New research led by Teesside University has revealed how long-distance travel negatively impacts professional footballers ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The study was co-authored the School of Health & Life Sciences, and Teesside PhD graduate Luke Jenkinson, who is currently the Head of Human Performance at San Diego FC.
Thanks to the University’s growing reputation for supporting elite football clubs, the team were able to conduct surveys with medical and performance staff at Major League Soccer clubs to determine the impact of long-haul travel for performance and wellbeing.
Jenkinson said: "Coaches, operation teams and performance staff understand that adaptation is not simply physiological but it also a behavioural, psychological and operational stressor."
The key findings published by the University show that travel duration, time zone changes, disrupted routines, and sleep disturbance cause major challenges for professional footballers playing on tight schedules.
With the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup taking place in the US, Canada, and Mexico, these findings are significant for optimising outcomes.
Contributing Professor Paul Chesterton, from the School of Health & Life Sciences, said: "Travel in elite North American soccer should not be viewed as isolated journeys, but as a cumulative load that can influence performance across a season.
"With the World Cup taking place across three countries, understanding how factors such as travel duration, time zones and disrupted sleep affect players is increasingly important."
With over 2,800 miles covered, three time zones crossed, and up to six hours of flight time, the University recommends that teams prioritise players’ wellbeing in the high stress tournament.
The research suggests that practical steps can be taken to reduce the impact of travel, including prioritising sleep, optimising arrival times, managing nutrition and keeping routines as consistent as possible to help players with their recovery.
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Jenkinson said: "In North American soccer, research has demonstrated that it is often not one isolated journey that creates problems, but the cumulative effect of repeated exposure over time exponentially increases these challenges."
The study contributes to Teesside University’s growing commitment to combining academic expertise with professional and practical experience in elite sports, playing a crucial role in performance outcomes in professional football.
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