FIFA Make Decision to Mandate Player Rest Periods Amid Mounting Concerns Over Workload

The world football governing body has agreed to mandate 72-hour match intervals and a three-week offseason to protect player welfare.

Football’s major player unions have achieved a breakthrough in their campaign to protect athletes from the rising demands of the modern game, after securing an agreement with FIFA to enforce minimum rest regulations.

The milestone decision follows high-level meetings in New York between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and top representatives of international players’ organisations, including FIFPRO.

The discussions culminated in a commitment to establish a mandatory 72-hour recovery window between matches and guarantee a three-week offseason break at the end of each campaign.

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The measures are intended to address escalating fears over player burnout and health risks, which unions say have been exacerbated by FIFA’s relentless expansion of competitions, particularly the new 32-team Club World Cup scheduled for this summer in the United States.

FIFA confirmed the agreement in a statement highlighting the need for safeguards across all levels of the sport: “The meeting addressed key issues concerning player health (both men and women), a top priority given that it forms part of the occupational risk prevention framework established by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).”

The governing body added that it is willing to open the door to further collaboration with unions, including inviting player representatives to participate in FIFA Council meetings when decisions directly affecting player welfare are discussed.

Unions Pressured FIFA Over Expanded Tournaments

Mounting tension over fixture congestion boiled over last year when FIFPRO, alongside the English and French players’ unions, filed a formal complaint to the European Union.

They accused FIFA of abusing its market dominance by adding more international fixtures and tournaments without proper consultation.

The expanded FIFA Club World Cup — which Infantino has championed as a historic commercial success — has become the most visible flashpoint.

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While FIFA has maintained that increased competitions will help grow football worldwide, unions have argued that unrelenting schedules are unsustainable for players’ physical and mental health.

In response, FIFA acknowledged that improved scheduling must be a priority.

“There is a consensus that there must be at least 72 hours of rest between matches, and that players should have a rest period/holiday of at least 21 days at the end of each season,” FIFA stated.

“This period should be managed individually by each club and the respective players also depending on their match calendars and taking into account applicable collective agreements.”

Travel, Climate, and Weekly Rest Under Scrutiny

Beyond the headline measures, FIFA and the unions also agreed that other factors — such as frequent long-haul travel and extreme weather conditions — must be considered when shaping the next International Match Calendar.

The plan includes implementing a mandatory weekly rest day, although FIFA indicated that the day off should be managed pragmatically by clubs in line with their schedules.

“Furthermore, a rest day per week should also be planned, whilst being managed pragmatically,” FIFA said.

“In addition, it was discussed that player travel — especially long-haul intercontinental trips — and the climatic conditions under which matches are played, should be considered when defining policies for the upcoming IMC.”

Despite the concessions, FIFPRO has continued to advocate for a guaranteed four-week offseason each year to allow adequate recovery time.

“Regarding competitions, FIFA and the player unions agreed on the importance of striking the right balance between national team football and club football, on the one hand, and between domestic, continental, and global club competitions on the other hand,” FIFA said.

The organisation underscored that expanded competitions can still benefit football’s development, provided player welfare remains a central consideration: “Additionally, offering more playing opportunities to players who are not at the highest international level was also identified as a priority.”

The agreement represents a rare moment of consensus between FIFA and player unions — and signals a recognition that without structured recovery time, even the world’s top athletes cannot sustain the increasingly crowded calendar.