Background: Return-to-sport (RTS) following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) remains a significant clinical challenge, with high rates of delayed return and secondary injury reported in athletic populations. Conventional rehabilitation protocols often rely on time-based progression, which may inadequately address persistent neuromuscular deficits associated with reinjury risk. Phase-specific neuromuscular training, guided by functional and movement-based criteria, has been proposed as a more individualized approach; however, comparative evidence remains limited. Objective: To compare the effects of phase-specific neuromuscular training and time-based rehabilitation on return-to-sport timing and re-injury risk following ACL reconstruction. Methods: A prospective, randomized, comparative study design was employed involving physically active individuals who underwent primary unilateral ACL reconstruction. Participants were allocated to either a phase-specific neuromuscular training group or a traditional time-based rehabilitation group. Return-to-sport time, secondary ACL injury incidence within 12 months post-RTS, limb symmetry indices, and functional performance outcomes were analyzed using appropriate inferential statistical methods. Results: Participants undergoing phase-specific neuromuscular training demonstrated a significantly earlier return-to-sport compared to those following time-based rehabilitation (p < 0.001). Additionally, the phase-specific group exhibited a lower incidence of secondary ACL injury within the follow-up period (p < 0.05). Superior limb symmetry and functional performance outcomes were also observed in the phase-specific neuromuscular training group at the time of RTS clearance. Conclusion: Phase-specific neuromuscular training appears to be more effective than conventional time-based rehabilitation in facilitating earlier and safer return-to-sport following ACL reconstruction. Rehabilitation models emphasizing neuromuscula