As we hit the later rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the upcoming 2026-27 club season draws ever nearer. We take a look the clubs that may selfishly be relieved at the early World Cup exits from their players.
It’s hard to conceive of, given that we all remain in thrall to the 2026 World Cup, but the English Premier League kicks off in less than two months on August 21. Hot on its heels is Ligue 1, which starts August 23, and Germany’s Bundesliga, getting underway on August 28.
For players on teams which go deep in this summer’s tournament, there is precious little time to be found between international duty and reporting back to their club teams to begin the arduous slog of another season. A consequence of our now seemingly year-round soccer schedule, this jam-packed calendar had drawn the ire of players, coaches, and fans alike. Your favorite players are frequently going 90-plus minutes, twice a week, 11 months out of the year.
This physical and mental redlining jacks up the risk of injury and burnout, but what are clubs to do? Nearly each fixture carries such importance that it is nearly impossible to introduce any sort of NBA-style “load management” into the equation.
So while the world’s biggest clubs will be no doubt proud to see their stars shining on the international stage, you’d have to imagine that managers and sporting directors back home have their fingers crossed behind their backs, hoping and praying for their top players to make an early exit from North America and get themselves a healthy recovery period.
It’s hard to conceive of, given that we all remain in thrall to the 2026 World Cup, but the English Premier League kicks off in less than two months on August 21. Hot on its heels is Ligue 1, which starts August 23, and Germany’s Bundesliga, getting underway on August 28.
For players on teams which go deep in this summer’s tournament, there is precious little time to be found between international duty and reporting back to their club teams to begin the arduous slog of another season. A consequence of our now seemingly year-round soccer schedule, this jam-packed calendar had drawn the ire of players, coaches, and fans alike. Your favorite players are frequently going 90-plus minutes, twice a week, 11 months out of the year.
This physical and mental redlining jacks up the risk of injury and burnout, but what are clubs to do? Nearly each fixture carries such importance that it is nearly impossible to introduce any sort of NBA-style “load management” into the equation.
So while the world’s biggest clubs will be no doubt proud to see their stars shining on the international stage, you’d have to imagine that managers and sporting directors back home have their fingers crossed behind their backs, hoping and praying for their top players to make an early exit from North America and get themselves a healthy recovery period.
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