English club Chelsea suffered a 44% increase in player injuries after participating in the Club World Cup, which they won, according to results published on Tuesday. However, the latest edition of the Men's European Football Injury Index showed that the recently expanded Club World Cup has so far had only a minor impact on injuries overall. The new tournament, organized by FIFA, faced significant opposition when the number of participating teams was increased from seven to 32 in 2023. Player unions warned of the physical and mental exhaustion of players due to the growing number of matches, but FIFA stood its ground, and the tournament was held in the United States in June and July. Chelsea was crowned champion of the first edition, receiving the trophy from US President Donald Trump at MetLife Stadium, and the club received a financial prize of approximately $125 million. However, according to the index, Chelsea suffered more injuries (23) between June and October than any of the other nine major European clubs that participated in the Club World Cup. The injuries included team star Cole Palmer. While Chelsea played 64 matches in the full 2024-2025 season and saw an increase in injuries, the global index from insurance company Howden indicated a general decrease in injuries. The report noted that while increased effort is expected to lead to an increase in injuries, with a possible increase in the severity of injuries overall, the data points to a minor impact on the total number of injuries.
