Football fans will face an unusually long break from many top football leagues in September and October after FIFA merged the traditional international windows into one extended period.
The new men’s international window will run from 21st September to 6th October 2026, allowing national teams to play up to four matches instead of the usual two.
The change means leagues including the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 will largely stop during the period.
It is being described as the “XL International Break,” which will make its debut this season.
The Premier League will effectively have no matches between 19th September and 10th October, with the international window surrounded by the usual weekends before and after it.
FIFA approved the change as part of its international match calendar for 2025-2030.
Instead of separate September and October windows, the two have been combined into one 16-day period.
The change does not increase the number of international matches, but Merges them into one.
Teams could previously play four games across the two separate windows, but they will now complete them during one longer spell.
In Europe, the first four rounds of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League will be played during the window.
African teams will also begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaigns.
For Nigeria, the Super Eagles are scheduled to begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign during the extended window, with the opening two matchdays set for 21st September to 6th October.
The next men's international window will return to the usual nine-day format from 9th to 17th November.
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