Wales forward Daniel James believes the timing of this year’s World Cup finals will increase players’ fears of missing the tournament through injury.
Qatar 2022 starts in the middle of European football’s domestic season, with Senegal facing the Netherlands in the opening game in Al Thumama on November 21.
Both England and Wales launch their Group B campaign against Iran and the USA respectively later the same day, 11 days after the last round of Premier League fixtures on November 12.
Leeds winger James, who reported back for his club’s pre-season testing at Leeds Beckett University on Monday, said: “It’s a tough one because we’ve got a Premier League game something like the week before (the World Cup). “So I think everyone is concentrating on being fit for that tournament.