FIFA president Infantino dismisses coaches’ and players’ concerns on packed schedule after Club World Cup addition

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has yet to begin, but it’s already drawing criticism for adding even more fixtures to an already crowded global soccer calendar. With less than three months until kickoff, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has issued a firm response to the coaches and players voicing concerns about the tournament’s impact on the demanding schedule.

In recent years, the growing number of domestic and international competitions has pushed players to the brink, with many now expected to play over 60 games in a single season. Coaches and players have been outspoken in their desire to ease the workload and protect player health.

A standout example is Inter Milan. While the Italian giants continue to compete at the highest level, their congested schedule highlights the strain placed on elite clubs.

Since the 2024–25 season began on August 17, Inter are projected to play at least 61 matches—including Serie A (38), UEFA Champions League (14), Coppa Italia (4), Supercoppa Italiana (2), and the Club World Cup group stage (3). That number could increase further depending on their progress in ongoing tournaments.

Infantino defends FIFA’s approach

As the architect of the Club World Cup’s expanded format, Infantino has faced mounting scrutiny for increasing fixture demands. Speaking to CNN, the FIFA president defended the revamped competition and downplayed the concerns raised by critics.

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“It is a competition which takes place once every four years. The winner plays seven games – which is like one game and a half, almost, more a year – so it doesn’t have a big impact,” Infantino stated. Infantino also argued that the scheduling burden primarily affects a small number of elite clubs that consistently advance to the latter stages of major competitions:

“What happens in world soccer is that there are many games for very few teams, very few players. Those who reach maybe the final stages of all competitions – which again is very rare because usually a team wins maybe one competition but doesn’t win them all – so, all in all, it balances itself out quite a bit.”

He added that FIFA remains mindful of player welfare and is taking steps to manage workloads responsibly: “But we’re very careful about the calendar and about the health of the players. I mean, we want to do everything for the players to be in the best conditions to perform in the best way … and that’s what many players tell me as well, what you want is to play rather than to train, right?”

The 2025 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, which replaces the now-defunct Confederations Cup, will be held from June 14 to July 13. Though it will only take place every four years, questions around player fatigue and workload will likely persist as clubs and national teams continue to fight for silverware across multiple fronts.