Amritha Mohan, a research scholar from Kannur, has been awarded the prestigious FIFA Research Scholarship for her pioneering research project on women’s football in Kerala. The scholarship, which supports academic research on football from around the world, provides funding of up to USD 25,000 to selected researchers.
Amritha’s project marks a significant milestone as the first study on football in Kerala to receive support from FIFA, administered by the International Centre for Sports Studies, Switzerland (CIES). The scholarship is highly competitive and attracts applications from researchers globally. Amritha is currently pursuing her PhD in the Faculty of Arts, Monash University Australia.
Documenting the Future of the Women’s Game
The research aims to explore the development, challenges, and opportunities within women’s football, examining the experiences of players and the perspectives of key stakeholders in Kerala’s football ecosystem. The study conducts in-depth interviews with contemporary women footballers and football stakeholders in Kerala, including coaches, administrators, and officials. As an output, Amritha will submit a comprehensive 50-page research report in March 2026 that documents these findings and provides actionable recommendations for implementation within the football stakeholder community in Kerala.
“I’m really glad to receive this scholarship – it feels like both an honour and a privilege to be able to research my hometown and document the perspectives of women footballers from Kerala” says Amritha. “Kerala has such a strong football culture, yet we know so little about the history of women’s football here. I think it’s that curiosity that drives this research,” she says.
Amritha is currently seeking to speak with women footballers as well as football stakeholders – coaches, administrators, officials, and others involved in the sport in Kerala – to understand their experiences and perspectives. “Their voices are essential to this project. I’m hoping this research will be one among many projects to come from this region on sports history in Kerala,” she says.
The FIFA Research Scholarship programme supports the next generation of scholars conducting original research that provides new knowledge on issues related to football. Projects are selected based on their academic rigour, innovation, and potential to contribute meaningful solutions to challenges faced by the football community.
The application process opens each September annually, with applications closing at the end of the month. Candidates must submit a comprehensive research proposal, curriculum vitae (CV), and two academic letters of reference. Successful applicants are notified at the end of January the following year. More details on the scholarship can be found here: https://www.cies.ch/research/fifa-research-scholarship
Seeking Collaborators and Participants
Mohan is actively seeking input from collaborators and participants who are involved in women’s football in Kerala. Women players, coaches, club officials, association administrators, and other stakeholders interested in contributing to this research are encouraged to reach out.
For more information or to participate in the study, interested parties can contact Amritha Mohan at amritha.mohan@monash.edu, or Twitter-X/ LinkedIn
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