FIFA, players agree to mandatory rest periods
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 12: FIFA President Gianni Infantino during a press conference at Trump Tower t on July 12, 2025 in New York, New York.
Football's player unions have secured a victory in their battle for mandatory rest periods after a meeting in New York between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and senior figures from global player unions resulted in an agreement on the need for standardized player breaks.
Amid concerns of player burnout, players' groups had demanded action on player welfare following FIFA's decision to stage this summer's inaugural 32-team Club World Cup during the European offseason.
And following talks on Saturday, FIFA and the players' unions have reached "consensus" on a mandatory 72-hour minimum gap between games and a three-week period of rest in the clo...