Opinion: Too much football? How fixture congestion is making fans care less

I love fried rice—like really love it. Growing up in Nigeria, it was a special meal, the kind you only got on your birthday, Christmas, or maybe a wedding. It felt elite, and nothing could beat the aroma, the different veggies, and the excitement of knowing it was on the menu.

But then, fried rice started popping up everywhere. Small kiosks, canteens, takeout spots. It was on every food business’s menu, available 24/7. Everyone wanted you to try their version of tasty fried rice, and soon you found yourself juggling options, unsure which one actually stood out. And with every plate, the thrill began to fade. My taste buds grew numb. That once-enchanting meal I used to eagerly anticipate now just tasted...ordinary.

That’s exactly how I feel about football these days, especially with the growing fixture congestion. What used to be a weekly event I couldn’t wait for—Saturday matches, Champions League games, international breaks—has turned into an overwhelming buffet. Football is losing its flavor, and I never thought I’d say that.

The recent international break from March 17 to March 25, 2025 only made things worse. Players like Dani Olmo of FC Barcelona and Declan Rice of Arsenal jetted off to represent their countries at UEFA Nations League and World Cup Qualifiers, hitting pause on club commitments. But instead of returning to a manageable schedule, they came back to chaos: a jam-packed run of club matches and important Champions League and Europa Conference League ties.

Take FC Barcelona, for example. The Spanish club is staring down a brutal stretch of eight matches across three competitions starting from March 30th to the end of April. A postponed game against Osasuna, originally set for March 8 but pushed back due to the passing of club doctor Carles Miñarro, ended up being forcefully squeezed into the calendar on March 27, giving the players barely any breathing room before their next La Liga clash with Girona on March 30.

And it doesn’t stop there. Barcelona then have a Copa del Rey semi-final against Atlético Madrid on April 2, and a Champions League quarter-final double-header against Borussia Dortmund on April 9 and April 15. That’s a tight, unforgiving schedule, and one that’s wearing down players and exhausting even the most dedicated fans.

The age of excess and emotional burnout

Remember when football matches were weekend highlights? When you had to bottle up your excitement all week because Manchester United were set to face Liverpool at Old Trafford, and Cristiano Ronaldo was back with the chance of delivering a masterclass? Those days seem distant now. The football calendar has morphed into a ceaseless barrage of fixtures with midweek games, expanded tournaments, and new competitions like the revamped Club World Cup adding to the congestion.

This saturation isn't just a scheduling headache; it's a financial strain. Broadcasting rights are scattered across various platforms, compelling fans to juggle multiple subscriptions just to follow their favorite teams. The simplicity of turning on the TV and catching a game has been replaced by a complex puzzle of streaming services, each demanding its share of the pie.

Let’s also consider the evolution of player workloads. At 17, Lionel Messi had made 26 professional appearances for Barcelona. In stark contrast, by the same age, Lamine Yamal had already featured in 100 professional appearances, for both club and country. This comparison accurately reflects the intensified demands placed on today's young talents and the relentless pace fans are expected to keep up with their favorite players.

With matches occurring almost daily, watching football has shifted from a passionate endeavor to a habitual routine. The emotional highs and lows that once defined matchdays are blunted by the sheer frequency of games. Marquee clashes, like the North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham, risk losing their luster when squeezed into an overcrowded fixture list.

For younger fans, the challenge is even more pronounced. Balancing online work commitments and personal lives leaves scant time to dedicate 90 uninterrupted minutes to a match. The constant stream of games becomes background noise, making it increasingly difficult to forge a deep connection with any single fixture.

What it’s doing to the game

Fixture congestion doesn’t just affect fans; it takes a real, visible toll on the game itself. Prioritizing quantity over quality leads to fatigued players, more injuries, and constant squad rotations. Cole Palmer, for instance, would have featured for England during the March World Cup Qualifiers, but pulled out due to a muscle injury picked up in training. And honestly, how are we sure it wasn’t the result of accumulated fatigue from the tight run of games he’s had to play for Chelsea? 

The same can be said in Dani Olmo’s case. During Barcelona’s 3:0 win against Osasuna last night, he picked up a right adductor injury that’s now set to keep him out for about three weeks. Coach Hansi Flick didn’t hide his frustration afterward. He blamed the relentless fixture list for Olmo’s setback, pointing out that the constant cycle of matches is pushing players to their limits and making injuries almost inevitable.

Fans tuning in to watch their favorite stars often find them either sidelined or off their game. I personally wouldn’t want to see Pedri playing below his best simply because he’s exhausted. As a Barcelona fan, I know how much he holds up the midfield, and with the kind of schedule we’re facing, the club needs him fully fit and firing. 

A piece from Barça Innovation Hub tackled this head-on, pointing to a growing worry that football’s magic is wearing thin. They also referenced a warning from the Financial Times editorial board, which highlighted the risk that as fixture lists swell, the chances of seeing top players—who might be injured or rotated—begin to diminish. That, in turn, chips away at the sport’s overall value. This model could backfire, turning what used to be must-watch events into something fans might start skipping altogether.

The atmosphere during less significant football games takes a hit too, especially at the grassroots level, youth academies, and lower-tier leagues. When fans are bombarded with top-flight matches every other day, it’s no surprise that smaller games struggle to draw attention. These local fixtures, once the heartbeat of communities and the breeding ground for future stars, now feel like background noise in a world overloaded with football. Casual fans begin to disengage, and even the most devoted supporters start to selectively choose which games to invest their time and energy in.

And when football takes over the sporting calendar with non-stop matches, it ends up stealing the spotlight from everything else, including rugby, basketball, tennis, and every other sport. With so much football in your face, other sports struggle to breathe, let alone pull in crowds or viewers.

NBA legend Charles Barkley once suggested pushing the NBA season’s start to Christmas, just to avoid clashing with the NFL and college football. Why? Because the overlap was hurting numbers. Badly. He pointed out that the NBA’s viewership has dropped by 48% since 2012, and a big part of that dip, he believes, is due to competing directly with American football.

Now, while that’s a U.S. scenario with American football, the message still hits home: too much of one sport on the calendar can crowd out everything else. It's proof that when one game hogs the stage, even massive leagues like the NBA feel the heat.

Can the spark be saved?

Is there a way to rekindle the magic that once made football the beautiful game? Perhaps less is more. Scaling back on the number of fixtures could bring back that spark—that sense of anticipation that used to come with every match. Scarcity isn’t a bad thing; it makes us value things more. When games stop feeling like daily chores and start feeling like rare events again, fans will care more deeply, not less.

And this isn’t just about emotions—it’s about health too. Tying it back to Sustainable Development Goal 3, which pushes for good health and well-being, the current pace isn’t doing anyone any favors. Players are burning out, fans are burning out. If football wants to stay magical and meaningful, it needs to breathe.

There’s room for creative thinking here. What if match durations were slightly tweaked? What if we added short breaks within each half to let players recover? It might sound wild, but so did VAR once upon a time. If these changes help maintain quality, protect players, and keep fans engaged, maybe they’re worth considering.

Right now, football is at a crossroads. Do we want a future where every match still feels special? Or are we okay with it becoming white noise in the background? The ball’s in our court—fans, clubs, and organizers alike.

About the author

Hannah Faleti is a Nigerian sports writer and content creator. This piece was originally published on LinkedIn.