FIFPRO urges calendar overhaul as Club World Cup players face burnout risk

Soccer bodies must urgently find a way to have more balanced competition calendars while providing adequate rest and recovery periods for players who are nearing breaking point without proper off-seasons, players' union FIFPRO has warned.

In its player workload monitoring report looking into the 2024-25 season, FIFPRO provided evidence of rising health and performance risks due to calendar congestion, especially for players who took part in the Club World Cup.

Teams like Paris St Germain, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City had less than the 28-day recommended minimum off-season, while finalists PSG and Chelsea had fewer than two weeks of pre-season - less than half the recommended minimum.

"The big problem that you have in discussions around the calendar is that people tend to look at this only in isolation and by competition or just a specific period of time that is typically one year," said Maheta Molango, CEO of the Professional Footballers' Association and FIFPRO board member.

"What those reports enable us to do is take a look at the broader picture and look at what happens in consecutive seasons. That's where you start drawing some interesting conclusions."

NO SUMMERS OFF FOR PLAYERS

"You'd have the likes of Cole Palmer, who has been mentioned in the report, who if he's lucky enough to be fit and is called up for the next World Cup, would go three consecutive summers without a break," Molango added.

Palmer played for England, who reached the Euro 2024 final, and Chelsea, who won the Club World Cup this year, with the 23-year-old expected to play for his country at the 2026 World Cup.

He has since suffered groin problems twice at the start of this season and the report showed how soccer's relentless schedule stands in