Global footballers’ union FIFPro has raised alarm over the growing burden on professional players, warning that many top stars feel silenced by fear of career repercussions if they speak out against congested match calendars.
The warning came during a global summit held in Amsterdam on Friday, where representatives from 58 national player unions gathered to assess FIFA’s expanding control over the football calendar a move FIFPro says is coming at the expense of player welfare.
“Some of the game’s biggest names have told us they haven’t had a proper rest in years,” said Alex Phillips, FIFPro’s general secretary. “One player told me, ‘I’ll only get a break when I’m injured.’ That’s the level of exhaustion we’re talking about.”
According to Phillips, while many players are frustrated, they are increasingly reluctant to voice their concerns publicly.
“A few weeks before the Club World Cup, they’re privately worried about burnout then, suddenly, you see them praising the same tournament on social media,” he said. “It’s not their words. It’s the pressure from clubs and sponsors. Speaking up could have consequences for their careers.”
FIFA’s Expanding Schedule Under Fire
The comments follow the conclusion of the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup held in the United States, a competition hailed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino as a success. However, FIFPro says the tournament is emblematic of FIFA’s disregard for players’ health, pointing to the overloaded schedule, extreme weather conditions, and a lack of rest between seasons.
“It is unacceptable for a body that claims global leadership to ignore players’ basic needs,” FIFPro said in a statement. “From suffocating calendars to dangerous playing conditions, FIFA continues to sideline the people who make the game possible.”
FIFPro also reiterated concerns over players’ social rights, arguing that FIFA’s decisions are made with minimal input from those directly affected.
FIFA Responds with Accusations of “Public Confrontation”
FIFA, in response, pushed back against FIFPro’s criticisms, accusing the union’s leadership of “divisive and contradictory” rhetoric. The Zurich-based governing body claimed it had attempted to include FIFPro in recent discussions, including a high-level meeting in New York on July 12 which the union declined to attend.
“FIFA is extremely disappointed by FIFPro’s approach,” the statement read. “Rather than participating in constructive dialogue, they have opted for public confrontation to protect their own personal positions and interests.”
Ongoing Tensions
The tension between the two organisations has been escalating. FIFPro Europe has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission, accusing FIFA of abusing its power over the international calendar.
The union was also excluded from meetings held by FIFA ahead of the Club World Cup final a move FIFPro described as an attempt to shut out critical voices.
Sergio Marchi, FIFPro’s president and a former player and politician in Argentina, recently lambasted Infantino’s leadership in an interview with The Athletic, describing FIFA’s governance as an “autocracy.”
