Footballers Need Mandatory Breaks to Prevent Burnout, Study Finds

 Footballers Need Mandatory Breaks to Prevent Burnout, Study Finds

A groundbreaking report released by global players' union Fifpro recommends major changes to the professional football calendar to prevent player burnout and injuries. The study brought together 70 medical and performance experts, resulting in a set of 12 proposed safeguards designed to address the physical and mental strain caused by excessive workloads in modern football.

Key among the recommendations is a mandatory four-week off-season break for all players. The report also calls for a minimum four-week retraining period before returning to competitive matches. Additionally, it recommends mandatory mid-season breaks and serious consideration of the burden that long-distance travel places on athletes.

These recommendations were agreed upon through a consensus-based approach, requiring more than 75 percent agreement among the expert panel to validate each safeguard. Fifpro states that this is the most extensive expert agreement on workload protections in professional football to date.

Professor Doctor Vincent Gouttebarge, medical director at Fifpro, emphasized that health must come first. He urged that the findings be used to implement actual changes across leagues and competitions, stating that the recommendations reflect the insights of professionals who deeply understand the unique pressures faced by elite footballers.

The report aims to encourage football governing bodies and leagues to take these recommendations seriously to ensure long-term player health and performance.

See also: Five of world football's biggest stars who are not at the FIFA Club World Cup

The release of the Fifpro report coincides with the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, which begins just days after the study was published. Premier League clubs Chelsea and Manchester City are among the teams participating. If either team reaches the final, their players would have only five weeks before the new Premier League season begins on 15 August, highlighting the scheduling pressure.

Chelsea’s situation is particularly tight. Their first match in the Club World Cup is on 16 June—just 19 days after winning the Conference League final against Real Betis. Such tight turnarounds leave players with little time to recover physically or mentally.

The concerns are not new. In September, before suffering a serious ACL injury, Manchester City midfielder Rodri revealed that players were nearing the point of striking over the relentless match calendar. His teammate, Manuel Akanji, has also publicly considered early retirement by age 30 due to the lack of rest and recovery time.

In a broader pushback against the current football calendar, Fifpro filed a legal complaint with the European Commission in October. The complaint accused FIFA of abusing its dominance, citing the Club World Cup and other tournaments as examples of excessive scheduling that harms player wellbeing.

This real-world urgency underscores the need for football authorities to act swiftly on the Fifpro recommendations. Without changes, more players may face early retirements, career-threatening injuries, and long-term mental and physical health consequences.