London: Players may go on strike to reduce the number of games played, England’s Professional Football Association has warned FIFA.
Football’s world governing body is stepping up efforts to tackle the workload of elite players, threatening legal action.
The PFA wants to move to change the football calendar, especially with the 32-team Club World Cup proposed for next summer.
An event in London on Thursday by the PFA and the international players’ union FIFPRO heard the player was “in last resort”.
PFA chief executive Maheta Molango recalled a recent interview he had with a player from an unnamed club.
“How far do you want to go?” According to the BBC, Molango said he asked the players.
“Some of them said, ‘I don’t have it, we can get out.’
“Someone said, ‘What’s going on?’ “Yes, I’m a millionaire, but I don’t even have time to spend,” they said.
“We have reached a point where we cannot reduce any movement,” Molango added.
FIFPRO head of policy Alexander Bielefeld told the BBC the results of the annual player workload review were “shocking”.
He warned that it will only increase next season.
“With the launch of the new UEFA Champions League format and the introduction of the (expanded) Club World Cup, it is ahead of the worst season in the new structured calendar,” said Bielefeld.
“He has the ability to direct the workload and the game more evenly among the players, as well as among the young talents.
“We didn’t do that because even if the medical staff asked the coach not to play or to rest the players, the pressure was too high.
Without rescheduling the 2025 World Cup, FIFA is already facing legal action.
A new letter from the World League Association and FIFPRO to FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that football’s global agenda is now “out of saturation”.
FIFA responded by saying it would guarantee the players’ welfare with a “harmonious” plan.
The football schedule will be expanded again next season, with eight first-round matches compared to six this season in the Champions League and Europa League.
The Champions League, Europa League and UEFA Conference League will all be expanded to 36 teams.
“The union feels more strongly than ever that something needs to be done about player workload,” Bielefeld said.
