""You've got the perfect storm of how not to treat a human," FIFPRO consultant Dr. Darren Burgess told journalists in a media call to present the report. "You've got players playing a largue number of games followed by fewer than the recommended off-season days and preseason days followed by a large number of games again. The cycle keeps repeating." This leads to injury at worst and at best reduced capacity to perform."
""The 32-team Club World Cup put an enormous strain on the players, with some, such as Achraf Hakimi, having their seasons stretch over almost an entire year as a result. The report notes that Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich all had their offseasons and preseasons for the current campaign severely shortened because of the competition. Without improved safeguarding and better load management, there is concern that the participation of many players at the 2026 World Cup is at risk.""
The 32‑team Club World Cup and a congested calendar have severely shortened offseasons and preseasons for top clubs, causing some players to have near year‑long seasons. Major clubs experienced reduced recovery windows, creating repeated cycles of heavy match load followed by inadequate rest that lead to injury and reduced performance capacity. Medical consensus recommends a minimum four weeks between seasons, at least two days between appearances for recovery, and that travel burden be factored into scheduling. Heat has emerged as an additional major concern for player health, particularly given competition locations and the pathway to the next World Cup.
Read at www.dw.com
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