The international match calendar is approaching a defining moment, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be the first edition under an expanded format and concluding a three-year cycle of consecutive summer tournaments.
Following the UEFA EURO and Copa América in 2024 and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025, the upcoming World Cup sits within a calendar already characterised by sustained competitive activity at both club and international level. This reflects patterns observed across recent seasons, where match volumes at the top level of the game have increased.
In parallel, the structure of the calendar continues to be a point of discussion across the industry, given its implications for player availability, mental strain, heightened injury risk, preparation cycles, and the overall delivery of competitions. The sequencing of club and international fixtures influences not only match volumes, but also recovery periods, pre-season planning, and the operational flexibility available to competitions.
Using data from the FIFPRO Men’s Player Workload Monitoring (PWM) platform, developed and operated in collaboration with Football Benchmark, this analysis provides a view of player workload trends across the elite game.
Sustained increase in match volumes among elite players
Data indicates a clear upward trend in match volume among the most utilised players (of those featured in the sample of the PWM platform). Across the seven seasons from 2018/19 to 2024/25, the average number of matches played by the three most-used outfield players per season has increased from 70 to 73.
The only deviation occurred in 2019/20, when the average dropped to 65 matches due to the disruption caused by COVID-19. Excluding this anomaly, the trend is consistently upward.
It is important to put these figures into context: how much is too much? Based on FIFPRO’s player workload monitoring reports, footballers are recommended not to play more than 55 matches (number of appearances) in a single season. This threshold was established after consultations with high-performance coaches and other professional experts. Exceeding it carries a higher risk of injury and other health issues and likely prevents the player from maintaining peak performance.
The observation that many professional players routinely surpass this recommended maximum of 55 matches indicate that high match exposure is not episodic but structurally embedded within the current calendar. For example, players such as Bruno Fernandes, Antoine Griezmann or Bernardo Silva played 55+ appearances in each of the last seven full seasons (2018/19 – 2024/25). Those who are involved in both international club and national team competitions are very likely to be impacted by excessive match load.
Concentration of workload among top-tier players
The concentration of high workload becomes more pronounced when analysing individual player data. In the 2024/25 season, based on a sample of 1,500 monitored men’s players, the ten outfield players with the highest number of appearances all exceeded 68 matches, with the leading figure reaching 76 matches.
Players such as Luka Modrić (76 matches), Federico Valverde (72), and Fabián Ruiz (71) illustrate the extent to which elite performers are consistently playing competitive matches. In addition, even if a player does not end up playing in a match, they must still prepare for it and travel to and from the venue, which all adds to their overall working time. In this context, simply being included in a matchday squad is part of a player’s workload.
Nevertheless, the actual time spent on the pitch playing is another crucial factor of match load. For example, Modrić played around 57 minutes per match in 2024/25, indicating a high number of early substitutions and appearances off the bench. In stark contrast to this, his teammate, Valverde, played almost 93 minutes on average per match, eventually racking up 2,300 more minutes over the course of the season than him.
A notable characteristic within this “Top 10” group is the high proportion of back-to-back matches, defined as fixtures played with fewer than five days of recovery since the previous game. Several players, including Valverde and Pedri, recorded approximately 80% of their appearances under these conditions.
For example, Valverde played competitive games in no fewer than seven different competitions with Real Madrid CF in 2024/25 (LaLiga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Intercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Cup), in addition to his commitments with the Uruguayan national team. It is easy to see that the scheduling and overlap of so many competitions can lead to a very congested calendar. This requires the players to be in top form for two games (almost) every week without giving them enough time for recovery.
Ultimately, the pattern shows that a significant share of matches is played within reduced recovery intervals. In certain cases, players experienced uninterrupted sequences of up to 18 consecutive back-to-back matches during the season, meaning that they likely did not receive sufficient rest between games for months.
All players featured in the top 10 participated in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and all of them except Bastoni are expected to feature in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as well.
With the 2025/26 season coming to an end, it is already apparent that several players will once again surpass 70 appearances across all competitions. For example, Declan Rice, a key player for Arsenal FC, has been almost ever-present in the side, competing on multiple fronts. Barring any injuries, he is expected to go well beyond this figure at the World Cup with England.
Player workload trends reflect a cumulative calendar structure
The data across recent seasons shows that match volumes at the elite level remain consistently high, with playing time concentrated among a relatively small group of players operating across multiple competitions. Quite often, the same set of players compete in the latter stages of the game’s biggest competitions. While their overall number might not seem too high, it must be noted that they are usually the most valuable footballers with significant social media following and commercial appeal; arguably, many fans tune in to a game to watch them specifically.
The expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup adds further strain within this context. The move from 32 to 48 teams increases the total number of matches from 64 to 104, with the finalists required to play up to eight matches across a 38-day period. Positioned shortly after the European club season and following consecutive summers of major international and club competitions, it also brings additional logistical demands, including long-distance travel, multiple time zones, and varied climatic conditions across host cities. In addition, the window between the World Cup final and the start of the following domestic season is limited, with 34 days separating the final and the start of the Premier League season, leaving reduced time for rest and pre-season preparation.
Set against an already dense calendar, this reinforces how match exposure at the top end continues to build across seasons, particularly for players involved deep into both club and national team competitions.
Match volumes ultimately reflect the interaction of tournaments across the calendar, shaped by decisions taken by multiple stakeholders that organise competitions. As is well understood, fixtures tend to accumulate rather than be offset, with each competition contributing to the overall load. The lack of coordination between rights holders and organisers of different tournaments is clear. As all parties attempt to maximise the commercial and media value of their own events, knock-on effects are not always completely aligned, which places additional physical and mental strain on players and impact the overall quality of the game.
Clubs have somewhat adapted to this environment through greater squad utilisation and in-game management, supported by measures such as the introduction of five substitutions, although these operate within the existing structure rather than materially reducing the number of matches.
Within this framework, player workload remains an important consideration for the industry. As the most utilised players continue to carry a significant share of minutes, maintaining their availability and performance levels is central both to sporting outcomes and to the overall quality and commercial appeal of the product on the pitch. Ensuring that this balance is preserved will be critical in sustaining the long-term value of the game, requiring greater alignment across stakeholders to manage the cumulative demands placed on elite players.
Football Benchmark’s analysis offers a data-led view of how player workload and calendar structures are shaping the game, supporting stakeholders across the industry in assessing performance demands and informing decision-making.
