22 Match Day Break next season

[MOZZER2]

From next season onwards, the Premier League and the Championship will have a 22-DAY break after Matchday 5.

FIFA has merged the September and October international breaks into a single window, which will run from 19 September to 10 October 2026.

FIFA revamped the men's international calendar for 2026-2030: they merged the usual September + October breaks into one extended window (19 Sep to 10 Oct 2026). National teams can now play up to 4 matches there instead of 2 each

a good idea or not ?

[Jordi Culé]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

Shiit idea for me.

Domestically, it'll be boring as fuuck.

In relation to small countries like Wales one or two injuries to major players means they miss a substantial amount of qualifying fixtures.

Non league teams might garner some more interest though in those time frames though?

[poc]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

rubbish idea its bad enough now

[Michael Morris]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

Also the March international break will cover Easter so no Good Friday / Easter Monday games either

��EXCLUSIVE
❌No Easter football in Premier League and Championship next season
��FIFA have shifted international break to include Easter weekend
❌Domestic leagues not consulted
��PL and Champ to stop on Sep 19 and restart Oct 10https://t.co/az1hQoBg0Y

— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) March 3, 2026

[Underhill1980]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

Rubbish. FIFA showing how out of touch they are with football fans as usual.

[Jordi Culé]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

Rubbish. FIFA showing how out of touch they are with football fans as usual.

Infantino is a visionary. He's done brilliantly the last year.

[Dorcus]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

Crap idea

[The Bloop]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

I dont particularly like the current early September window as its too disruptive to clubs at the start of a season. This idea isnt a solution.

[MOZZER2]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

probably going against the grain here but think it's a good idea

I would have thought planning and getting the players together over a 3 week period will suit most International managers rather than the current set up

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

probably going against the grain here but think it's a good idea

I would have thought planning and getting the players together over a 3 week period will suit most International managers rather than the current set up

It may seem a good idea if you’re a fan of international football, but it’s a terrible idea if, like me, your primary interest is club football.

Bad timing too - a long break when the weather is normally mild.

[NYCBlue]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

I am not a fan of international breaks. International football should be played Wednesday nights. And friendly games should not be mandatory. Thankfully we more than likely will not be in League One next season, but if we were three Saturdays behind and had to make up for it midweek that would put us at a big disadvantage.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

probably going against the grain here but think it's a good idea

I would have thought planning and getting the players together over a 3 week period will suit most International managers rather than the current set up

I think the idea has some merit. Under the current system, it's hard to build up a sense of continuity in club football until we get past the November international break, so, I'd go a step further and say that only games like qualification Play offs should be played in the November break - hopefully, that wouldn't mean that all fixtures in the top two divisions need to be cancelled for every team.

On the downside, the experience of mid winter breaks in some countries have seen clubs jetting off to play friendly games in the sun and I suspect that the longer break in the autumn will see the same thing happening. That said, maybe the prospect of these clubs not being able to field all of their star names may put off any teams looking to arrange a friendly.

[JamesWales]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

I don't like the early sept international break...but I dislike this even more.

Leave as is.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

probably going against the grain here but think it's a good idea

I would have thought planning and getting the players together over a 3 week period will suit most International managers rather than the current set up

Agree with that, and it will be less disruptive for Cardiff City with our Welsh players, but it will still make it boring and break the season up. We usually lose a player or two to injuries, I suppose, get that out of the way.

[Steve the Tea]

Re: 22 Match Day Break next season

From next season onwards, the Premier League and the Championship will have a 22-DAY break after Matchday 5.

FIFA has merged the September and October international breaks into a single window, which will run from 19 September to 10 October 2026.

FIFA revamped the men's international calendar for 2026-2030: they merged the usual September + October breaks into one extended window (19 Sep to 10 Oct 2026). National teams can now play up to 4 matches there instead of 2 each

a good idea or not ?

A team in the Third & Fourth Tiers with internationals in their squads who therefore postpone games will end up at the close of that window having played three or four games LESS than the rest of the division.

StT.
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