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Manchester City midfielder Rodri has expressed concerns that football players may soon resort to striking in response to the increasing number of matches in an already congested calendar. As City prepare to face Inter Milan in the Champions League, where a new format adds at least two extra games, and with an expanded Club World Cup next summer, Rodri suggested a strike may be on the horizon.
“I think we are close to that,” Rodri said when asked about a possible strike. “If it keeps this way, it will be a moment that we have no other option.”
The 27-year-old Spaniard played 63 matches for club and country last season, contributing to City’s Premier League and European Championship successes. With the added fixtures from revamped tournaments, top players like Rodri face an increasingly grueling schedule.
Fifpro, the global players’ union, has warned that legal action against FIFA over its expanded calendar is “inevitable.” Their concerns reflect a broader issue in football, with players like Liverpool’s Alisson and City’s Manuel Akanji also speaking out about the strain. Akanji even suggested he may retire at 30 due to the intensity of the schedule.
Despite player frustrations, reaching a consensus for a strike may prove challenging. La Liga president Javier Tebas noted that while elite players face heavy workloads, most players do not experience the same demands. This disparity complicates the likelihood of a unified strike across all competitions.
As the debate over player welfare intensifies, the growing number of fixtures and tournaments shows no signs of slowing down, with FIFA defending its expanded calendar as essential for global football development.
