Overview
- FIFPRO’s 51-page report, Overworked and Under-Protected, details rising health and performance risks from the 2024-25 calendar after the expanded Club World Cup.
- None of the analysed Club World Cup teams met the recommended 28-day off-season, with PSG logging seven days of pre-season and Chelsea 13, and top clubs reporting only 19–25 days off.
- Heat analysis found four Club World Cup matches exceeded FIFPRO’s 28°C cancellation threshold with 17 more near it, while six of 16 host cities for 2026 are classified as extreme risk for heat-related illness.
- FIFPRO says formal talks with FIFA on 2026 World Cup scheduling and heat safeguards have not been set, noting only informal discussions to date.
- The union urges a minimum four-week off-season, at least two days between appearances, and longer halftime and cooling breaks, while legal challenges continue and player representatives warn strike action is possible if protections lag.