World professional footballers' union FIFPro not ruling out strike action on player workload

FIFA has been warned players will take "matters into their own hands" if nothing is done to address the growing demand on their workload, with world players' union FIFPro suggesting strike action would not be out of the question.

Amid the increasing-congested fixture calendar, FIFPro’s Europe president David Terrier said there was "an emergency" around growing mental and physical fatigue of players.

Terrier called for regulation to cap the number of games as the FIFPro player workload and recovery season review highlighted some worrying numbers.

As part of the review, a player survey showed over 50% of respondents said they had been forced to play while already carrying an injury, while 82% of managers said they had fielded a player they knew required a rest.

Ireland's players body, the PFAI, is one of FIFPro's 70 member associations.

"We are faced with one of the most urgent problems with our sport, which has risen through a failure of government," Terrier said at the FIFPro event in London.

"It has given rise to dangerous mental and physical fatigue. The problem is the ones who listen and the ones who don’t. As a union it is the most important part of our work to listen to our members – to listen is to accept responsibility.

"Players do speak and communicate with us and it is absolutely clear, there is an emergency – we are in danger.

"Players have gone beyond the limit and the international timetable is full to the brim.

"What is FIFA’s response? More matches, more competitions, more money – without any guarantee for the players."

Addressing FIFA, Terrier suggested FIFPro would not be beyond polling their members over whether to strike if conditions do not improve.

"FIFA doesn’t listen as a body. Their decisions affect all of