Tebas warns: load pushes players to the breaking point
The president of La Liga, Javier Tebas, issued a warning to London during the players' health summit organized by FIFPRO, denouncing that the increasingly packed schedule of commitments is pushing players towards a breaking point, with injury risks on the rise.
Intervention requested from FIFA and UEFA
Tebas stressed that a decisive intervention from FIFA and UEFA is essential to rebalance players' workload. Without a concrete response, the risk of injuries will increase further.
During the summit, the Spanish executive said that authorities must go beyond mere consultation of stakeholders, which so far has yielded little. He called for concrete measures to reduce pressure on athletes.
Among the factors that worsen the already excessive load, Tebas cited the expanded Club World Cup and the 48‑team World Cup that has just taken place in North America. These competitions add extra matches to an already saturated calendar.
“Some players can still hold on, more or less, but eventually an inevitable breaking point is reached,” Tebas said. “If we don’t change course, the overall situation will deteriorate dramatically, because it is unsustainable.”
According to Tebas, instead of reducing the load on players, it is being increased. “If we don’t tackle the problem, football will suffer,” he concluded.
Maheta Molango, chief executive of the English players’ association, noted that the withdrawal of Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford and Declan Rice for the international window raises doubts about the system. He added that Kai Havertz, Brian Brobbey and Kylian Mbappé also share the same concerns.
The contrast between the growth of competitions and the lack of concrete actions highlights the urgent need for a calendar reform.