and federations. It also aspires to normalize language while breaking taboos and misconceptions surrounding women's health.
“FIFA’s aim is to optimize every female footballer’s health, well-being and performance, and to improve knowledge around women and girls in football at every level of the game,” said Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s chief women’s football officer, in a statement on Monday. “Collectively, we can do so much more to better support our growing number of female players and ensure they are trained, supported and understood according to their specific needs as women.”
The initiative builds on a pilot project that soccer's governing body implemented ahead of the 2023 Women's World Cup that offered specialized training programs designed for women.
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Scarlett Camberos of Mexico's America, center, lifts the trophy after winning the Women's CONCACAF Champions Cup final soccer match against The United States' Washington Spirit in Pachuca, Mexico, Saturday, May 23, 2026.(AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine.
The U.K., France and Germany, the so-called E3 group of European nations, have been prominent backers of Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The U.K. and France lead the “coalition of the willing” initiative to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a peace process.
The meeting on Sunday evening comes in the wake of a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack that targeted St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, underscoring Kyiv’s growing ability to hit deep inside Russia. Gov. Alexander Beglov said three people sustained minor injuries in Saturday's attack, during which residents were advised to stay indoors.
It was the latest embarrassing blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to cast the conflict as a distant event that doesn’t affect Russian daily life.
Putin on Friday rejected Zelenskyy's offer for a meeting, saying he sees “no point” in it.
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits the German Armed Forces Laage airbase, Germany, Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Stefan Sauer/dpa via AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks with the media as he arrives for the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tivat, Montenegro, Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Risto Bozovic)
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer looks at a Vanta system as he visits STARK, a leading defence tech company in Swindon, England, Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to journalists during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
