A new FIFA concussion test means that doctors can determine in just three minutes if an athlete needs to be substituted or can play on.
The Football-Specific Standardised On-Pitch Concussion Assessment Protocol (FOCUS) has been developed with FIFA's medical team and the six continental member federations. The research has been published by JAMA Neurology.
One author is Australian Kerry Peek, a researcher with Sydney University who is currently at the FIFA World Cup in North America for medical team duties.
''FOCUS addresses a critical gap in player health and safety by providing a multifaceted protocol that helps pitch-side medical and other clinical staff rapidly identify if a player might have concussion,'' Dr Peek told AAP.
This world-first soccer-specific concussion test was developed to consider the unique aspects of the game, such as limited substitutions and the infamous acting players sometimes do to win fouls.
Lying motionless is often a sign of concussion in contact sports, but in soccer players may lie down to increase their recovery time or improve their chances of being awarded a free kick.
Other Australian sports competitions like AFL and NRL offer a head-injury assessment that takes 10-15 minutes and requires an athlete to be removed from the field and replaced by a teammate.
This wouldn't work in soccer, as once a player is replaced they cannot return to the game.
Teams also only have five substitutions in a 90-minute match.
The FOCUS protocol is an on-field assessment that takes less than three minutes, with a doctor conducting a rapid physical screening and asking orientation questions.
The test will not diagnose concussion, but instead identifies if a player has symptoms of a head injury and needs to be taken from the field for a more detailed examination.
Pilot testing of the protocol was completed earlier in 2026 in the Oceania Football Confederation Pro-League, which features Australian team South Melbourne FC.
