The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and its Players Association (NWSLPA) have embarked on a significant three-year collaboration with Project ACL, a global research endeavor aimed at understanding and reducing the prevalence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in professional women's football. This partnership represents a crucial step forward, expanding the project's scope beyond its initial focus on England's Women's Super League (WSL). The initiative seeks to identify underlying causes, optimize training and recovery protocols, and ultimately enhance player well-being in a sport where ACL injuries disproportionately affect female athletes.
NWSL and NWSLPA Forge Alliance with Project ACL to Tackle Player Injuries
In a pivotal development announced on a Tuesday in April 2026 at Nike's headquarters in New York, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) formally joined Project ACL. This global research effort, spearheaded by FIFPro, the Professional Footballers Association, Nike, and Leeds Beckett University, initially launched two years prior with a focus on players within the Women's Super League (WSL) in England. The expansion to include the NWSL marks a significant milestone, bringing together two of the world's premier women's football leagues in a concerted effort to address a pressing issue.
Alex Culvin, FIFPro's director of women's football, underscored the urgency of this collaboration, noting that despite increasing professionalization and demands on players, the incidence of injuries like ACL tears has not declined. Research consistently indicates that female athletes are two to six times more susceptible to ACL injuries than their male counterparts, with approximately two-thirds of these injuries occurring without direct physical contact. Until now, much of the research in this area has concentrated on amateur players, leaving a significant gap in understanding how to mitigate these injuries at the professional level.
The NWSL has already felt the impact of this challenge, with six players placed on the season-ending injury list in 2026 due to ACL tears. Notable athletes such as Angel City's Hina Sugita, Denver Summit's Jasmine Aikey, Utah Royal's 16-year-old KK Ream, and Bay FC's Alyssa Malonson were sidelined in March, while Portland Thorns' Bella Bixby and Chicago Stars' Natalia Kuikka suffered injuries during preseason in January. Tori Huster, a former NWSL player and the NWSLPA's deputy executive director, voiced the collective hope that this project will drastically reduce such occurrences, citing 20 to 30 ACL injuries over the past two seasons as an unacceptable trend.
Commencing in June and spanning three years, this unprecedented study will examine the physical determinants of injuries, alongside the environments in which players train, compete, and recover. The project's methodology includes surveying multidisciplinary teams across WSL clubs regarding resource availability and injury prevention strategies, as well as conducting interviews with over 30 players to gather firsthand accounts. Data points such as player workload, travel demands, and 'critical zone appearances' (games with less than five days of recovery) will be meticulously tracked using FIFPro's Player Workload Monitoring tool. Soon, NWSL player data will be integrated into this comprehensive database.
The NWSL's recent expansion to a 16-club format in 2026 has led to an increased number of matches, including more mid-week fixtures, which can see teams playing three games in an eight-day span. This intensified schedule, coupled with the ongoing growth of women's football through international competitions, highlights the critical need for effective load management strategies. Crystal Dunn, a recently retired player, emphasized that the demand for more games should not diminish, but rather the focus should shift to intelligent load management to protect player health.
Insights from former players further underscore the project's importance. Jordan Angeli, a former NWSL player whose career was cut short by three ACL tears, and Merritt Mathias, who retired in 2024, both emphasized the need for a deeper understanding of female physiology, including the correlation between menstrual cycles and injury risk. Mathias recounted being asked, "Are you on your period?" after her 2019 ACL tear, pointing to a significant gap in research. The hope is that Project ACL will not only lead to meaningful findings and recommendations but also ensure their implementation, potentially setting new standards for player care that surpass current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) minimums.
The collaborative effort between these prominent organizations and academic institutions signifies a dedicated commitment to safeguarding the long-term health and careers of women's professional footballers, aspiring to make the NWSL and the broader sport safer and more sustainable for its athletes.
This initiative represents a monumental step towards prioritizing the health and longevity of female athletes in professional football. By bringing together leading organizations, researchers, and players, Project ACL is poised to revolutionize our understanding of ACL injuries and implement evidence-based solutions. The commitment to player well-being, especially in a rapidly growing sport like women's soccer, is not just about injury prevention; it's about fostering a sustainable and equitable environment where athletes can thrive and perform at their best for years to come. This project serves as a powerful reminder that investing in research and player care is paramount for the continued success and integrity of professional sports.
