Associations decry longer international window – Clubs hail calendar
While numerous UEFA member associations describe the new, longer international match window as too burdensome, representatives of big clubs celebrate the same calendar as progress for club football. At the UEFA meeting in Berlin, which took place in a luxury hotel at Potsdamer Platz, the associations aired their anger – at the same time Bayern Munich chief Jan‑Christian Dreesen praised the concept.
Associations demand a return to the old calendar
Several European associations criticised the new calendar because, in their view, the international match window is too long. A federation president told Sportschau that practically all remarks in the meeting were directed against the new window. The demand was to revert to the old system, which previously provided three windows with two matches each.
The English 'Guardian' was the first to report the opposition to the new calendar. According to the Guardian, smaller nations are also concerned because the packed scheduling would make ticket sales more difficult.
Clubs see benefits for the club
Jan‑Christian Dreesen, chief executive of Bayern Munich, praised the window as 'better for club football' and as the right path for all parties involved. He emphasized that despite concerns about player health, the model would provide long‑term relief.
Under the new system, only two windows are to take place in the autumn – one with four matches, the other with two. Two travel days are eliminated, which is especially important for players who travel to South America. The downtime for players drops from 27 to 24 days.
Background and further criticism
The FIFA Council, which besides DFB president Bernd Neuendorf and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin includes six other European members, unanimously adopted the calendar in 2023. Nevertheless, European league associations, including European Leagues, lodged complaints with the EU Commission and demand more say.
Injuries to stars such as Kylian Mbappé, Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, Brian Brobbery and Kai Havertz were cited in connection with the Nations League, which further reinforced the associations' concerns.
On 15 October, a FIFA Council meeting will take place in Zurich, set against the backdrop of the power struggle between Gianni Infantino and Aleksander Ceferin. FIFA referred to the agenda, on which the issue is not listed explicitly, but left room for 'mixed' statements.