‘Why the number of matches played by a professional football player should be limited’

These are the issues addressed in the PZCR Legal article ‘Why limit the number of matches played by a professional football player’, available here.

1. Proliferation of competitions and calendar saturation

The creation of new competitions such as the FIFA Club World Cup and the expansion of international tournaments have significantly increased the number of matches professional footballers have to play, leading to physical and mental overload.

2. Labour regulations (in Spain and other countries) and the absence of match limits

Collective agreements in several European countries, such as Spain, France and Italy, regulate aspects such as working hours and rest periods, but do not impose a limit on the number of matches a footballer can play during a season, increasing the risks to his health.

3. Prevalence of labour law over federation regulations

In case of conflict between labour law and federation regulations (such as those imposed by FIFA or UEFA), labour law should prevail, which means that any limitation of matches established by collective agreements or mandatory labour regulations should prevail over federation rules that would determine participation in matches above that maximum limit.

4. The lawsuit against FIFA on 13 June 2024

FIFPro Europe and several trade unions filed a lawsuit against FIFA, claiming that the unilateral imposition of the Club World Cup calendar violates the labour rights of football players, based on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and competition law.

5. Possible solutions and challenges

It is proposed to amend collective agreements to include a limit on the number of matches a footballer can play, thus balancing the interests of players and clubs. However, this could lead to economic and sporting conflicts and would require global coordination – ideally led by FIFA in collaboration with unions and federations.