Opinion: Has football become too relentless to truly appreciate anymore?

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·11 luglio 2026

Opinion: Has football become too relentless to truly appreciate anymore?

Football has always been described as the beautiful game, but in today’s era of an ever-expanding calendar, has it become almost impossible to fully appreciate it?

With another thrilling FIFA World Cup already producing memorable moments and plenty of surprises, there is no shortage of entertainment. Yet, for many supporters, the constant stream of matches can also feel relentless. Liam Harding explores whether football has simply become too non-stop for its own good.

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The football calendar never seems to stop

There’s always a lot of hype and excitement around a World Cup, and the same has been true of the current tournament, which has certainly delivered. At the same time, though, football feels non-stop.

Since August last year, when Premier League clubs including Arsenal began their pre-season campaigns, the football calendar has barely paused. Even though we’ve witnessed some incredible upsets at this World Cup, it personally feels challenging to truly appreciate the simple nature of the game for what it is, with today’s commercial demands seemingly overriding the “beautiful game” at times.

Even between the end of the domestic season, when Arsenal lifted their first Premier League title in 22 years on 24 May, the European Champions League Final on 30 May and the start of the World Cup on 11 June, when Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 to kick off the tournament, there were only 11 days without competitive football.

That’s hardly any time for supporters to take a break from the nation’s favourite sport, one that many of us couldn’t imagine living without, yet one that can also dictate our emotions week after week.

Admittedly, we’ve had a major international tournament every two years since the European Championship was introduced in 1960, when the Soviet Union defeated Yugoslavia 2-1 in the inaugural final. However, with modern domestic seasons now regularly finishing in late May rather than much earlier, neither supporters nor players seem to get much of a breather anymore.

From Budapest to the World Cup: When do Arsenal’s stars actually get a break?

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images For Premier League)

Is the modern game asking too much of players and supporters?

Last season, Mikel Arteta’s side competed in a club-record 63 matches in all competitions, what ESPN described as a “mammoth” campaign, before 15 Arsenal players headed straight to the World Cup, with many of them still involved.

If one or more Arsenal players were to reach the World Cup final on 19 July, they would have less than a month before the Gunners begin the 2026/27 Premier League season against Coventry City. Realistically, they wouldn’t get a proper opportunity to recover until the final weekend of next May, which doesn’t feel particularly healthy from a human perspective, despite the wages many people point to.

Of course, some would argue that footballers are paid accordingly and understand exactly what they sign up for. However, like anyone else, players face their own physical and mental challenges, and constant demands inevitably take their toll.

Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, now FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, suggested in 2021 that there should eventually be a major international tournament every year. While such an idea may be more acceptable in today’s football landscape than it once was, is it really healthy for the long-term wellbeing of everyone connected with the game?

There comes a point where people’s health, recovery and overall wellbeing, as well as the pure simplicity of football itself, should come first.

At times, however, it doesn’t feel that way in a sport that continues to generate billions every year through every possible avenue.

If international tournaments were held every summer, supporters would surely begin taking them for granted even more than they already do, and perhaps those running the game would too.

Liam Harding

What do you think, Gooners? Has the modern football calendar become too crowded, or do you enjoy having elite football to watch almost all year round? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ADMIN COMMENT

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