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The new club football season has barely begun, but Europe’s top leagues are already facing their first international break of the 2026-27 campaign.
This time, however, the break will be different. The first international window under FIFA’s revamped men’s international match calendar will last 16 days — about a week longer than the previous breaks.
The break will run from September 21 to October 6, falling between the fifth and sixth matchweeks of the Premier League. National teams will be able to play up to four matches during the window.
The longer break is part of changes unanimously approved by FIFA in 2023 to reduce disruption to domestic club competitions caused by international fixtures.
Under the previous calendar, three international breaks were held in September, October and November, each generally involving two matches, followed by another break in March.
Under the new system, the number of international breaks during the first half of the club season will fall from three to two. The total time lost to international football during the club season will also be reduced from six weeks to five.
For the 2026-27 Premier League season, the three international breaks during the domestic campaign will be:
- September 21-October 6: between the fifth and sixth matchweeks
- November 9-17: between the 10th and 11th matchweeks
- March 22-30: between the 30th and 31st matchweeks
The fourth and fifth international windows under FIFA’s new calendar will take place in June and July, after most domestic club seasons have ended. The arrangement is intended to create more space for international tournaments during a period when most leagues are not in action.
Next summer, for example, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Africa Cup of Nations and UEFA Nations League finals are scheduled to take place.
The AFC Asian Cup will be an exception, with the tournament scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5 next year.
Despite the changes, Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s head of global football development, has previously argued that international football could be reorganised further.
In 2021, the former Arsenal manager suggested replacing the existing system of multiple international breaks with fewer, longer windows. He proposed holding two extended breaks in October and March, and even suggested the possibility of a single month-long international window in October.
Wenger argued that such a system could reduce the burden on players and ease the congestion created by the modern football calendar while retaining the same number of international matches.
A longer international window, however, could also carry risks. A player injured during such a break could miss a significant period of international football and potentially have to wait much longer for another opportunity with the national team.
FIFA’s decision to combine the September and October windows is likely to reduce the number of interruptions during the opening months of the club season. But it also means fans will face a new experience: going as long as three weeks without seeing their clubs in competitive action.
As the new calendar takes effect, clubs, players and supporters will have to adjust to longer international breaks in exchange for fewer interruptions throughout the season.
