When’s the next international break, then? There’s never long before the next one, after all.
It’s the bane of Premier League and Championship fans, but actually, managers probably don’t mind them too much. The domestic football calendar has pencilled in three between the start of the season and Christmas, as the Nations League 2024/25 gets underway, giving smaller teams a chance at qualifying for a major tournament.
VIDEO How Lee Carsley Has ALREADY Fixed England
This is where Lee Carsley will get a better look at his England squad, with the interim Three Lions boss under evaluation. He’s one of the favourites for the permanent position – let’s see how he navigates these fixtures, first.
Fortunately for football fans, this is the last iteration of the international break as we know it. Unfortunately, FIFA are updating the calendar to give us a super-break, with four internationals per team to be played. Yes… four.
Before that, however, there will be more international breaks next season, as teams gear up for Nations League finals next summer. That will come just before a Club World Cup expansion – so it’s looking like a busy one for players.
FourFourTwo will be bringing you everything you need to know when it comes to international football over the coming months, from the breaks to international squads and competitions that countries are entering. After all, it’s a lot to get your head around. Without further ado, let’s jump into it…
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The full list of international breaks for 2024/25
When are the international breaks this season?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Nations League
November 11, 2024
November 19, 2024
Nations League quarter-finals and playoffs Championship qualifiers
March 20, 2025
March 23, 2025
World Cup qualfiers
March 21, 2025
March 25, 2025
Nations League finals
June 4, 2025
June 8, 2025
World Cup qualfiers
June 6, 2025
June 10, 2025
The Nations League is currently in progress. The league phase has been split into three international breaks, with the first completed in September 2024. The next two are in October and November.
Scotland are in the A-league, reserved for the elite of Europe, while England and Wales are in the B-league, one tier below. The Scots are up against Croatia, Portugal and Poland in A1, the Three Lions have Finland, the Republic of Ireland and Greece in Group B2, while Wales are playing Iceland, Montenegro and Turkey in B4. Northern Ireland, meanwhile, are competing against against Luxembourg, Bulgaria and Belarus in Group C3.
The quarter-finals and playoffs will be played in March 2025. June will see the finals, while those who don’t make it will have World Cup qualifiers to look forward to.
The Nations League finals take place next year (Image credit: Getty)
At the time of writing, however, the World Cup qualification groups have not yet been decided. With an expansion to 48 nations competing in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026 though, there will be a whopping 16 places on offer to European countries at the next tournament.
Qualification is relatively straightforward (and it isn’t always, so thank heavens for small mercies, eh?). There will be 12 UEFA qualification groups, with the winners will all qualifying straight to tournament, no questions asked. The 12 runners-up will be put into a play-off round.
The Nations League plays its part, too. The four highest-ranked Nations League teams who have not finished in the top two places of their World Cup qualifying group will be going into the play-off round, too, where 16 teams will fight it out for four more spots – and Wales are one country that will be keeping a keen eye on their form in this competition, as they profited from a good Nations League showing to help them get to the 2022 World Cup.
Simple, eh? Either way, we should have plenty of international football to fill in those blank Premier League rounds over the next season.
FAQs
What is an international break?
An international break is a gap in the domestic footballing calendar – usually just consisting of a single weekend – in which club football pauses to allow countries to play.
Why are there so many international breaks?
Given that there is a lot of international football to be played, there are regular breaks across the season for international managers to call up players based on how they’re performing at club level. Qualification for an international tournament is undertaken during these breaks throughout the season – as is UEFA’s Nations League competition, which has been running since 2018.
Can players opt out of international breaks?
Yes, players can always opt out of international football – but most will jump at the chance to represent their nation at any given opportunity. Plenty, however, choose to withdraw from international squads in order to nurse injuries that they’ve sustained prior to callups, in order to maintain their fitness.
Which leagues pause for an international break?
In England, only the Premier League and Championship stop for the international break. League One and League Two both continue during the international break.
