FIFPRO Player Workload Monitoring (PWM) platform and reports

01.02.2022

Developed and operated jointly by FIFPRO and Football Benchmark, the FIFPRO Player Workload Monitoring (PWM) platform provides extensive data about the workload of professional men's and women's footballers.

A wealth of player workload data - What you can find inside the PWM platform?

The FIFPRO Player Workload Monitoring (PWM) platform, operated in collaboration with Football Benchmark, was initially established in early-2021 and has gradually evolved over recent years. It tracks workload metrics including the match load, distance travelled, and rest and recovery, of professional players from across the world. The open, digital platform is aimed at helping football industry stakeholders make informed decisions whendesigning the next generation of national and international competitions so that they are sustainable, integrated, and benefit footballers and the game as a whole.

There are two separate versions of the PWM tool: one for men's football and one for women's football. The former tracks the workload of 1,500 players worldwide, while the latter currently focuses on a 300-player sample in women's professional football.

You can access the two tools via the links below.

PWM platform - Men's football

PWM platform - Women's football

Workload related reports and insights prepared by Football Benchmark

Since 2019, Football Benchmark has been supporting FIFPRO in the development of several workload related thought leadership reports for both men's and women's football. These studies are largely based on the wealth of data housed in the PWM platform.

You can find our most recent reports for men's and women's football highlighted below on the left. All past publications are also available for download on the right.

2023 Men's Annual Report: Extreme Calendar Congestion: The Adverse Effects On Player Health & Wellbeing

The 2023 annual report provides a focused overview of the unprecedented workload demands placed upon the leading players in men’s football across the 2022/23 season. This publication follows on from two mid-season PWM flash reports, in which the pre-World Cup months and post-World Cup period were scrutinised from a workload perspective. These periods saw dangerous levels of fixture congestion, as competing competitions vied to complete their competition calendars.

The extreme levels of calendar congestion evident over the course of the season posed a pressing danger to the physical and mental health of players. The increasing demands placed upon the game’s leading young players must also be reflected upon as concerns grow for the health and longevity of their burgeoning careers. Furthermore, the fixture congestion witnessed across the past season seems likely to further increase over the coming years as new competitions and expanded formats continue to add more matches.

All of this continues without the implementation of fundamental workload safeguards, placing the future of the game’s key contributors, the players, at risk.

Download the report here or click on the image below.

Previous reports by Football Benchmark & FIFPRO on Men's football:


2023 FIFA Women's World Cup - Workload Journey Report

The latest PWM Annual Report discusses the workload of players in the build-up to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup (FWWC). The report provides an overview of the “pathway to the tournament” through the lens of workload and playing opportunities for players at both international and club level.

Continuing the themes of FIFPRO reports on women’s football from the last few years, the data presented in the study shows that a large degree of fragmentation exists across elite professional and international football. Many players are experiencing what we have termed “underload”, where players are afforded a relatively low number of appearances each season. This is a view of the industry that is perhaps often overlooked and unseen: the fragmented spread of games from team to team challenges the potential “readiness” for players to perform on the world stage. It also highlights where important and meaningful reforms can be positively influential.

A World Cup provides the industry with an opportunity to pause and reflect. For women’s football to sustainably flourish in a way that protects and promotes the wellbeing of players, solutions are required to inform decision makers and support player performance and the worldwide development of the game.

Download the report here or click on the image below.

Previous reports by Football Benchmark & FIFPRO on Women's football:

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