Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, has announced that the Premier League will not delay the start of the club’s opening matches for the 2025-26 season in order to provide recovery time for players participating in the Fifa Club World Cup in America.
Top-flight clubs are growing increasingly anxious about the effect a burgeoning international calendar could have on the wellbeing of players, many of whom have expressed difficulties in coping with the physical demands.
Both Manchester City and Chelsea, the two English participants in the extended, month-long Club World Cup running from 15 June to 13 July, will have limited respite before the Premier League commences in August.
Guardiola explained on Friday that although the club had requested for the league to push back the start of their season by a few weeks to accommodate a post-World Cup holiday, it was flatly rejected.
No reaction was forthcoming from the Premier League to his comments.
It is worth noting that the Premier League kicked off its 2024-25 season on 16 August, just a month following the Euros final match between England and Spain. Guardiola argued that the extended Club World Cup would exacerbate the issues clubs face in managing players’ workload.
City’s midfielder, Rodri, had previously voiced concerns in the preceding month about the possibility of a player strike, driven by an overcrowded fixture list, which now also features a larger Champions League format.
Rodri, now ruled out for the ongoing season with a knee ligament issue, stated that an optimum 40-50 games per season promotes top form. However, his side was potentially looking at a staggering 70-80 games should they progress in all competitions.
The global players’ union FIFPRO recently highlighted the harsh reality of some players receiving less than a week’s rest. Its European affiliates have even initiated legal proceedings against FIFA over the Club World Cup.