Project ACL in United States launched with event at Nike’s New York Headquarters

• FIFPRO, NWSLPA, NWSL, Nike, and Leeds Beckett University are collaborating on Project ACL to accelerate research into reducing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in women’s football
• Former players Crystal Dunn, Jordan Angeli and Merritt Mathias speak at launch event at Nike’s New York Headquarters
• Project ACL’s launch into NWSL follows initial research conducted with English WSL clubs since 2024

Players, union leaders, researchers and league stakeholders discussed their reflections and insights on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and recovery in women’s football at the launch event of Project ACL’s expansion into the NWSL was marked in New York on Tuesday 21 April.

A pioneering research initiative led by FIFPRO, the global player union, in collaboration with Leeds Beckett University and Nike, Project ACL initially activated alongside the Professional Footballers’ Association in England, launching in April 2024. The three-year project is dedicated to further understanding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in professional women’s football through a player-centric lens.

Following its full-scale implementation in the English Women's Super League - where all 12 clubs and players from each club have been actively involved - Project ACL in collaboration with the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association, is now expanding into the National Women's Soccer League, marking a significant step toward building a global evidence base for player health and performance.

ACL injuries, which can take players a minimum of nine months to recover from, are two to six times more likely to occur in women than men, and about two-thirds of ACL injuries occur in women’s football when there is no physical contact, yet there is little understanding about how to reduce these injuries in professional women’s footballers.

At the event, hosted at Nike’s New York Headquarters, the importance of the project’s expansion into the NWSL was emphasised, with the ultimate aims of understanding the full picture around ACL injuries in women’s football, improving player welfare and, crucially, turning research into action that can build and support a global knowledge base.

A player panel followed the introductory remarks from Dr Alex Culvin, Director of Women’s Football at FIFPRO, featuring three-time NWSL Championship and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup winner Crystal Dunn, alongside fellow former professionals Jordan Angeli and Merritt Mathias. The panel was moderated by Darian Jenkins, who played for the likes of OL Reign, Kansas City Current and Orlando Pride during her career.

Dunn, who announced her retirement from professional in January 2026, said: “It’s so important to gain insight directly from players, because their voice truly matters. They are the ones living these experiences first‑hand - returning from injury, navigating recovery, and at times not feeling as supported as they need to be to return at their highest potential.

“If we don’t listen to players, we immediately put ourselves at a disadvantage when it comes to progressing the game. Whether through the FIFPRO Global Player Council, national players’ associations, or leagues like the NWSL, placing players at the centre of these conversations is essential to driving meaningful change and improving outcomes for everyone involved.” The project partners followed the player panel, with Tori Huster (NWSLPA), Sarah Gregorius (NWSL), Dr Stacey Emmonds (Leeds Beckett University) and Dr Alex Culvin (FIFPRO) discussing the alignment across the different stakeholders in translating the insights of Project ACL into actionable outcomes for not just players in the United States, but across women’s football globally.

“It’s a really important moment for the project as we bring together our partners here in the US - the NWSLPA, the NWSL, Leeds Beckett University, Nike, and FIFPRO as the global players’ union - to formally mark the next phase of this work and its expansion into another major league in women’s football” said Dr Culvin.

“Alongside those project partners, we also had a really diverse group of people in the room, including media, former players, current players, and other key stakeholders who are interested in what Project ACL is trying to achieve. It’s been incredibly positive to see just how well received the project has been, particularly by players and former players. The conversations we’ve already had show very strong support, and that’s encouraging as we move forward.

“By centralising the player voice, Project ACL is genuinely unique, and that’s something that’s resonated across the room. It has given the media a clear narrative to engage with, but more importantly it reflects what we’re trying to do through collaboration - making sure that research, insight and action are shaped by players’ experiences and delivered in partnership with all of the stakeholders involved.”

Project ACL’s aim for the NWSL follows the same timeline as the initial project in England, with a three-year study, beginning in June 2026, focusing on the multifactorial nature of ACL injury and the environmental risk factors that remain under researched; contributing to a global evidence base and fundamentally placing player voice at the centre of research initiatives.

With Project ACL now extending into two of the biggest leagues in women’s football, alongside the shared commitment across players, unions, and other partners, the hope is that the ongoing research will conclude with solutions and recommendations that will ultimately maximise and prolong the careers of professional women’s footballers across the world.