Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly says players have too many games

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly believes that players' injuries are increasing because of the tight football calendar. PHOTO: AFP

UPDATED May 21, 2025, 11:28 AM

Thanks for sharing!

DOHA – Todd Boehly, who is the co-owner of English Premier League club Chelsea, expressed concern about the footballing calendar by saying that players’ injuries are increasing. 

The situation is nothing new but the American is the latest to comment on the difficulties that clubs and players face.

“The challenge we really have is how many matches these guys are playing,” he said on May 20 in Doha at the Qatar Economic Forum. “The calendar’s really tight and they put in so much effort and energy, and the injuries are continuing to go up and up and up.”

He spoke on the eve of his team traveling to the US for the newly-expanded Club World Cup.

“We’re going to have to revisit what the calendar looks like and how much football they can actually play,” he added.

The Club World Cup, organised by Fifa, has been criticised by players’ representatives, who have also voiced concern about injuries. The tournament’s prize money is set at US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion) and Chelsea will get a share of that for competing, but player welfare is a major worry.

In the past, organisations such as Uefa, the European organiser of competitions such as the Champions League, have broached the possibility of scrapping the League Cup in England, or at least exempting top teams to reduce their fixtures.

Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League with one game to go this season. They are aiming for a top-five position, which would give the club a financial boost because it would mean a place in the Champions League, Europe’s main club competition, in 2025-26.

Boehly, who was part of a consortium that took Chelsea over from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2022, said overseeing the club was both fun and a headache.

“If people didn’t care it would stink, so it’s a testament to how much the sport matters,” he said. “To be part of that is a privilege.”

He was asked whether he wanted to increase his role at Chelsea, following a couple of seasons in which he has stepped back from pole position, with one of his co-owners, Behdhad Egbhali, becoming more prominent.

“My role? I think chairman’s a pretty good one,” Boehly said.

He added he felt that Chelsea, which is grappling with a redevelopment of its 40,000-capacity stadium in west London, needed a 65,000-seat stadium to compete with rivals.

Manchester United recently announced plans for a 100,000-seater stadium. BLOOMBERG

More on this Topic

Join  ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Thanks for sharing!