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MODULE 5
Preparation of the Football Emergency Care Bag
FIFA's standard bag, plus a fuller local checklist, layout and critical fails
HOW MANY BAGS — LOCAL PLANNING GUIDE
| Match setting | Primary bags | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| 1 football pitch | 1 fully equipped bag | 1 reserve / secondary bag |
| 2 pitches operating simultaneously | 2 bags | 1 reserve |
| 3 pitches | 3 bags | 1 reserve |
| Tournament, multiple simultaneous matches | 1 bag per active pitch | At least 1 central reserve |
| High-risk / large tournament | 1 per pitch + dedicated trauma/medical team bag | Additional reserve |
Do not rely on one bag shared between pitches
The bag must be immediately accessible at the pitch where the emergency occurs. Emergency planning should be venue-specific and rehearsed before the event.
Single football match: 1 × pitchside emergency medical bag + 1 × backup / resupply bag + 1 × AED immediately available pitchside. The AED should not be buried inside the medical bag — it needs to be rapidly accessible.
LOCAL CHECKLIST · A. AIRWAY
| Equipment | Qty |
|---|---|
| Oropharyngeal airway | 1 set |
| Nasopharyngeal airway | 1 set |
| LMA / supraglottic airway / i-gel size 3, 4, 5 | 1 |
| Lubricating gel | 1 |
| Pocket mask with O₂ port | 1 |
| Magill forceps | 1 |
| Portable suction | 1 |
| Suction catheters, appropriate sizes | 2–3 each |
| Pen torch | 1 |
LOCAL CHECKLIST · B. BREATHING / OXYGEN
| Equipment | Qty |
|---|---|
| Adult BVM set | 1 |
| Adult face masks | 2 |
| Oxygen tubing | 2 |
| Non-rebreather oxygen mask | 2 |
| Simple oxygen mask | 1 |
| Nebuliser mask / set | 1–2 |
| Oxygen cylinder | Separate dedicated cylinder |
| Oxygen regulator | 1 |
| Pulse oximeter | 1 |
| Spacer device | 1 |
Oxygen availability should be considered part of the pitchside emergency response, not simply an optional accessory.
LOCAL CHECKLIST · C. CIRCULATION / CARDIAC
| Equipment | Qty |
|---|---|
| AED | 1 |
| AED adult pads | 1 set + spare if available |
| AED paediatric pads | According to event population |
| BP machine | 1 |
| Adult BP cuffs | 1–2 |
| Stethoscope | 1 |
| IV cannula 14G / 16G / 18G / 20G / 22G | 2 each |
| Tourniquet | 2 |
| Alcohol swabs | 10 |
| IV dressing / Tegaderm | 5 |
| 5 mL syringe | 5 |
| 10 mL syringe | 5 |
| Needles | Assorted |
| IV giving set | 2 |
| Normal saline 0.9% | According to clinical protocol |
| Sharps container | 1 |
Rapid recognition, CPR and defibrillation are critical components of field-of-play cardiac emergency management.
LOCAL CHECKLIST · DIAGNOSTICS
- BP machine
- Stethoscope
- Pulse oximeter
- Glucometer, blood glucose strips, lancets
- Thermometer
- Pen torch
- Watch / timer
- ECG machine — preferably with the medical team / medical room rather than inside the bag
LOCAL CHECKLIST · HEAT / ENVIRONMENT
Essential wherever football is played in heat and humidity.
- Instant cold packs
- Ice; ice-water immersion capability where appropriate
- Cooling towels, wet towels, cooling blanket
- Spray bottle
- Water, oral rehydration solution
- Fan
- Thermal blanket
The pre-event emergency plan should specifically address exertional heat illness and rapid cooling before transport.
MEDICATIONS — EMERGENCY DRUG POUCH
Follow local authority
Drugs and quantities must follow the event medical director’s standing orders, prescriber authority, national regulations, formulary and local SOP. Do not place prescription medicines into a generic football bag without an approved medication protocol.
| Clinical problem | Medication category |
|---|---|
| Anaphylaxis | Adrenaline / epinephrine IM |
| Asthma / bronchospasm | Salbutamol ± ipratropium according to protocol |
| Hypoglycaemia | Oral glucose |
| Severe hypoglycaemia / unconscious | Parenteral glucose / dextrose according to protocol |
| Pain | Analgesia according to approved formulary |
| Allergic reaction | Antihistamine according to protocol |
| Cardiac arrest | Resuscitation drugs only where advanced medical team / protocol supports them |
| IV fluid requirement | Isotonic crystalloid according to clinical indication |
ONE WAY TO LAY OUT A LOCAL BAG — 11 COMPARTMENTS
- 1 · Airway
- OPA / NPA / i-gel / lubricant
- 2 · BVM & oxygen
- BVM / masks / oxygen masks / nebuliser
- 3 · Suction
- Suction device / catheters
- 4 · Circulation
- IV cannulas / syringes / tourniquet / IV set
- 5 · Drugs
- Approved emergency medications
- 6 · Trauma
- Gauze / dressing / haemorrhage control / shears
- 7 · Splints
- Splints / sling / bandages / cervical collar
- 8 · Diagnostics
- BP / SpO₂ / glucose / thermometer / stethoscope
- 9 · PPE & sharps
- Gloves / eye protection / sharps box / waste bags
- 10 · Concussion / documentation
- SCAT6 / CRT / forms / pen
- 11 · Heat / environmental
- Cold packs / cooling towels / oral rehydration solution / fan
FIFA'S STANDARD BAG (FECB 2022) — THE MINIMUM
FIFA's standard bag is a minimum. Teams may add items, but FIFA recommends not altering the basic inventory, so different teams can work together on the same pitch with the same kit. Contents suit players over 14 years and over 50 kg.
- Airway
- Suction · NPA 6, 7, 8 · OPA 2, 3, 4 · i-gel 4, 5 · lubricant · Magill forceps
- Breathing
- BVM · trauma O2 mask · nebuliser mask · pocket mask · spacer
- Circulation
- IV cannula 14G, 16G · syringes 5 & 10 mL · needles · tourniquet · swabs · giving set · AED (own compartment)
- Cervical spine
- Hard collar
- Diagnostics
- Stethoscope · BP · glucometer · SpO₂ probe · peak flow · pen torch · thermometer
- Wounds · PPE
- Suture set, steristrips, gauze, shears, eye wash · aprons, gloves, gel, glasses, sharps bin
- Oxygen is clipped to the outside of the bag (cannot be flown) — stadiums should provide it.
- IV fluids and drugs are added per the clinician / local protocol — they count as medication.
- Check the bag against the checklist before AND after every match: batteries charged, adjuncts replaced, everything in date.
Other recommended pitchside kit (FIFA):
- Scoop stretcher (preferred over a spinal / long board for trauma, where affordable)
- Spider straps or clip-on straps · head huggers / restraints
- Basket stretcher — carrying a scoop or board is far safer inside a basket
- Splints (vacuum or individual)
CRITICAL FAIL ITEMS
- No AED available
- No oxygen / BVM
- No suction when required by the service level
- Unable to identify emergency access / ambulance plan
- Expired / unavailable emergency medication
- Bag not accessible pitchside
- Unable to activate EMS / ambulance
- Unsafe medication administration
Source: FIFA's standard bag: FIFA Emergency Care Manual, Ch.10. The bag-number guide, the longer local checklist, the 11-compartment layout and the critical-fail list are practical additions that go beyond FIFA's minimum. Study aid only — follow FIFA's current documents and your local protocol.