FIFA seeks a soccer-specific test for assessing concussion on-field

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-07-02 01:00

Australia; International; NSW

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FIFA, the governing body for association football/soccer around the world, has developed a rapid concussion test specific to the sport to identify players that need to be taken off the ground for assessment. The test has the goal of providing a more uniform approach to use in professional leagues around the world. The Australian-led research team behind the test says adopting general concussion tests can be challenging in soccer - substitutions occur less frequently and it can be harder to tell how hard a player was hit by how slow they are to get back up. The team sent two rounds of questionnaires to medical staff with recent experience in FIFA-associated leagues across the world, and used their responses to develop an assessment aimed at ruling out a concussion on-field. They say the test takes just under three minutes, and if it can't rule out a concussion, the player would need to be taken off the field for further assessment. The researchers say a study is underway to see how this test works in real-world settings.