World Rugby has announced its 2025 call for applications to fund player welfare research, reaffirming its commitment to advancing player safety and well-being across all levels of the game. As the leading funder of rugby-specific academic research, World Rugby continues to drive innovation in player welfare, ensuring the sport evolves with the latest scientific insights.
For the upcoming funding cycle, the international federation is prioritizing key areas such as concussion, injury prevention, mental health, long-term health outcomes, and women’s rugby. In an exciting development, World Rugby is also introducing specific research questions related to anti-doping, with a focus on the effectiveness of education programs, the impact of body image perceptions on supplement use, and the role of nutritional education in elite junior players.
World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin emphasized the importance of continued research in shaping the future of the sport:
“World Rugby remains the major funder of rugby-specific academic research in the world. In the past few years, World Rugby-funded research has led to groundbreaking changes, such as the addition of smart mouthguards to the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) process and our ongoing work on a lower legal tackle height in community rugby.”
Academics and research teams worldwide are encouraged to apply for funding, with applications due by 14 April 2025. The initiative presents a unique opportunity for researchers to contribute to meaningful advancements in player safety, shaping the future of rugby while ensuring the highest standards of care for athletes at all levels.
For more details and application guidelines, visit World Rugby’s official funding application portal.
