December 18 – Some elite-level female professionals are dealing with a packed schedule whereas at the opposite end of the scale, others don’t have enough games to play, according to global players’ union Fifpro.
A major Fifpro study highlighted a disproportionately heavy workload for a few players like Mariona Caldentey, who played 64 times for Barcelona and Spain last season as Barca competed in four different competitions and won them all. Caldentey now plays for Arsenal.
The report, covering 300 players, revealed that while some are “overstretched by many matches”, the majority have too few, while new competitions have resulted in “lopsided” growth. Just 33 games per season was the average per player.
Fifpro said its study showed the impact of “new or expanded competitions in a few countries, notably in Europe and North America, and little or no development elsewhere.”
Fifpro is petitioning for mandatory breaks and minimum conditions for travelling.
“There is a two-speed development of women’s football,” said Dr Alex Culvin, Fifpro’s director of policy and strategic relations for women’s football.
“There are players who are squeezed by the calendar and the high cadence of games; this is an issue that is rightly gaining more attention.
“Yet there are a larger proportion of players who do not have enough competitive matches and are often overlooked. Putting players at the centre of any, and all, dialogue on the calendar and the regularity of games is key to finding solutions.
“It is important that all stakeholders recognise the depth and diversity of the issues and work together to create a more balanced calendar that, whilst continuing to accelerate growth, also creates more competitive opportunities and provides guaranteed rest periods.”
Culvin called for “a more balanced calendar” that creates more opportunities to compete but also guarantees rest.
The study comes at a time when Fifpro is also pressuring FIFA to ease the workload on elite men’s football, citing the controversial expansion of the Club World Cup next summer as one example.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734537878labto1734537878ofdlr1734537878owedi1734537878sni@w1734537878ahsra1734537878w.wer1734537878dna1734537878
