FIFPRO secretary general Jonas Baer-Hoffmann said France defender Raphael Varane’s (seen here with Hugo Lloris) decision last month to end his national team career at the age of 29 was a warning sign. Photo Credit: Reuters
Global federation FIFPRO said on Thursday that most players from last year’s World Cup do not want the football tournament to be held again in November and December.
Citing less preparation and recovery time for players from the World Cup squeezed in the middle of the European club season, FIFPRO said a survey also highlighted player concern for the physical and mental fatigue they felt in January .
FIFPRO secretary general Jonas Baer-Hoffmann told a briefing that France defender Raphael Varane’s decision last month to end his national team career at the age of 29 was a warning sign.
“I fear that if we continue like this he will not be the last,” Baer-Hoffmann said, citing football’s increasingly congested sports calendar with new competitions adding to existing teams and sports.
The association asked the players who were at the World Cup in Qatar when they would prefer future editions to be held. Only 11% said November-December while 64% preferred the traditional June-July slot. One of the four had no preference.
“Interestingly, none of the players who had participated in previous World Cup tournaments were in favor of a winter schedule,” the association’s research paper said.
The dates for the World Cup in Qatar were moved by FIFA in 2015 – due to the oppressive desert heat in June and July – against protests from European leagues and clubs who did not want to lose lucrative weekend playing slots.
FIFA compromised by creating a 29-day tournament schedule instead of the usual 32, which began only a week after the full weekend schedules of most major European leagues. Players usually get at least two weeks after their club season to rest and prepare for the World Cup.
Following the World Cup final on 18 December, the Premier League resumed with Varanasi’s Manchester United only eight days after the France defender played in the championship match against Argentina.
The FIFPRO player survey said that 20% of World Cup players responded that they felt “extremely high levels of mental and emotional fatigue” in January compared to a normal season. FIFPRO said 44% of 64 players reported “excessive or increased physical fatigue” in January.
Although the delayed start of the World Cup in Qatar appeared to be a one-off, FIFA was upbeat about the arrival of new players for the mid-season tournament. Saudi Arabia is also expected to bid to host the 2030 or 2034 tournament – an event that would also likely be proposed for the cooler months in Europe.
Baer-Hoffmann said of this season’s schedule, “A repeat of what we had this time (in Qatar) is clearly not acceptable and should not be a viable option for anyone.”
FIFPRO believes that any future plans to hold the World Cup later in the year should include at least two weeks of preparation time and up to four weeks of recovery following the tournament – at least two European leagues need to be called off for months.
“I think it is unlikely that they would agree to this,” Baer-Hoffmann said.
FIFA is currently drafting rules for bidding for the 2030 World Cup, but has not yet said whether the tournament will be played in June-July.
The choice to host is expected in September 2024 and Baer-Hoffmann said FIFA members should know who they are voting for, with no option to change dates later, like the 2022 edition in Qatar.
“With the experience the various stakeholders have had around this unique World Cup,” Baer-Hoffmann said, “I’m pretty sure everyone will be paying a lot of attention to that (vote).”