The Club World Cup causes Chelsea injuries to rise by 44%

The English club, Chelsea, suffered a 44% increase in injuries to its players, after participating in this year’s Club World Cup, which it won, according to results published on Tuesday.

But the latest edition of the European Men’s Football Injury Index showed that the newly expanded Club World Cup has so far only had a minor impact on injuries overall.

The new tournament, organized by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), met with great opposition when it was confirmed that the number of participating teams would increase from seven to 32 teams in 2023, as players’ unions warned of physical and psychological exhaustion for players due to the increasing number of matches. However, FIFA stuck to its position, and the tournament was held in the United States during the months of June and July.

Chelsea won the first edition of the tournament, receiving the championship trophy from US President Donald Trump, at MetLife Stadium, and the club received a financial prize estimated at approximately $125 million. However, according to the index, during the period from June to October, Chelsea suffered more injuries (23 injuries) than any of the other nine clubs in the major European leagues that participated in the Club World Cup.

The injuries included the team’s star Cole Palmer, and there was a 44% increase in injuries compared to the same period last year.

While Chelsea played 64 matches throughout the entire 2024-2025 season, and witnessed an increase in injuries, the Howden International Insurance Company index indicated a decrease in injuries in general.

The report stated that, in principle, this increased effort is expected to lead to an increase in the number of infections, with the possibility of an increase in the severity of infections in general, but it added that the data indicates a slight impact on the total number of infections.