FIFA prioritizes player health as it develops Club World Cup, according to Gianni Infantino's statement to CNN.
Let's dive into the Club World Cup controversy and FIFA's plans to keep player health in check
FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has been chatting with CNN Sports about the ever-expanding soccer calendar, with more intense summer competitions, and it's all happening during the sport's usual off-season.
With the global players union vying legal claims over the expanded Club World Cup coming this summer and the 2022 World Cup, Infantino assures that FIFA is "always concerned" about the soccer calendar. To tackle these concerns, Infantino mentioned the player welfare task force, led by football legend Arsène Wenger, who was announced by FIFA in October.
Infantino believes the new-look Club World Cup won't have a significant impact on players, as it takes place once every four years. The champion team plays seven games in total, which equates to around one and a half additional games per year.
But it's not just FIFA that's been trying to shift the goalposts; in October, FIFPRO filed a complaint to the European Commission over what they call an "oversaturated" football calendar, which they claim "risks player safety and wellbeing."
This comes after FIFPRO's June legal claim against FIFA for allegedly setting the sports calendar "unilaterally." The October complaint also highlighted a "conflict of interest" as FIFA simultaneously organizes competitions and governs the sport.
Despite the concerns, Infantino presented the revamped Club World Cup trophy as the "coolest trophy in all of sports," with stars like Vinícius Jr., Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, and Harry Kane set to take part. Infantino claims the tournament will settle the debate between fans over which team is truly the best in the world.
By creating a new World Cup for clubs, Infantino says it addresses the divide in soccer, where countries have their World Cup, and clubs don't. With a 63-game tournament in one month, the Club World Cup aims to find the world's best team in a manner similar to the Super Bowl.
But it's clear that FIFA will be keeping a close eye on the players' health and welfare as the tournaments progress, with the new task force dedicated to ensuring the players' best interests are upheld.
Factor to ConsiderWhile FIFA insists that the expanded Club World Cup has a minimal impact on players, there are still concerns from stakeholders such as FIFA's players union FIFPRO. Concerns revolve around the cumulative effect on an already congested football calendar, which could potentially lead to player fatigue and heightened injury risks.
FIFA acknowledges these concerns and is carefully reviewing the Club World Cup's impact, alongside other tournaments, with the help of a player welfare task force led by Arsène Wenger. The task force aims to assess the tournament's effect and make informed decisions about scheduling and player health going forward. Now that you're in the loop, catch Gianni Infantino yourself on CNN's "World Sport," airing on CNN International at 8:30 a.m. ET and again at 5:30 p.m. ET.
- Despite assurances from FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, FIFA's players union, FIFPRO, has expressed concerns about the expanded Club World Cup, fearing its impact on an already congested football calendar and potential risks to player health and safety.
- In response to these concerns, FIFA has created a player welfare task force, led by football legend Arsène Wenger, to accurately assess the tournament's impact and make informed decisions about scheduling and player health going forward.
- FIFPRO contends that the football calendar is currently oversaturated, and adding a new Club World Cup could exacerbate existing challenges, such as player fatigue and increased injury risks.
- With FIFA carefully reviewing the Club World Cup's impact alongside other tournaments, it appears that player welfare will continue to be a top priority as the events progress.
