Why is the September and October international break so long?
The Bundesliga and Europe's other top leagues are pausing for close to three weeks from the weekend of 18-20 September to 9-11 October, as players join up with their national teams for the merged international break. There is a good reason for the new format.
International breaks are co-ordinated by world governing body FIFA, allowing players to represent their countries while domestic leagues pause across the major footballing nations.
Until now, the September and October windows have typically been separate, each lasting around two weeks. That meant one weekend without Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2 fixtures in both months, alongside international windows in March and November and an end-of-season window in June.
In 2025, the FIFA Council approved a new international match calendar that combines the September and October windows into a single break of close to three weeks. One of the factors behind the change was to reduce the amount of travel required of international players.
Bayern Munich attacker Luis Díaz, for instance, will only have to cross the Atlantic once if called up by Colombia for their upcoming friendlies against Mexico, Paraguay and Peru in the US, rather than making the journey in both September and October.
The number of matches national teams can play across the year's international windows remains unchanged at 10, meaning many sides will play four games during the extended break instead of the usual two.
That could give Harry Kane plenty of opportunities to add to his record 85 goals for England – and potentially strengthen his Ballon d'Or case – with England facing Spain, Croatia and Czechia twice in the UEFA Nations League.
There will also be plenty of interest in Germany and beyond as Jürgen Klopp takes charge of the national team for the first time. The former Borussia Dortmund, Mainz and Liverpool boss will lead a squad packed with Bundesliga talent into Nations League meetings with the Netherlands, Greece (home and away) and Serbia.
Overview of 2026/27 international breaks
- 21 September–6 October 2026
- 9–17 November 2026
- 22–30 March 2027
- 7–15 June 2027
There will also be an international window from 7 January – 5 February 2027 for players involved in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup
