Sat Oct 05 04:41:29 UTC 2024: ## Premier League Rejects City’s Request to Postpone Season Start for World Cup Recovery

**LONDON** – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his frustration after the Premier League refused to postpone the start of the 2025-26 season to allow players time to recover following the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

The expanded Club World Cup, taking place from June 15th to July 13th, will see both City and Chelsea compete in the month-long tournament. This leaves little time for players to rest before the Premier League season begins in August.

Guardiola revealed that City requested a postponement of one to three weeks to allow for a break after the Club World Cup, but the Premier League firmly rejected the proposal.

“The Premier League say yes to us? No, absolutely not…Thank you so much,” Guardiola said, expressing his disappointment.

The Premier League has yet to respond to Guardiola’s comments. However, the league’s 2024-25 season commenced on August 16th, just one month after the Euro final, indicating a reluctance to significantly alter the scheduling.

The growing issue of player burnout due to an increasingly congested football calendar has been a point of concern for elite clubs. City midfielder Rodri recently highlighted the strain players are under, suggesting they might resort to strike action if the calendar is not addressed.

The FIFPRO, the global players’ union, has also voiced its concerns, highlighting that some players have less than one day off per week. The union’s European member unions have even initiated legal action against FIFA over the Club World Cup.

With the expanded Club World Cup adding further pressure to an already packed schedule, the debate over player welfare and the sustainability of the modern football calendar is likely to continue.

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