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Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the football calendar was “reaching a tipping point” as teams were required to play more games.
Due to the expansion of the Champions League and Club World Cup, the number of matches for some clubs could increase significantly in the 2024-25 season.
“Obviously when you overload the calendar and the players, something has to give at some point,” Masters said.
“We're at a tipping point. The feedback from players is that there's too much football going on and it's constantly expanding.”
Next season's Champions League will be expanded to 36 teams and the group stage will be replaced with a league format, with teams playing two more games.
The Club World Cup, currently held annually with seven teams from six federations, will be a 32-team tournament held every four years.
Chelsea and Manchester City will compete in the Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025.
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Next season is expected to be busier than ever for the main players.
The Premier League starts on August 17th and the Club World Cup final will be held almost 11 months later.
Manchester City will compete in the 36-team Champions League, with all teams playing eight games in the opening round and a play-off round before advancing to the last 16.
Chelsea could potentially play in the Europa League, which has the same format.
EFL Cup matches are scheduled in the week that the European competition is held, so clubs involved on both fronts (likely those involved in the Europa League and Conference League) will play two games in midweek. There is a possibility that it will be held.
It's no wonder players have begun to declare “enough is enough.”
Administrators can make the best plans ever. If they don't take the players, they have a problem.
