Physical match demand in the FIFA World Cup: A comparison between 2018 (Russia) and 2022 (Qatar) editions

This study aimed to evaluate the physical performance of teams in terms of running disparities between the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The number of sprints and top speeds achieved by players in the 2022 World Cup has significantly increased compared to the 2018 World Cup. All player positions exhibited a greater distance covered during the 2022 World Cup compared to the 2018 World Cup. When examining the interaction between Cup and Outcome, only total distance (F = 5.831, p = 0.003) and distance Z1 (F = 15.488, p <0.001) showed statistical differences. These findings elucidate that more total distance was covered during draws, with higher values observed in the 2022 World Cup. Thus, the study concludes that the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup presented a higher physical match demand compared to the 2018 Russia FIFA World Cup.