Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola expressed frustration after the Premier League denied their request to postpone the first two games of the 2025-26 season to allow players to recover from the FIFA Club World Cup. This decision comes amid growing concerns about the packed football calendar and its impact on player well-being.
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique expressed excitement for the expanded Club World Cup, but also recognized the concerns surrounding player workload. He acknowledged the packed football calendar, particularly for teams like Manchester City, while highlighting the need for a less hectic schedule.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed the club is considering allowing players to take short holidays during the season to address the increasingly congested fixture schedule. Ancelotti cited the toll on players, especially internationals, and the need to preserve their health and fitness for the club’s ambitious goals, including a potential seven titles in the 2024-25 season.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to increase the gap between Ranji Trophy matches in the upcoming season to address concerns raised by players regarding fatigue. This decision was made after a four-member committee, including Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Ajit Agarkar, and Abey Kuruvilla, submitted recommendations for improving domestic cricket. The committee also suggested eliminating the toss in the U-23 CK Nayudu Trophy and allowing the visiting team to choose whether to bat or bowl first. These recommendations will be presented to the apex council for approval, according to BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. The BCCI has planned to kick off the domestic season with the four-team Duleep Trophy, followed by the Irani Cup and Ranji Trophy. Ranji Trophy matches will begin in October instead of January, as requested by players. The season will include a break after the first five league matches to accommodate the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day competition. The final two Ranji league matches and knockout stages will be played after that. To enhance competition in domestic games, the BCCI will experiment with new rules in U-23 matches, which will be considered for implementation at the Ranji Trophy level. These include eliminating the toss and introducing a new points system that awards points for first-innings batting and bowling performances, first-innings lead, and outright wins. The BCCI will also consider weather conditions when creating the schedule to minimize disruptions in matches played in the North Zone.
