The FAW and the English FA have announced a partnership which will see the two governing bodies work together for the first time, to raise the standards of healthcare professionals taking part in football.
Beginning this August, the unprecedented partnership will focus on delivering medical courses to final year university students in England and Wales and providing them with a desired qualification.
The FA’s medical pathway currently offers learners various opportunities to develop their medical skills for emergency situations in football. The Emergency Medical First Aid in Football (EMFAiF) course and Intermediate Trauma Medical Management in Football (ITMMIF) course are the third and fourth steps on the medical pathway respectively, led by FA medical tutors and taking place predominantly at St. George’s Park, with some regionally in professional clubs.
As the courses have become more renowned amongst medical professionals, places fill up quickly with many placed on reserve lists. In a move to extend the offering to young professionals and final-year students hoping to enter the field, The FA now also offers licences to local universities so they can facilitate the course to the required standard in house. The first iterations of these two courses piloted during the 2022/2023 and have since seen 600 learners take part over three football seasons, with Leeds Beckett and Solent Universities currently involved.
Now, with the addition of FA Wales, the governing body will be able to deliver the course at universities in Wales and provide the delivery within English universities, to help reach more learners than ever before. The FA and FA Wales’ partnership, alongside the HEI partnerships, will provide football clubs with a larger pool of FA qualified staff within the lower levels of the game and in turn help raise the standards of dealing with medical emergencies on the field of play.
Delivered through a range of practical and theory workshops, the courses target students currently studying sports degrees such as physiotherapy, sports therapy, sports rehabilitation, and sports management; the courses support people to better deal with life and limb threatening injuries on the field of play.
With an Intermediate Trauma Medical Management in Football (ITMMIF) qualification, people will be in a position to act as the primary care provider in the sports, pre-hospital environment of football.
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Andy Lindley, Lead Clinical Educator at the Football Association of Wales, said: “This partnership with The Football Association (The FA) represents an exciting and pioneering development. Effective from 01 August 2025, universities will have the opportunity to significantly enhance the experience of Level 6 and Msc students through a structured and clearly defined pathway, potentially leading to employment within the football industry across both England and Wales.
“Moreover, this initiative offers a valuable opportunity for postgraduate students, equipping them with practical experience that is highly transferable to careers across the wider sports sector.
“Historically, there has been a degree of uncertainty regarding the requirements for pursuing careers within various sports pathways. This new partnership aims to address that ambiguity by providing a framework that is both robust and of high quality.”
Dr. Lisa Hodgson, FA Senior Medical Education Lead, added: “Our partnership with FA Wales is a brilliant opportunity to reach more learners across the country, and provide university students with a desired qualification which will enable them to work within football professionally or semi-professionally after graduation.
“It’s fantastic to be working with FA Wales as we aim to continue to support the professional leagues in raising the standards of healthcare across football and work with universities to increase the employability of their new graduates.
“I’m looking forward to seeing more university students across England and Wales get involved with our courses, and learning the skills needed to save a life in the future.”
