An Extra-Long Schedule Is Taking A Toll On Soccer Players And The Sport Itself

Baseball is known for its grueling schedules, with 162 regular season games. But players in most other sports can’t come anywhere near that level of constant competition without experiencing some serious negative consequences.

And it appears that professional soccer might soon learn that lesson the hard way.

Longer than ever

The 2024-25 season is already underway for some players, like Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who could play 70 games or more before it’s all over. That makes this the longest season on record for the sport.

While that might sound good at first, since fans will have more opportunities to catch a game and everyone from vendors to stadiums will be able to make more money, there are some dire concerns about the toll it could take on players and soccer’s global reputation.

The season has been expanded due to the inclusion of additional and/or longer competitions, and it’s already starting to take its toll. As Haaland recently noted, some of the players participating in the Euro 2024 tournament couldn’t hide their exhaustion.

Things could continue to get worse as the new season drags on.

From burnout to injury

There are several reasons that players, coaches, unions, and officials alike are sounding the warning bell about this extended schedule.

One study determined that the likelihood of injuries, particularly those impacting players’ muscles, increases along with the number of matches. And Haaland’s own team experienced an unusually high number of injuries during its most recent season.

Furthermore, the added physical toll can contribute to fatigue and burnout, which is likely to cut short some of the sport’s most promising careers.

For its part, the Professional Footballers’ Association wants to implement limitations on how many matches are scheduled and require players to have a certain amount of rest each season.

Chris Agee August 14th, 2024

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