Premier League clubs could be in action eight days before start of 2022 Qatar World Cup
Premier League games could take place just nine days before the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The biggest event in football ordinarily occurs during the summer months, between June and July, but was moved to winter in order to avoid the searing heat - with the tournament running between November 21 and December 18.
As a result, instead of players completing their domestic season in May and linking up with their national teams for training ahead of the tournament, a rejigged schedule could see games within ten days either side of the tournament.
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A Mail Online report suggests the provisional plans would see top flight and Championship action take place on November 12 and resume on Boxing Day 2022, just eight days after the scheduled World Cup final on December 18.
It also adds the two-week winter break, which will take effect in February 2020 for the first time, will be suspended for 2022 before returning the following year.
To account for extra time lost, the season will start one week earlier and finish one week later - while clubs are said to have reacted positively to the plans.
UEFA, who operate the fixtures calendars for the Champions League and Europa League competitions, have said they won’t make a decisions on their tournaments until 2021.
The Premier League declined to comment.
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