Chelsea records 44% increase in injuries after participating in the Club World Cup


MANCHESTER, England — Chelsea recorded a 44% increase in injuries after competing in this year's Club World Cup, according to a survey published on Tuesday. Despite this, the tournament, which has been expanded, has had a "minimal impact" on injuries overall, according to the most recent edition of the Men's European Football Injury Index. The expansion of the competition generated strong opposition when it was announced in 2023, increasing from seven to 32 teams, with players' unions warning of physical and mental strain due to the growing fixture schedule. However, FIFA went ahead and held the tournament in the United States between June and July. Chelsea ended up winning the inaugural competition, receiving the trophy from former US President Donald Trump at MetLife Stadium and taking home around $125 million in prizes. However, according to the Index, between June and October, Chelsea suffered more injuries — 23 — than any of the nine clubs from Europe's top leagues that participated in the Club World Cup. Among those affected was star player Cole Palmer, and the increase was 44% compared to the same period last year. The introduction of the expanded Club World Cup comes at a time when competitions such as the Champions League and World Cup are also increasing in size. Maheta Molango, CEO of the English Football Players' Association, said players were being pushed to the limit and "exposed to an extreme schedule at ever younger ages". "The current calendar doesn't make sense for players, fans or clubs," he said. Despite the rise in injuries at Chelsea, who have played 64 matches across the entire 2024-25 season, the Index, produced by global insurer Howden, found an overall decrease in injuries. "In principle, you would expect this increased workload to lead to an increase in the number of injuries, possibly with greater severity," the Index report said, but added: "The data suggests a minimal impact on overall injury figures." Despite the numbers, the report's authors admit that it is too early to fully assess the impact of the Club World Cup, as the data only goes up to October. “We expect to see the impact increase between November and February,” said James Burrows, head of sport at Howden. "Historically, this is when the impact of summer competitions becomes visible." Manchester City have recorded 22 injuries since the tournament, the most among the nine teams in Europe's top leagues — England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France. Those teams recorded 146 injuries between June and October, down from 174 the previous year. Between August and October, this number was 121, the lowest for this three-month period in the last six years of the Index.