Former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Piqué has joined a growing list of voices speaking out against the increasing demands placed on football players due to congested fixture schedules. Speaking at *The Summit*, part of Leaders Week London, Piqué urged football’s governing bodies to reduce the number of matches and reconsider the introduction of new competitions to protect player welfare.
Piqué, now 37 and retired since 2022, criticized FIFA and UEFA for adding more tournaments and expanding existing ones, such as FIFA’s new 32-team Club World Cup and the upcoming 48-team World Cup in 2026. He also took aim at UEFA’s Nations League, introduced in 2018, and the increase in Champions League matchdays.
“There are too many games, and players are getting injured. We play every three days, and there’s no time to rest, even in the summer,” Piqué remarked. He suggested that top leagues reduce the number of teams, proposing 16-team leagues instead of the current 20.
He emphasized that the excessive fixture load not only harms players but also diminishes the quality and excitement of football for fans. Piqué acknowledged the revenue-driven motivations behind these changes but argued for a balance that would ensure fewer, higher-quality matches that are easier to follow for fans and less taxing on players.
Piqué’s comments came the same week that FIFPRO Europe, LaLiga, and the European Leagues association filed a joint complaint with EU antitrust regulators over FIFA’s international match schedule, adding further weight to the debate.
