Last year, amid a backlash over the expansion of the Club World Cup, Fifpro filed a legal complaint against Fifa, claiming it had abused its role under European competition law by adding more pressure to the fixture schedule.

Last month, a study released by Fifpro said professional footballers should be allowed at least a four-week off-season break to protect them from exhaustion and excessive workload.

Meanwhile, pressure on players is further increased by the rapid turnaround between games – Premier League teams who play in the Europa League and Conference League play on a Thursday night with their next league game on a Sunday.

Fifa said on Sunday that a rest day a week should be planned and player travel, especially long-haul intercontinental trips, as well as the weather conditions matches are played in, should also be considered for the next international Match Calendar.

It is unclear what impact – if any – the meeting will have on the legal action.

Last month Fifpro expressed concern about the “wake-up call” of extreme heat that players were being exposed to at the Club World Club, demanding more flexibility from Fifa on kick-off times and protocols.

Fifa said that it and the player unions “agreed on the importance of striking the right balance between national team football and club football, on the one hand, and between domestic, continental, and global club competitions, on the other hand”.

“It is important to create opportunities for players from all over the world to compete in top competitions as this boosts global football development,” it added.

In September, a week prior to suffering an ACL injury, Manchester City midfielder Rodri said players were close to going on strike because of the increase in games, while City team-mate Manuel Akanji suggested he would have to retire aged 30 as a result of the lack of breaks in the calendar.