FIFA Makes Major Announcement Ahead of Final 2026 World Cup Qualifier Matches
- FIFA has announced its decision to merge the September and October international breaks into one extended window
- Clubs will now have a single three-week break instead of two separate pauses previously used in the outgoing format
- The new schedule from the world football governing body aims to ease club disruptions and streamline global fixtures
FIFA has officially confirmed a major restructuring of the men’s international football calendar for the 2026 to 2030 cycle.
The world governing body has merged the traditional September and October international breaks into a single extended window, altering how clubs and national teams plan their seasons.
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Previously, there were two separate breaks, one beginning in early September and another in mid-October, with each country playing a maximum of two matches per window.
Presently, Nigeria is set to battle Lesotho and Benin in the final round of the World Cup qualifiers, less than three weeks after playing Rwanda and South Africa.
Starting from 2026, both international windows will be combined into one continuous period running through the final week of September and early October, The Athletic reports.
Countries will now be allowed to play up to four matches within that single break.
The change, approved during a FIFA Council meeting in March 2023, aims to reduce interruptions for domestic leagues while keeping international fixtures intact.
Clubs across top European leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A will now experience a single three-week break from September 21, providing greater continuity for the first half of the season.
Clubs to benefit from fewer breaks
For years, clubs have complained about the early-season football disruptions with international matches, especially when players return fatigued or injured.
While the number of international matches remains the same, the new structure shortens the window, reducing the overall downtime.
Under the current system, leagues do pause twice in September and October for about two weeks.
According to the Tribuna, the new format merges both into one three-week period, freeing up additional space for club competitions and rest periods.
For the Premier League and other top European divisions, the final set of fixtures before the break will take place over the weekend of September 19-20, 2026.
Club football will then resume three weeks later on the weekend of October 10-11.
This means there will be no international break in October 2026, a significant shift from the traditional calendar.
The November window remains unchanged, with national teams set to play two matches between November 9 and 17.
Impact on the football season
The new international window will also reshape major tournaments and competition schedules.
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For European countries, the first use of this extended break will host the opening four matches of the 2026/27 Nations League.
Beyond national team football, the adjustment will influence the Champions League and other continental club tournaments.
UEFA has already indicated that the expanded Champions League group stages will start earlier than usual, between September 8 and 10, to align with the revised calendar.
FIFA explained that the changes were made after listening to clubs and leagues concerned about early-season disruptions.
FIFA president makes important announcement
In another development, Legit.ng reported that the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, has made a fresh announcement after the world's football governing body sanctioned South Africa in the World Cup qualifiers.
Days after the ruling, FIFA president announced that Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan will co-host the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Source: Legit.ng
