Arsenal women’s coach says World Cup should be earlier

Photo: Supplied: FIFA

Arsenal Women manager Jonas Eidevall has criticised FIFA for scheduling this year’s Women’s World Cup starting in July, saying the soccer governing body should have held the tournament earlier.

The Women’s World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20, two weeks before the playoff round to qualify for next season’s Women’s Champions League.

“If you want to protect players and want to have it both important with the Champions League and Women’s World Cup, what you are highlighting here is it’s impossible for the clubs that are going to play in that playoff round,” Eidevall told reporters.

Eidevall, whose side exited the Champions League semi-finals this week, said players could have managed their time off better if the World Cup was held earlier.

“It’s very evident for everyone that can see this summer that this World Cup should have been played earlier,” he said.

“That would have meant that the players could finish their seasons, they could have some proper time off, they then prepare for the World Cup without having too much time off so they wouldn’t have lost their fitness.

“They (organisers) didn’t get it right this year, so hopefully in the future, they can do it better.”

Reuters has contacted FIFA and UEFA for comment.

Eidevall’s comments came shortly after Arsenal defender Laura Wienroither became the latest player in the women’s game to rupture an ACL.

The recent prevalence of injuries in women’s soccer has led to calls for better research.

– Reuters