Thursday, November 21, 2024, 1:19 p.m.
The international union of professional footballers (FIFPro) has warned of a possible strike due to the increase in matches, which has led to a worrying average of 3.6 injuries per match. In this context, FIFPro has launched a harsh criticism of the expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States between June and July 2025. The tournament, which will go from seven teams to 32, will include giants Europeans such as Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Atlético. The Club World Cup proposal has generated widespread rejection among players, who denounce the negative impact on their physical and mental health due to an increasingly demanding calendar.
Alexander Bielefeld, director of policy and strategic relations at FIFPro, assures that the possibility of a strike is not off the table. «We have seen strikes in other sports. Also in professional football; players have proactively talked about it. It’s a unique moment in terms of how they are connected on this issue. Personally, I wouldn’t rule anything out at this point either,” he said in an interview with the Associated Press.
The core of the dispute lies in the increasing number of matches and tournaments that footballers face, which, according to FIFPro, are putting their physical and mental health at risk. A recent report from the University of Leuven in Belgium reveals that professional football has rates of 36 injuries per 1,000 hours of play and 3.7 injuries per 1,000 hours of training. These numbers, significantly higher than those of other occupations, are due to factors such as the greater intensity of the game, the accumulation of matches, the lack of adequate recovery and recurrent injuries.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, Rodrigo Hernández, has been one of the most prominent voices in pointing out this problem. In September, he warned that the footballers were “at the limit” and that he did not rule out a strike if the situation did not change. A few days later, a serious knee injury ruled him out of the season, highlighting the risks of a packed schedule.
Complaint against FIFA
FIFPro has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission and the Brussels Commercial Court against FIFA, arguing that the extension of the international calendar, including the 2025 Club World Cup, violates European and international legal frameworks on occupational health and safety. .
The report from the University of Leuven, which will be a key piece in these legal actions, maintains that footballers are entitled to the same labor protections as any other worker. “Although the football sector requires an adapted approach, the specificities of the job or high income are no excuse to deny fundamental health and safety rights,” said Professor Frank Hendrickx, one of the authors of the study.
The document points out that the design of the current calendar does not take into account factors such as the accumulation of matches, international travel, sleep disturbances and mental exhaustion. FIFPro has denounced that these elements create a high-risk environment for players, who have not been consulted or involved in the planning of these decisions.
An unprecedented confrontation
Despite resistance from players and their unions, FIFA is moving forward with the expansion of the tournament. Its president, Gianni Infantino, has defended the new format as “the beginning of a new era for football.” However, this stance has deepened the conflict, with players joining forces in an unprecedented show of solidarity.
FIFPro stressed in a statement that the current situation is not sustainable. «The accumulation of extreme demands such as the number of matches, night travel and extensive demands during tournaments are not taken into account when designing the calendars. “This is damaging both the physical and mental health of the players,” the international union warned.
In addition, he rejected the idea that the high salaries of footballers justify the absence of job guarantees. “Remuneration does not eliminate the legal responsibility of the organizers to ensure the health and safety of the players,” said Alexander Bielefeld.
