Just when the club football season was finally building some serious momentum, boom, the brakes are slammed. And I’m not talking about a quick pit stop, folks. We’re staring down nearly three weeks, a full 20 days, without Premier League action on our screens. It feels like an eternity when the season’s barely kicked off, doesn’t it?
The Real Reason Behind the Long Pause
So, why are we stuck in park for so long? This extended September break wasn’t just pulled out of a hat. The FIFA Council actually approved this revamped international calendar way back in March 2023, designed to come into play after the 2026 World Cup. That tournament, with its latest-ever final on July 19, pushed domestic leagues back to late August. If the international window had stayed in its usual early September slot, clubs would barely have had a chance to get going.
Player welfare was a massive factor in this decision, too. With a sport that’s globalized like crazy, the travel demands on players are no joke. Think about elite European club players jetting off to the Americas or Asia. For example, back in October 2024, Chelsea and Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo racked up over 15,000 miles and crossed 10 time zones in just two weeks! While the number of games for guys like Caicedo might not decrease, at least they’ll lose one cross-continental trip from their schedules by having this longer early window, meaning squads won’t meet again until November.
What’s Happening Now and What’s Next for the Schedule
Don’t worry, it’s not all crickets for 20 days. International football takes center stage, and some of these games have major stakes. We’re talking Nations League matchups in CONCACAF and UEFA, which are always intense. Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT, for instance, is playing four friendlies during this elongated window, giving them a chance to gel. Our own Sounders legend, Cristian Roldan, recently got the call-up to the USMNT, so you know he’s likely putting in work during those four friendlies. Top South American nations are also using this time to evaluate their squads. And over in Africa? It’s the invariably competitive battle for qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Looking ahead, this is what the European domestic season’s international calendar looks like:
* September 21 to October 6: A four-game window, like the one we’re in now.
* November 9-17: A shorter, two-game window.
* March 22-30: Another two-game window.
Once the club season wraps up, there’s another window from June 7-15, leading into a summer packed with international tournaments like AFCON and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. This men’s international match calendar is set to hold this form until the end of 2030, with half of the eight games within the club season falling into this September to early October window.
So, while we’re craving club action, there’s still plenty of high-stakes international play to dive into. We just need to make it through this long wait until the Champions League and European domestic competitions snatch the spotlight back. It’s gonna feel good when they do.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply