The move to a winter World Cup in 2022 means a different schedule for the players, especially those playing in the top European leagues.
Rather than the season ending and the World Cup beginning, the season is stopping, with the World Cup being played in the middle of domestic and European competitions.
How does fixture congestion affect players mentally and physically? @SarahShepSport finds out.https://t.co/3ZAHd7aWzI— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) September 10, 2022
How does fixture congestion affect players mentally and physically? @SarahShepSport finds out.https://t.co/3ZAHd7aWzI
There are several factors due to the change of schedule that could have an impact on the fitness of players at the top level for the remainder of the season.
One of the key issues surrounds the space of time between the final fixtures in the top European leagues and the start of the 2022 World Cup. In a normal World Cup year, the season would end in May and players would have one month to get themselves prepared for the international tournament.
Players would usually be given some brief time to spend with family and friends before joining up with the World Cup squad. International teams would play a couple of friendly games and then travel to begin the competition.
That is not the case in 2022 and players will join with their international squads immediately after their final game for their club team and there is one week until the tournament begins.
There is no rest period and no time for friendly games to get prepared. That alone could have a major impact on the fitness of players for the remainder of the season. Switching from one intense environment to another could lead to injuries.
The schedule of the 2022 World Cup means teams in the group stage have only 3 days between matches. For example, Group B begins on the 21st of November and ends on the 29th of November, with each team playing three times in that short period.
At the 2018 World Cup, every team had at least 4 days between fixtures but because the 2022 World Cup is being played during the club season, the fixtures are condensed into a shorter period.
That means injuries are more likely to happen because of the short turnaround in fixtures. Not only are injuries a problem but fatigue could set in and some players will be extremely tired come the end of the tournament, especially those who reach the latter stages of the competition.
If we take Harry Kane as an example, the England striker has started every match for Tottenham Hotspur this season. He is England’s number one striker and is likely to start every group game and every match England play in the knockout stages.
Kane is going to need a break at some stage during this season because his performance levels are going to drop due to fatigue and that could lead to significant injury.
There is no doubt the World Cup is going to have an impact of the fitness of players for the remainder of the season.
Minutes will need to be managed when players return to their club teams or we could see some big name players struggling in the second half of the campaign.