Most players against FIFA World Cup in winter, FIFPRO says

Citing the short preparation and recovery times, FIFPRO said a survey it conducted also highlighted player concern for the physical and mental fatigue after the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Most of the players from last year's World Cup do not want the football tournament to be held again in November and December, global union FIFPRO said Thursday.

Citing the short preparation and recovery times for players from a World Cup squeezed into the middle of the European club season, FIFPRO said a survey it conducted also highlighted player concern for the physical and mental fatigue they felt in January.

France defender Raphaël Varane's decision to end his national team career last month at the age of 29 was a warning sign, FIFPRO general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann said in a briefing.

“I fear he is not going to be the last one if we continue like this,” Baer-Hoffmann said, citing football’s increasingly congested playing calendar with new competitions adding more teams and games to existing ones.

The union asked 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 slot of June-July. One in four had no preference.

“Interestingly, of the players surveyed who had also participated in previous World Cup tournaments, none of them were in favor of the winter scheduling,” the union's research document said.

The World Cup dates in Qatar were moved by FIFA in 2015 — because of the oppressive desert heat in June and July — against opposition from European leagues and clubs who did not want to lose lucrative weekend playing slots.