The world governing body of football, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), has been cautioned that players are prepared to strike if the excessive workload persists.
Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) chief executive, Maheta Molango, asserts that players have reached their limit.
The PFA has been advocating for changes to the crowded football schedule, particularly with the proposed expansion of the Club World Cup to 32 teams next summer.
“I can tell you a situation not even 10 days ago where I went to a dressing room directly affected and I said: ‘I’m happy to be here and bark a bit but ultimately it’s down to you. How far would you like to go?” said Molango, speaking at the PFA and world players’ union Fifpro’s end-of-season review of player workload and recovery.
“Some of them said: ‘I’m not having it, we may as well strike.’ Some said: ‘what’s the point? Yes I’m a millionaire but I don’t even have time to spend the money’.
“It’s not even the union who has said it, it has been Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. We have reached a point where we cannot discount any action.”
The PFA has threatened legal action and has been exploring ways to address the increasing number of games in the football calendar.
In collaboration with the PFA, Fifpro and the World Leagues Association (WLA), which includes the Premier League, sent a letter to FIFA in May. The letter threatened legal action if FIFA proceeds with its plans to host a 32-team Club World Cup at the end of next season.
In a letter addressed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and general secretary Mattias Grafstrom, seen by BBC Sport, Fifpro and the WLA stated that if FIFA extends its own competitions, it should make adjustments to others.
The letter argues that “imposing the burden of adaptation on national leagues and players is inherently abusive” and “jeopardizes national leagues and affects the health and wellbeing of players.”
However, BBC Sport understands that FIFA believes its scheduling program has taken player welfare into account.
Molango added: “Some of the changes in England with the domestic calendar is forced by what Fifa and Uefa have done. What has happened, even further confirmation something has to be done but also that it’s not affecting just the top players.
“We will always try to exhaust all diplomatic avenues, we have sent a letter, we have received an answer but unfortunately time is against us.
“Sometimes between grown up people, despite trying very hard to find solutions you need a third party to decide, maybe an arbitrator or a tribunal.”
A study focused on young players highlighted the significant stress their bodies are under and emphasized the extensive number of minutes played by Real Madrid and England’s Jude Bellingham before turning 21.
At just 20 years old, Bellingham has played 18,486 minutes in his career, compared to the 3,929 minutes David Beckham played and the 6,987 minutes Frank Lampard played by the same age.
David Terrier, Fifpro’s Europe president, also warned that players are experiencing physical and mental burnout.
As part of this season’s review, a survey of players revealed that over 50% of respondents reported playing while carrying an injury.
“There is an emergency – we are in danger,” said Terrier. “Players have gone beyond the limit and the international timetable is full to the brim.”
Infantino addressed the issue of the football calendar with members associations at a Fifa congress earlier this month.
“Fifa is organising around 1% of the games of the top clubs in the world. 98-99% of the matches are organised by the different leagues, associations, confederations,” he said.
“Fifa is financing football all over the world. The revenues that we generate are not just going to a few clubs in one country, the revenues that we generate are going to 211 countries all over the world.
“Our mission is to organise events and competitions, and to develop football around the world because 70% of the Member Associations o