Are footballers really playing more than ever? A Sky Sports study reveals Premier League players today play fewer games than their First Division counterparts in the 1980s.
Last month, Manchester City midfielder Rodri suggested players could strike over increasing fixture congestion, with his side competing in the new-look Champions League and an expanded Club World Cup next summer.
One month later, the midfielder suffered a season-ending injury.
Were Rodri’s concerns prophetic? Did workload, at the very least, heighten the risk of a major injury?
Team-mate Manuel Akanji, Tottenham captain Heung-Min Son and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson – who is also currently sidelined with an injury – have also voiced concerns over the additional workloads facing elite professionals.
Are players overworked?
The graphic below shows that top division teams averaged 53.5 games across all competitions in 1985/86 – almost six more than the 47.9 games played by Premier League clubs last season.
Unsurprisingly, the average dropped significantly from 1995/96 onwards, when the league was reduced from 22 to 20 teams.
While successful teams inevitably play more as they advance in cup competitions, there’s no clear upward trend in the number of games played by the busiest clubs each season.
Longer European campaigns, fewer domestic cup matches
This season, the Champions League has expanded from 125 to 189 games per campaign. By contrast, the European Cup in the 1980s never had more than 61 games in a single season.
So, why isn’t fixture congestion increasing alongside these more demanding European schedules?
The answer lies in domestic cup competitions: clubs are playing fewer games in these competitions, offsetting the impact of the additional European fixtures.
First Division clubs in 1985/86 contested an average of 11.5 domestic cup games, almost double the average recorded in 2023/24.
However, teams outside the top six have benefited most from the reduced number of domestic cup fixtures.
While the additional European games have kept top-six clubs playing more than 50 matches a season over the decades, those lower down the table now face far lighter schedules.
Rotation on the rise
Teams aren’t just playing fewer matches than they did 20 years ago; they’re also better equipped to manage workloads.
Larger squads and the introduction of the permanent five-substitution rule in 2022/23 has provided an opportunity for more players to earn game time.
The impact of this rule change was immediate, with a sharp rise in the number of players featuring 10 or more times in a Premier League season.
This rotation has lightened the load on the team’s core XI. Last season, these key players featured in only 70.8 per cent of all available league minutes – the lowest percentage over the past 14 Premier League campaigns.
Clubs are also rotating more in domestic cup competitions. Last season, 476 players appeared in domestic cup games – far more than the 426 players in 2012/13.
International games also on rise
Focusing only on club matches ignores the extra load elite players face when representing their countries.
With the expansion of the European Championship and World Cup, international teams are playing more than ever. England have averaged 13.4 games a year this decade – on track for a record high.
Despite the rise in international games, the number of matches played by the Premier League’s busiest player has remained steady over the past decade.
Even with packed club and international schedules, player workloads have remained surprisingly consistent.
FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup and World Cup will undoubtedly add to the burden placed on players.
However, with the domestic calendar significantly scaled back compared to 20 years ago, it’s unlikely we’ll see record levels of fixture congestion.
Increased intensity, growing strain
Although the total number of games hasn’t changed drastically, the increasing intensity of modern football means that even a stable schedule takes a greater toll on players.
The number of sprints per match has steadily risen over the last three seasons, nearing 140 sprints a match in 2023/24.
This heightened intensity has led to a greater risk of injuries, pushing players to their physical limits. In the 2023/24 season alone, Premier League players missed over 25,000 combined days due to injury, underscoring the physical demands of the modern game.