When is the next international break? FIFA match calendar, key dates for World Cup qualifiers, Nations League in 2024/25 | Sporting News Australia

The September international break came just weeks into the new club season in Europe and barely two months after the finals of Euro 2024 and the Copa America had taken place.

Just a month later, we’re looking at another temporary halt to the domestic calendar as further fixtures in Nations League and World Cup qualifying events around the globe take place during October.

While the international window is often a dull period for club football fans, those who follow their national team home and away look forward to these dates as they support their nation in action.

This season, there are World Cup qualifiers for fans of South American, Asian, and African nations, while teams in Europe and North America will contest Nations League games during these periods of international play. There are another two to come in 2024 before the first one of next year in March, and another in June prior to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, in which Mexico will look to defend their title.

The Sporting News has the details on the FIFA international match calendar below.

MORE: Golden Boot standings at Euro 2024 | How Messi and Argentina won the Copa America

When is the next international break?

The next international break will take place from October 7 to October 15, 2024. It will be the penultimate FIFA window of the calendar year.

Every international break in 2024/25: Schedule of windows for World Cup qualifying, Nations League

Below is a list of the dates for the international match calendar for the coming year, up to and including the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June 2025.

The September window saw Nations League fixtures for UEFA (Europe) and CONCACAF (North America) take place. It was also when the next round of World Cup qualifying matches for CONMEBOL (South America), CAF (Africa), and AFC (Asia) were held.

The UEFA Nations League group stage will be played during the September, October, and November breaks. The quarterfinals and playoffs are scheduled for March 2025, followed by the finals in June.

At this point, the Nations League fixtures are the only confirmed matches for Europe, as the draw for the continent’s World Cup qualifiers is yet to take place.

With 16 spots available for European teams in the expanded 48-nation 2026 World Cup, the qualifying process will also be adjusted. There will be 12 groups, with the winners automatically qualifying and the runners-up entering a playoff round, joined by the four highest-ranked Nations League teams that didn’t secure top-two finishes in their qualifying groups.

The third round of AFC qualifying matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place from September 5, 2024, to June 10, 2025.

The 18 teams that progressed from the second round, consisting of nine group winners and nine runners-up, were divided into three groups of six. These teams will compete in a home-and-away format. The top two teams in each group will secure direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams will move on to the fourth round.

CONCACAF has also confirmed the schedule, venues, and kickoff times for the 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League group-stage matches. The competition features 41 national teams across three leagues (A, B, C) and will take place during the September, October, and November 2024 FIFA international windows.

The finals will take place next March.