WSL: Liverpool boss blames FIFA for injury crisis

Liverpool manager Matt Beard has slammed the FIFA international windows and said a balance needs to be found in the schedule to prevent further injuries across the Women's Super League.

Beard's team has been fraught with injuries this season. The Liverpool boss said at times he has only had three midfielders available and against Arsenal, in the 1-0 loss on Sunday to end 2024, he had only three available forwards.

When asked what needs to change to prevent further injuries, Beard said the FIFA windows needed to be addressed and more balance in the schedule needs to be found.

"You take out a September window, and you add in the June and a July window, so the international players, when was the last time they had a break?" he told a news conference after the defeat to Arsenal.

"Every single player at preseason were all muscle injuries, and they were all players that had been on that June and July camp because you go from doing nothing to [doing a lot] to nothing to [a lot], it's just impossible.

"Now, all the top clubs wanted this window to be moved from September because they wanted a week to prepare their team for the start of the season. You've got a preseason to prepare your team. It's not one week that's going to make a difference, but that's my opinion because you've got players that should be on a beach or resting or relaxing and recovering and then gradually built back up into a season having two massive spikes.

"They're playing two games or four games, which should be their off period. So I think that's going to be ultimately the issue. There is a major tournament every summer as well, so the players need to rest and recover, and the national teams don't let them do that. They would like to have two, three months leading into a major tournament when they can have down-time.

"The balance has to be better from an international perspective, I think, for these international players. Otherwise, this is going to just keep happening."

Beard also lamented the introduction of the FIFA Club World Cup for women's teams, which is due to be played in January and February 2026, adding further issues to the scheduling conflict. FIFA also confirmed a second global women's club competition similar to the men's FIFA Intercontinental Cup will be played annually from 2027. Players have had back-to-back major tournaments since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (played in 2021), with the 2022 Euros, 2023 World Cup, 2024 Olympics and 2025 Euros all following suit.

"I've worked in the game long enough to see where the injuries start and there's a spike of injuries right the way across the board. These players haven't had any time," he added.

"Where are they going to fit it [the Club World Cup] in? When are these players going to get rested? So if it's going to be in January and February, there'll be no Christmas break for them players or them clubs are going into that.

"We need to get the domestic and then the FIFA window first before we start adding in other competitions. Otherwise, you're going to have the same problem. You're going to just keep getting injury after injury after injury. You're going to lose top players."

Beard also referenced Manchester City's string of injuries. The second-placed WSL team have a significant number of players ruled out with short and long term injuries including Vivianne Miedema, Khadija Shaw, Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood.

"They've got a bigger squad, better players, but all the football they're playing, international, domestic, Champions League and now they probably out of the title race today, with their second defeat of the season," he said.

He admitted that Liverpool does "not really" have budget to work with in the January transfer window but shared positive news that three key members of his squad, Marie Hobinger, Sophie Román Haug and Leanne Kiernan should be back after the winter break.