Premier League and Championship near return after three-week international break

The Premier League and Championship paused for three weeks rather than their usual two during the first international break of the 2026–27 season. Both are due to resume on Friday. The calendar now has four international breaks instead of five; BBC Sport reports that reducing long-distance travel for some players was one consideration behind the change. [1]

The longer pause has not removed injury concerns. Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo withdrew from the Netherlands squad with an ankle injury, while team-mate Alexander Isak left Sweden duty with a minor thigh injury. Erling Haaland was also an injury doubt after limping off for Norway against Portugal. None of those cases establishes that the new calendar caused an injury, and BBC Sport says a fair comparison with other breaks will require more data. [1]

Following the concern over Haaland, Kristoffer Vatshaug, head of Norway’s players’ union NISO, called for clearer guidance on recovery time, rest between matches and travel demands. Elsewhere in the domestic game, attendances were above home clubs’ season averages at eight of the 11 League One and League Two matches played on Saturday, and at five of seven Women’s Super League matches that weekend. Those figures do not show whether the longer top-flight pause affected crowds. [1]