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What is the primary purpose of FIFPRO PWM?

FIFPRO Player Workload Monitoring (PWM) provides data on player workload in relation to match schedules and competition design. The platform uses unique indicators to inform about player workload and rest periods, the amount of back-to-back matches within certain time periods as well as the allocation of matches across competitions both domestic and international as well as club and national team. The evidence-based information generated by FIFPRO PWM aims to contribute to the design of integrated and more balanced competition calendars that protect the health and performance of players.

Can FIFPRO PWM be used as an individual performance management platform?

No. FIFPRO PWM has not been developed to serve players, teams, medical staff or performance and conditioning coaches as an individual player performance management platform. In fact, FIFPRO PWM is not set up in any way to fulfil such a function. Consequently, none of the relevant individual and performance related player data are being considered in the analysis. FIFPRO PWM for example does not integrate individual training data of players and is also not using any tracking and/or biometric data of players from either training or official matches. Finally, it is not the mission or purpose of FIFPRO to engage in performance based analysis.

What is the scientific methodology of the platform?

For the very specific purpose of the FIFPRO PWM platform it is sufficient, from a scientific perspective, to focus on a few key metrics. Existing scientific research into high-performance sports and professional football have identified clear standards for rest- and recovery periods following official matches. Therefore, basic player data on the numbers of matches and the minutes on the field per game can already provide sufficient evidence on player workload when analysed in the context of the complete match schedule and competition calendar. Other indicators such as the amount of international travel provide additional context to the main metrics of player workload. Long and frequent trips to far away locations drain the player’s energy and can become detrimental to their overall performance.

How were the players in FIFPRO PWM chosen?

The current sample of 350 players was carefully selected in order to achieve a wide geographical coverage with regards to player nationalities and competitions. Players in the sample were consistently active with their club since the 2018/2019 season and were also selected for their national teams. Furthermore, for the female sample, most of the top 20 players in the world ranking (as of February 2021) were included in order to keep a focus on the elite level of the game. The majority of players are between the ages of 23 and 29 and are thus at or near the peak of their careers.

Is the sample representative of the industry?

The sample is not representative of the football industry as a whole - it is representative of player workload and match schedules at the elite level of the game in relation to the stated objectives of the platform. To achieve the mission of the platform a representative player sample has been selected to gather reliable information on the correlation between player workload, match schedules and the competition environment. FIFPRO PWM is therefore not monitoring entire squads of football teams or a large sample of players within a single domestic competition. The sample includes players from all six confederations, 43 domestic leagues for the men’s and 6 for the women’s game, constituting a diverse sample of elite football players from a total of 81 countries (28 in the female sample). The player sample will be slightly modified each season in order to account for changes in the playing group and in order to stay up to date with the developments in the football industry. Consequently, conclusions for the whole football industry cannot be formed on the basis of PWM data due to the aforementioned limitations.

What are the defInitions for overload and underload?

The concepts of overload and underload are related to the imbalance between the load induced on players (e.g., competition, travels) and their recovery. Both overload and underload are likely to lead to injuries and/or underperformances. The FIFPRO PWM platform includes key metrics related to load (e.g., number of minutes played, number of time zones crossed) and recovery (e.g., number of recovery days between matches, duration of off- and in-season break).

Can I cite the data from FIFPRO PWM for external use?

Yes, users who wish to use the data from the platform in their research and/or across online platforms may do so on condition that they cite FIFPRO PWM and include a link to the platform.

Read the privacy policy for the FIFPRO Player Workload Monitoring Platform.