The OFC Pro League has become the first competition anywhere in the world to implement FIFA’s new football-specific on-pitch concussion assessment protocol, marking a significant milestone in football’s ongoing efforts to strengthen player welfare.
While the protocol has previously been announced by FIFA, its real-world rollout is now taking place in Oceania, with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) leading the way in bringing the system from concept to competition.
FIFA’s Medical Director, Dr Andrew Massey, was on hand during the Pro League Round 3 in Melbourne to oversee the implementation phase and he’s praised OFC’s willingness to pioneer the initiative.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to do it practically,” Dr Massey said. “We’re now working with our fantastic partners at OFC in a fantastic competition to get feedback on how it’s being implemented.”
Under the Laws of the Game, team doctors and physiotherapists have a time-limited period to assess a player with a suspected concussion. Until now, however, there has been no formally validated, football-specific protocol guiding how that time should be used on the field. The new Football-Specific On-Pitch Concussion Assessment Tool aims to change that.
Developed through a scientific process led by Dr Kerry Peek and FIFA’s medical team, the protocol combines multiple assessment components that have been shown to detect concussion with appropriate sensitivity and specificity. These elements are brought together into a single, uniform evaluation designed to be completed within the existing medical assessment window.
Crucially, the philosophy remains clear: suspect and protect. If a concussion is suspected, the player is removed from play immediately and managed under established medical guidelines.
“What we want to do,” Dr Massey explained, “is see if we can rule out a concussion within that time period, but if there’s any doubt, the player is removed from the field.”
OFC’s role in piloting the protocol reflects its reputation as a progressive confederation willing to test new initiatives aimed at improving player health.
Dr Massey described OFC as “one of our very forward-thinking confederations,” thanking the organisation for providing the opportunity to trial the system in live match conditions.
The implementation phase is about more than medical testing. Feedback is being gathered from match officials, medical staff and competition organisers to evaluate how smoothly the process fits into the tempo of professional football.
Awareness and understanding of concussion in football have grown significantly over the past two decades. Dr Massey says knowledge around brain health, rehabilitation and return-to-play processes has improved “massively.”
However, the on-field moment, the immediate decision during a match, remains critical.
“This is the first step of actually working on the pitch to try to rule out a concussion in the first place,” he said.
The OFC Pro League’s early adoption provides valuable data that could inform wider implementation across FIFA’s six confederations and 211 member associations. The protocol is expected to be recommended for future major tournaments, though validation and refinement will continue.
Dr Massey says understanding and awareness of concussions now has greatly improved in recent years.
“Massively, I think more the awareness of concussions, the awareness of how we deal with concussions and how we rehabilitate people, how we first of all take care of them, look after their brain health and navigate through the whole rehabilitation and return to play process. But as I say, this is the first step of actually working on the pitch to try and rule out a concussion in the first place.” Dr Massey said.
In Oceania, the OFC Pro League has taken football’s latest player welfare initiative from theory to practice, and, in doing so, positioned itself at the forefront of the global game’s commitment to brain health.
Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek