Premier League to have a winter break

A two-week Premier League winter break will be introduced from 2019-20 to help England during summer’s European Championship and clubs competing in the Champions League. The break will take place each season until 2022 initially and will start in February 2020. It will be structured so that there are still Premier League matches over every weekend – there will be five one weekend and five the following weekend.

To help create space in the calendar the Football Association will move the FA Cup fifth round to midweek and there will be no replays. Drawn matches at 90 minutes will go to extra-time and penalties.

“This is not seen to be a way and won’t be of making money,” said Martin Glenn, the chief executive of the Football Association. “The Premier League also feel strongly about it. This will be in their rules, so absolutely not. This has to be a player break.”

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