When injuries become financial losses: an analysis of injury-specific cost in Serie A.

Abstract

Background: Professional football is characterized by high physical and psychological demands that increase players' risk of injury and may affect their availability throughout the competitive season. Although injuries are known to influence team performance, their economic implications remain insufficiently quantified in elite competitions such as the Italian Serie A.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted across the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 Serie A seasons, including all 20 participating teams. Injury incidence, type of injury, and matches missed due to injury were obtained in collaboration to a sports consultancy. Player non-availability was calculated as the proportion of missed matches relative to total matches played across domestic and international competitions. The financial impact associated with injury-related absence was estimated using team-level salary data. Teams were grouped into performance quartiles based on final league ranking.

Results: A total of 1315 injuries were recorded in 2021/2022 and 1134 in 2022/2023. Muscle injuries were the most frequent, followed by joint injuries. Injury-related player absence accounted for 3124 missed matches in 2021/2022 and 2360 in 2022/2023. The estimated financial impact reached € 135 million and € 91.8 million, respectively. Teams in the third performance quartile showed significantly lower injury incidence and fewer missed matches compared with other quartiles.

Conclusions: Strategies aimed at optimizing player availability, such as training load monitoring and squad rotation, may contribute to reduced both performance limitations and the economic impact associated with time-loss injuries in elite football.