The UEFA research grant programme: 15 years of game-changing research
Monday, July 6, 2026
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What makes groin injuries so common? How can football help tackle childhood obesity? Why do so many girls drop out of the game? These are just some of the questions UEFA-backed research is helping to answer.
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The UEFA research grant programme has spent the past decade and a half supporting academic research that has helped football and footballers adapt, improve and evolve.
To mark the programme’s 15th anniversary, the UEFA Academy – which oversees the research grant programme – has released a dedicated edition of its Insights publication.
Based on interviews conducted in 2025, it spotlights 15 landmark projects – one from each year of the programme – and reconnects with their authors to reflect on the influence of their research, the lessons learned since publication and the future questions still to be explored.
"Each research project contributes to the overall success of European football, aiding strategic decision-making across UEFA and all our member associations," said Thomas Junod, head of the UEFA Academy. "We look forward to more milestones as we continue to the foster innovation that helps drive football forward."
€1.2 million invested in research
Since the programme launched, more than €1.2 million has been invested into 81 projects, which between them have generated more than 730 publications.
Each year, grants of up to €20,000 are given to researchers working across a wide range of disciplines, from economics to law to sociology. Their work is united by a desire to drive football forward through a deeper understanding of the game and its impact.
Researchers have explored topics ranging from governance to the experiences of players, coaches, referees and supporters, helping transform academic research into practical insights for the game.
"Good research can quietly but meaningfully change what we do."
That breadth is reflected in the researchers featured in the new publication. Among them is one of the programme's earliest recipients, Jean Williams, whose landmark research examined four decades of women's football in Europe and has become an essential reference for understanding the game's evolution.
More recently, Siv Rosendahl Skard collaborated with Norwegian club SK Brann to explore the role fans can play in reducing matchday waste.
"Over the years, I have seen how good research can quietly but meaningfully change what we do," said Michel D’Hooghe, who chairs the jury of academics and football representatives that oversees the grant allocation process. "There is a shared determination to better understand football and its impact, and ultimately to make it better – not in abstract terms, but in practical, measurable ways."
Continuous evolution
The programme has evolved alongside football itself. In 2023, we launched a sister grant scheme dedicated to medical, health and anti-doping topics. Both programmes offer access to not only funding but valuable data from national associations and UEFA, alongside international recognition.
They have also facilitated collaboration between associations and universities and have encouraged international projects by allowing up to three researchers from different territories to submit joint applications.
Underlying both grant programmes is the belief that great research doesn’t simply answer questions but inspires further enquiry and helps football continue to learn, innovate and evolve.
Six projects have been chosen for the 2026/27 cycle of the research grant programme. Physical development pathways in youth football is the priority topic for the cycle, with the chosen projects based across Denmark, England, Italy, the Republic of Ireland, Russia and Ukraine.
About the UEFA Academy
The UEFA Academy is the leadership and management school of UEFA. It offers executive education programmes to inspire people and create impact in sport.