Tracking the game: A scoping review of physical and technical performance metrics in women's football

Abstract

Women's football continues to experience rapid growth globally, yet the evidence base available to inform training prescription, performance analysis, and player development remains limited. This scoping review synthesised published research examining physical and technical performance metrics of women's football players during matches and training and identified key gaps to inform future research. A systematic search and screening process identified 91 peer-reviewed studies, with supplementary grey literature sources from FIFA Technical Reports and Hudl StatsBomb open-source datasets used to provide additional contextual evidence. Physical match performance was extensively represented in the literature, whereas technical performance, training environments, and youth cohorts were markedly underrepresented. Data collection approaches were dominated by GPS-based systems and video analysis, while the use of emerging foot-mounted inertial technologies, capable of capturing ball-specific interactions, remained minimal. The review highlights substantial gaps in the measurement of technical skill, the characterisation of training demands, and age-specific evidence essential for supporting youth development pathways. Establishing standardised reporting frameworks and appropriately validated thresholds, alongside expanding the integration of accessible tracking technologies, will be critical for advancing evidence-based practice across all levels of the women's game.