A large part of the players indicated that with a World Cup in winter, there is not enough time for preparation and recovery. FIFPRO General Secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann therefore called a repeat of 2022 unacceptable. “If you want to stage another World Cup in winter, you need to completely change the competition schedules and ensure adequate training and recovery time before and after the tournament, but it seems unlikely that the unions will accept that.”
French footballer Raphael Varane reached the World Cup final with France late last year but decided to end his international career after the tournament due to “a stifling schedule”. According to Baer-Hoffmann, it is precisely the players who have to do it on the pitch and for whom people come to the stadium. “It should be a warning to everyone that a player makes such a drastic decision because it is physically and mentally too much.”