“Wenger Takes Charge: Leading FIFA Task Force to Enhance Player Welfare”

• Leadership Appointment: Arsène Wenger will lead a FIFA task force focused on player welfare.
• Concerns Raised: A coalition, including FIFPRO and La Liga, has accused FIFA of “calendar abuse” due to congested match schedules.
• Resting Issues: Some players reportedly get as little as 12% of the year to rest.
• Task Force Goals: The task force aims to establish effective safeguards for players, considering various practical aspects.
• Upcoming Actions: The task force will convene soon and will base its recommendations on recent scientific findings regarding player wellbeing.

Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has been appointed to lead a FIFA task force dedicated to player welfare, as announced by the governing body on Monday. This initiative comes in response to growing concerns about the physical and mental strain that congested match schedules impose on players.

Earlier this month, a coalition including the players’ union FIFPRO, Spain’s La Liga, and the European leagues’ group filed a joint complaint with EU antitrust regulators, accusing FIFA of “calendar abuse.” A recent FIFPRO report highlighted that some players receive as little as 12% of the year for rest, exacerbated by FIFA’s plans for a new 32-team Club World Cup and restructured international competitions that will likely increase the number of matches each season.

FIFA stated that the task force’s primary objective is to explore effective safeguards for players, considering various practical aspects such as operational, medical, regulatory, and legal perspectives.

Wenger, now FIFA’s chief of global football development, previously noted significant improvements in player welfare, stating it is now “unrecognizable” compared to previous standards. The task force is expected to convene in the coming weeks and will make recommendations regarding players’ physical and mental wellbeing based on the latest scientific research.