FIFA have officially confirmed a major alteration to their international calendar with the merger of the September and October windows from 2026 onwards.
Starting next year following the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup in July, September will host a 16-day international window with no October break and a regular November break.
While the changes do make for a longer international period in September, the alteration does ensure that there is one less week of international action over the course of a domestic season.
There will be no decrease to the number of international matches played, with the 16-day September break to accommodate four matches in that period.
It does mean that from the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season, an additional two matches can be played before individuals head off to represent their nations. The scheduling of the September international break has frequently drew criticism given how early it is in the domestic campaign.
The decision to remove the October break in favour of implementing an extended September window was approved in March 2023 by the FIFA Council, who are made up of representatives from all six FIFA confederations.
FIFA believes the adjustment is a necessity to reduce fixture congestion and improve player welfare.
The 2026 September international break will now take place week commencing Monday 21st September and conclude prior to the weekend of 10th-11th October.
The November and March international breaks will remain the same with fixtures to be played across a nine-day period.
This revised international calendar will remain until at least 2030.