FIFA Changes International Match Calendar

World football’s governing body, FIFA, has announced a major change to the international football calendar, which will begin with the 2026/2027 season.

The new arrangement will merge the September and October international breaks into one longer window, lasting from September 21 to October 6, 2026.

This extended break will last about three weeks and allow national teams to play up to four matches. Under the current system, countries play two matches in September and two in October. By combining them, FIFA says it will reduce the number of times club football is interrupted during the season. After this break, domestic leagues such as the Premier League will resume from October 10-11, 2026.

The November international window remains unchanged, running from November 9-17, 2026, with two matches scheduled. This means countries will still play six international matches across September and November, the same as before, but spread over fewer breaks. For European countries, the extended September period will include the first four group matches of the 2026-27 Nations League.

FIFA explained that the change is designed to reduce fixture congestion, ease travel stress on players, and improve player welfare. Many footballers who play in Europe but represent teams in Africa or South America currently face long and frequent journeys for international duty. The new system will cut down on these trips while giving national team coaches more time to work with their squads.

Another factor behind the adjustment is the timing of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, which will be held on July 19, the latest date for a summer tournament since 1966. The extended September break is also expected to help balance the football calendar in light of this late finish.

At present, the football year has five international breaks: March, June, September, October, and November. Each usually lasts two weeks, during which league football pauses. From 2026, the October break will be scrapped, reducing the number of international windows from five to four. This means one week less of disruption for domestic competitions overall.

The decision was approved by the FIFA Council in March 2023, after consultations with stakeholders from all six FIFA confederations. The new calendar will remain in place at least until 2030, as part of FIFA’s broader effort to balance club and international football while safeguarding players’ health.