Following an increase in deaths,both during matches and training, in 2007 the International Federation of Association Football
(FIFA) considered mandatory cardiac testing, already in place for years in some countries, such as Italy
By 2009, FIFA pre-competition medical assessments included family history, heart rhythm, sounds, and electrocardiogram (ECG) results. For players in the 2011–12 Europa League, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) mandated a battery of medical examinations, including an echocardiogram and an electrocardiogram. Constant monitoring has been advised
FIFA Sudden Death Report
To further understand the scale of the problem, a study, named the FIFA Sudden Death Report (FIFA-SDR), was commissioned by FIFA and carried out by Saarland University. It was published in 2020. The report recorded worldwide deaths attributed to sudden cardiac arrest or other unexplained sudden death while playing (or shortly after playing) football during the period from 2014 to 2018. There were 617 cases during the five-year period. In the majority of cases where an autopsy was carried out, the cause of death was coronary heart disease.
List of players who died
Note: This list includes players who died during matches or training for various reasons, such as injuries, cardiac arrest, natural death, and sometimes for unknown reasons. Death may occur immediately or several days after the injury or fall.
