World Rugby Research Funding Program

World Rugby, the global governing body for Rugby Union, offers an annual research funding opportunity aimed at advancing player welfare through evidence-based scientific inquiry. The organization administers its research funding through a structured multi-stage process, emphasizing scientific rigor, practical relevance, and global applicability. All proposals must align with World Rugby's mission to improve the safety, health, and performance of rugby players worldwide. Applicants must submit proposals that are scientifically robust, ethically sound, and directly relevant to rugby practice or policy. To be eligible for consideration, proposals must begin in the calendar year following submission. For instance, proposals submitted in 2026 must outline activities beginning on or after January 1, 2027. All proposals must be submitted via the World Rugby Online Research Grant Portal and must be written in English. Researchers must commit to inclusive sampling practices, particularly avoiding male-only cohorts unless adequately justified. All applications are reviewed under a standard set of funding terms and conditions, and applying constitutes agreement to these terms. Proposals undergo a rigorous evaluation process by World Rugby’s Scientific Committee, which assesses submissions based on novelty, scientific impact, and contribution to global rugby welfare. Priority is given to projects that produce outcomes capable of shaping or influencing decision-making in player welfare. Research findings should not be limited to regional or localized insights but should benefit the global rugby community. Moreover, the proposed study should either contribute new knowledge or build upon existing scientific literature in a meaningful way. The program may provide either full or partial funding, with no predetermined minimum or maximum funding amounts. Each year’s total funding pool may vary, and World Rugby reserves the right to fund projects for up to three years. Funding will not cover administrative overheads, conference travel, or journal publication fees. However, support may be provided for staffing costs such as graduate students, research assistants, or technicians when appropriately justified. Certain types of research will not be considered for funding unless specifically initiated by World Rugby. These include secondary research, laboratory-only studies, pilot studies, and projects without direct relevance to Rugby Union. Additionally, proposals involving intellectual property development, animal testing, or unvalidated player monitoring technologies will be excluded. Retrospective studies and those relying solely on pre-existing data are also unlikely to be supported. Applications follow a structured process beginning with an Expression of Interest (EOI), followed by a full proposal submission if shortlisted. The EOI requires a project summary, discussion of relevance to existing knowledge, and an outline of the research team, methodology, budget, and anticipated impact. Selected applicants then expand on this in a detailed proposal. Ethical approval is mandatory for studies involving human participants and must be obtained from an appropriate institutional ethics committee. World Rugby will not grant ethics approval directly and funding is conditional on approval documentation being submitted prior to the start of any funded activities. Research priority areas identified by World Rugby for the 2026 cycle include concussion, injury prevention across all levels of play, player welfare in women’s rugby—with an added emphasis on knee injuries—transgender participation, anti-doping, mental health and substance abuse, and long-term health outcomes of rugby participation. Although other topics may be submitted, alignment with these priorities is likely to strengthen a proposal’s competitiveness. World Rugby also periodically releases specific research tenders beyond the annual call for proposals.

Highlight global impact on player welfare. Avoid ineligible project types.