Fixture Congestion Puts Player Welfare at Risk
Phil Foden, the Manchester City midfielder who was named PFA Player of the Year for the 2023‑24 season, was shockingly left out of England’s 2026 World Cup squad. His exclusion follows a season crowded with matches that many feel has taken a toll on his form.
Maheta Molango, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, criticised the relentless fixture list, saying it favours commercial interests over the well‑being of players. England manager Thomas Tuchel defended the decision, arguing that squad depth must be balanced against the physical demands placed on elite athletes.
Molango warned that the schedule forces top talent such as Declan Rice and Virgil van Dijk to endure workloads that no athlete can sustain without a spike in injury risk or a dip in performance. Rice featured in 36 of Arsenal’s Premier League games, while Van Dijk played every one of Liverpool’s 38 league matches.
Both Rice and Van Dijk are set to travel to the expanded 48‑team tournament, which will be staged in high temperatures. Fifpro has warned that the World Cup could become a test of endurance rather than skill, and Molango fears the competition may devolve into a 'survival of the fittest' scenario where even the most gifted players are pushed beyond their limits.