From Knowledge to Action: Building Safer Youth Football Across Europe

After nearly three years of European collaboration, REFORM is approaching its final milestone — but its ambition extends well beyond the project itself.

Since January 2024, researchers, universities and national football associations from Norway, Germany, Croatia and Türkiye have worked together to address an important challenge in youth football: improving the recognition, prevention and management of sport-related concussion.

The result is more than an educational programme. REFORM has brought together scientific knowledge, practical guidance and international collaboration to help coaches, referees and football communities make better-informed decisions when concussion is suspected.

As the project approaches completion, we look back at recent activities and consider how REFORM can continue contributing to safer football.

REFORM Partners Gather in Istanbul

16–17 October 2026 | Istanbul, Türkiye

In October, REFORM partners gathered in Istanbul for the final consortium meeting, hosted by Acıbadem University.

The meeting provided an opportunity to review the project’s progress, exchange experiences from implementation activities across the participating countries and discuss the next steps for the educational resources developed through REFORM.

A central theme was sustainability: how can the knowledge, tools and partnerships established through REFORM continue to benefit youth football after the Erasmus+ funding period?

Partners discussed opportunities for continued dissemination through national football associations and wider European football networks, recognising that concussion awareness requires sustained attention beyond individual projects.

Mind the Concussion: Practical Education for Coaches and Referees

One of REFORM’s most important achievements is the development of Mind the Concussion: Coach & Referee Certification, a multilingual online educational programme designed for grassroots football.

Coaches and referees are often among the first people to notice when a player may have sustained a concussion. Recognising the warning signs and knowing how to respond are essential steps towards protecting young athletes.

The course translates current scientific recommendations into practical football situations, helping participants understand:

• How to recognise signs and symptoms of suspected concussion.
• What to do immediately when a concussion is suspected.
• Why a player with suspected concussion must be removed from play and appropriately assessed.
• How to support recovery and a safe, graduated return to football.
• How coaches, referees and clubs can contribute to a culture of concussion awareness and player safety.

The programme is available in English, Norwegian, German, Croatian and Turkish, supporting access to concussion education across the four participating countries.

Through short educational modules, practical scenarios and knowledge assessments, the course aims to make evidence-informed concussion management more accessible to people working directly with young football players.

Explore the educational programme and learn more at mindtheconcussion.com.

Bringing Concussion Education into Football Communities

During 2026, REFORM moved from developing educational resources to introducing and evaluating them in football settings.

Working alongside national football associations, the consortium has engaged coaches, referees and other stakeholders in activities designed to strengthen concussion awareness and support the practical application of educational guidance.

The project has also developed resources for players, parents and football clubs, recognising that effective concussion management depends on more than the knowledge of any single individual.

A young player’s safety is supported when coaches, referees, families and clubs share an understanding of what to do when concussion is suspected.

Experiences from the participating countries are now being brought together to inform the final evaluation of the educational programme and its implementation.

These findings will help identify what worked well, where challenges remain and how concussion education can be strengthened in future initiatives.

Sharing Knowledge Across Europe

REFORM has also contributed to scientific research on concussion awareness, education and management in youth football.

The project brings together perspectives from different European football environments through international surveys, focus groups and educational evaluation.

This research is important because developing educational materials is only one part of improving concussion management. Understanding what football stakeholders already know, how they make decisions and what barriers they encounter is equally essential.

The consortium’s scientific work includes research on concussion knowledge among youth football referees and the development of a harmonised approach to concussion education and management.

Further analyses of implementation experiences and educational outcomes are underway.

By combining research with practical collaboration between universities and football associations, REFORM aims to contribute knowledge that can inform future education and policy development.

A European Conversation About Concussion

On 16 October, REFORM also brought its work to a wider audience through an international webinar.

The webinar provided an opportunity to present the project’s educational approach, discuss concussion awareness in youth football and share perspectives from the participating organisations.

Events such as this are an important part of extending the reach of REFORM beyond the original consortium and encouraging broader engagement with concussion education.

The project continues to promote collaboration between researchers, football organisations and other stakeholders interested in protecting young athletes.

Looking Beyond REFORM

As the project enters its final weeks, attention is turning towards its longer-term contribution.

The educational programme, practical resources and international partnerships developed through REFORM provide a foundation for continued concussion awareness initiatives.

The consortium is exploring opportunities to maintain access to the educational resources and support their further dissemination through football organisations and professional networks.

While the current project is approaching completion, the underlying challenge remains: concussion recognition and appropriate management must become a routine part of creating safer sporting environments for young athletes.

REFORM has demonstrated what can be developed when scientific expertise and football organisations work together towards a shared goal.

The next step is to build on that collaboration.

Help Us Make Youth Football Safer

Concussion awareness is everyone’s responsibility.

Whether you are a coach, referee, parent, player or involved in running a football club, understanding how to recognise and respond to suspected concussion matters.

Explore the REFORM educational resources, share them with your football community and help us promote a safer environment for the next generation of players.

Visit mindtheconcussion.com

REFORM is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Sport programme.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.