Chelsea boss Emma Hayes has warned that the current international calendar in women’s football is putting player welfare at risk.
It is less than two months since England won Euro 2022 but players are already preparing for their second international break of the new season.
After the Euros in July, the final round of Women’s World Cup qualifiers took place in the first week of September. Clubs have played a maximum of three WSL matches and there is now another international break after this weekend’s round of League Cup games.
The WSL returns on October 15 for four rounds of matches before another break for international fixtures in November, when the Lionesses will face Japan and Norway in Spain as part of a training camp ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Former USA World Cup-winning coach Jill Ellis is working with FIFA on ways to improve the international calendar in the women’s game, and Hayes said: “It is good they are looking at the calendar because I do not think it is right for players, clubs or countries.
“It makes no sense that you are playing three games and then there is an international break, and three international breaks seems mental.
“Long-term, I know international breaks are being looked at and they absolutely have to because for player welfare I do not think it is healthy.”
Hayes was speaking after Chelsea came from behind to beat West Ham 3-1 in the WSL on Wednesday night.
