The football calendar is about to changeplaceholder image
The football calendar is about to change | Getty Images
The football calendar is about to change.
FIFA have confirmed they will be changing the international windows, a move that will change how the season looks for Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and the London clubs.
The current system has been in place for years, with September, October, November and March homing international windows, resulting in pauses to the domestic season, at least for the top two divisions and some League One clubs.
But after a thorough review, FIFA have decided to reduce the number of international windows from four to three, with the aim of reducing disruption to the domestic season. The new break will run from September 21 to October 6, and it will include up to four international fixtures for each nation, while the November and March windows will remain at their current length.
The move will likely please clubs, many of which feel their start to the season is disrupted, with the current first pause coming just a couple of weeks into the new Premier League campaign. With the new break towards the end of September, clubs will be able to establish some momentum before the first break, albeit it will be a longer one.
The change should also suit international teams, who often find it difficult to get back into rhythm after so long without playing as a team. The four-game window should help ease that transition, even if the other windows are staying the same.
Of course, the change will also impact London’s Championship clubs Millwall, Charlton Athletic and QPR, while Leyton Orient may be impacted at times. Under current rules, League One clubs are only able to postpone games due to international fixtures if they have at least four international call-ups, although even clubs without that number of call-ups see their games rearranged if their opponents during the break fall into that category.
Continue Reading