Quotation from ECA Website:

International Match Calendar & Insurance Policy

Following several complaints from football clubs, the European Club Association was requested by its member clubs to take a strong position regarding the issues related to both the international calendar and the players’ injuries with the national team. All ECA clubs agreed on the following resolution regarding these issues:

The European Club Association:

• claims direct involvement in the definition of the international calendar;
• emphasises the urgent need of the creation of a formal consultation process between clubs and national teams regarding the physical conditions and injuries sustained while playing national team matches;
• deems the introduction of an insurance policy for all national team matches necessary.

ECA wants to address these three important issues directly to both UEFA and FIFA. Commenting on the resolution, ECA Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: “Everyone is so busy in securing additional dates for this or that competition and we forget that the players are often the same and they are stretched to the limit increasing the risk of injuries. A harmonised calendar and a clear insurance policy will be one of our main goals and this could help further to harmonize the relationship between club football and national team football.”