Player Safety First: FIFPRO Leads New Research on Head Impacts

FIFPRO and Finnish player union JPY conducted research into players’ brain health during the union’s training camp for out-of-contract footballers last month in Eerikkilä. The research project is investigating the effects of repeated head impacts on top-level players. FIFPRO’s comprehensive study examines how head impacts affect player health and safety, aiming to strengthen protections and on-field practices.

Exposure to head impacts were measured using video, surveys and instrumented mouthguards that tracked the force of impacts. Over 30 out-of-contract players took part in the Finnish union’s training camps ahead of the 2026 domestic season, giving footballers an opportunity to get back to match fitness and showcase themselves to potential employers during pre-season friendlies against professional clubs.

- There is some limited evidence that shows players in the long term might have some adverse health outcome for the brain when they are retired; one of the assumptions is that heading the ball during training and competition might lead to long-term brain health issues, said Prof Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO’s medical director.

FIFPRO developed a project to assess and evaluate players’ head impact when heading the ball. Studies were carried on players in Malta and the Netherlands last summer before this latest round of research in Finland. The same studies will be conducted on players in England and Portugal this coming summer.

- We’re going to combine the data we’ve gathered and make a scientific analysis to establish whether the impact is high, moderate or low on the brain of a player – and therefore have a better understanding of how risky heading the ball is for players, Gouttebarge said.

The head impact study is being coordinated with the University of Amsterdam. Dr Freja Lähteenmaki, now practising medicine in Finland after studying in Copenhagen for six years while playing in the Danish top flight, is involved in the study as part of her PhD.

- As a former player, I have a lot of team-mates that have been suffering from head impacts and concussions, said Lähteenmaki, who played for the likes of Boldklubben and Nordsjaelland.

- I know how concussions might impact daily living and, of course, football performance. That’s why this subject is important for us.

Keaton Isaksson, 31, is one of the players who took part in the study and the Finnish player union’s training camp. The midfielder, who has played for top flight Finnish clubs such as Gnistan and Mariehamn, was happy to assist with the project.

- The mouthguard has been very interesting to use; still at this age you get to experience new stuff. We are glad to help out and get good data, he said.

Read more about FIFPRO's Concussion management.