With the 2022 FIFA World Cup being played in the middle of the winter this year, it will have an impact on the European football schedule.
Unlike in previous years, the tournament will take place during a vital part of the European football season, with clubs in leagues around the continent approximately a third of the way through the campaign.
Naturally, with fans used to seeing one of the world’s biggest sporting events take place in the height of the summer, it has meant that there will be a number of changes that they may not be used to, which could make things rather interesting over the course of November and December.
Now, while this might not have an impact on those who play the games available to enjoy at the Joe Fortune Bitcoin Casino with their preferred form of cryptocurrency, as well as placing their favorite bets on games and the virtual sports that they like to play, we thought it would be best to prepare everyone with what to expect and how the 2022 FIFA World Cup is going to have a profound impact on the Premier League and other top European competitions.
Premier League
We will start with the English Premier League, as many will instantly recognize that the league is one of the most famous for having games played throughout the thick of winter. In fact, it can be so hectic that clubs in England’s top league can sometimes end up playing three games in the space of seven days.
However, with a range of Premier League stars set to represent their countries at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the league has decided to act and has introduced a winter break; something that is more familiar to those who play football across the European continent.
So, how will the break actually look?
- Saturday, November 12, and Sunday, November 13: This will be the final weekend of games before the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
- Monday, November 21: The tournament begins, thus giving players a week or so to prepare.
- Sunday, December 18: The FIFA World Cup Final is played, thus reaching its conclusion.
- Monday, December 26: The Premier League resumes after a six-week break with its traditional Boxing Day fixtures.
The six-week break could be a good opportunity for some players and clubs to reset as not everyone will be going to the FIFA World Cup, while it could also be a problem for those that have had quick starts to the season as the momentum and confidence generated could potentially be lost.
What about the rest of Europe?
Spain’s La Liga will actually follow a very similar format to what the English Premier League has laid out, although players will have a few extra days. They will end the season on the same weekend, but club fixtures will not begin until December 29.
Italy’s Serie A and Germany’s Bundesliga will each finish on the same weekend as mentioned above, but the competitive league action will not actually return until January 2023 at the earliest. The Serie A is expected to return in the early stages of the month, whereas German football is not anticipated to return until a full 10-week break has taken place, with games set to resume on January 20, 2023.
France’s Ligue 1’s international break will also commence following matches played on either November 12 or 13, but they will resume on December 28.
What about Europe’s club competitions?
There will be some changes to be made to Europe’s club competitions – the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, and the UEFA Europa Conference League – to accommodate for the changes to the schedule because of the 2022 FIFA World Cup this winter.
According to the information to have been provided, each competition will start earlier than before, with games beginning on September 6, with games wrapping up on November 2.
Final Thoughts
There is no doubt that the upcoming 22/23 European football season will be a little different from normal, especially England’s Premier League, however with the 2022 FIFA World Cup being the reason why, fans will still be able to watch plenty of competitive and potentially phenomenal football this winter!