Soccer

Premier League announces six-week break for Qatar World Cup

Clubs have also stated unanimous opposition to Fifa’s proposals for biennial World Cups

The Qatar World Cup will begin on November 21st. Photo: Getty Images

Thu Nov 11 2021 - 17:29

The Premier League will pause after the weekend of November 12th-13th next season and resume on St Stephen’s Day to accommodate the World Cup, it was confirmed on Thursday.

The season will start on August 6th and stop after the 16th round of matches for the Qatar tournament, which is due to kick off on November 21st. The league will resume eight days after the World Cup final, with the concluding round of simultaneous games on May 28th 2023.

Meanwhile, Premier League clubs have stated unanimous opposition to Fifa’s proposals for biennial World Cups and extended international breaks from 2024. Representatives from the 20 top-flight sides gathered in London on Thursday and the controversial calendar plans drawn up by the former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger were among the items discussed. The league opposes the move on the grounds of player welfare, the fan experience, pre-season preparations and the quality of competition.

The Premier League chief executive, Richard Masters, said: “The Premier League is committed to preventing any radical changes to the post-2024 Fifa international match calendar that would adversely affect player welfare and threaten the competitiveness, calendar, structures and traditions of domestic football.

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“We are open to reforms and new ideas, but they must enhance the complementary balance between domestic and international football in order to improve the game at all levels. This process should also involve meaningful agreements with the leagues that provide the foundations for the game. We will continue to work with supporter groups, players, domestic and international stakeholders to find solutions that are in the best interests of football’s long-term future.”

The Premier League’s opposition to the plans had previously been expressed via European Leagues, which it is a member of. It joins Uefa and the European Club Association in condemning Fifa’s plans.