Premier League clubs are set to receive a much-needed break during January. Teams in France, Germany and Spain regularly stop completely during the harsh winter months. For instance, Bundesliga clubs typically get about three weeks off around the holidays. These German teams have not played a top-flight game since before Christmas and will not return until the weekend of Jan. 12.



Nevertheless, the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> break works quite differently. Matches in the English division are, instead, split over two weekends. Half of the league’s clubs will play Matchweek 21 between January 12th and the 14th. This means that the other half of the teams are set to receive a little break from the schedule. 



These clubs currently getting a break will then play their fixtures a week later between Jan. 20 to the 22. As a result, all 10 of the teams to have played the previous week will not have to play matches during this timeframe.



<h2>Several Premier League teams to benefit from winter break</h2>



The Premier League historically does not typically take a winter break. The last time the division allowed for an interruption of matches was during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Last year’s winter World Cup in Qatar also forced the English top flight, and every other top European league, to break as well.



Premier League officials initially organized a winter break to help give players a well-earned rest. The hiatus originally coincided with the 2020 European Championship, which was eventually played a year later. Much like back then, the Euros are set to return this summer.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240110_WST_482433_Premier-League-snow-1-1200x670_030395f5.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-482495" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Premier-League-snow-1-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Premier-League-snow-1-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Premier-League-snow-1-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Premier-League-snow-1.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



Clubs welcome the break with open arms. After all, many top-flight teams are dealing with a series of injuries in their squads. Eight Premier League sides currently have at least 10 players dealing with various setbacks. This includes <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/chelsea-tv-schedule/">Chelsea</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/tottenham-tv-schedule/">Tottenham Hotspur</a>, and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/newcastle-united-tv-schedule/">Newcastle</a>.



<h2>Brighton to receive the longest break of all EPL clubs</h2>



These clubs dealing with significant injuries will use the break to help get healthy. However, some clubs are set to have a longer hiatus than others. For instance, Brighton will have 16 total days off before their next Premier League fixture. The Seagulls previously beat Stoke City in an FA Cup third-round game on January 6th. They will not resume play again until the 22nd.



<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/bournemouth-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Bournemouth</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/sheffield-united-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Sheffield United</a> are both set to receive 15 days off between games. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-city-tv-schedule/">Manchester City</a> and Newcastle will have two weeks between matches, and five clubs, including <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/arsenal-tv-schedule/">Arsenal</a> and Spurs, have 13 days off.



<a href="https://theathletic.com/5181639/2024/01/09/premier-league-clubs-winter-break/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Some clubs</a> will use the opportunity to travel to warmer weather. Arsenal has planned to train in Dubai during their hiatus from the top flight. Brighton will follow suit and make a similar move as well. However, some teams, including <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/aston-villa-tv-schedule/">Aston Villa</a> and Manchester United have opted to get their rest at home.



<h5>Matchweek 21 schedule (all times EST):</h5>



Friday, Jan. 12 – Burnley v Luton Town (2:45 PM) —&nbsp;USA and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>



Saturday, Jan. 13 – Chelsea v Fulham (7:30 AM) —&nbsp;USA, Universo and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>



Saturday, Jan. 13 – Newcastle United v Manchester City (12:30 PM) —&nbsp;NBC, Universo and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow"></a><a href="https://imp.i305175.net/c/330866/1313913/11640" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Peacock</a>



Sunday, Jan. 14 – Everton v Aston Villa (9:00 AM) —&nbsp;USA, Telemundo and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>



Sunday, Jan. 14 – Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur (11:30 AM) —&nbsp;<a href="https://imp.i305175.net/c/330866/1313913/11640" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Peacock</a>



Saturday, Jan. 20 – Arsenal v Crystal Palace (7:30 AM) —&nbsp;USA, Universo and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>



Saturday, Jan. 20 – Brentford v Nottingham Forest (12:30 PM) —&nbsp;NBC, Universo and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow"></a><a href="https://imp.i305175.net/c/330866/1313913/11640" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Peacock</a>



Sunday, Jan. 21 – Sheffield United v West Ham (9:00 AM) —&nbsp;USA, Telemundo and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>



Sunday, Jan. 21 – Bournemouth v Liverpool (11:30 AM) —&nbsp;USA, Telemundo and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>



Monday, Jan. 22 – Brighton v Wolves (2:45 PM) —&nbsp;USA and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>



PHOTOS: IMAGO.

How the new Premier League winter break works

The Premier League is splitting upcoming matchweek 21 fixtures in half to give clubs a rare but much-needed winter break.

Expectations for the 2023-24 Premier League season, which kicks off this weekend, are at an all-time high.



It seems just like yesterday when Pep Guardiola’s <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-city-tv-schedule/">Manchester City</a> won their third consecutive <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/watch-premier-league-on-us-tv-internet/">Premier League</a> championship. Although City narrowly defeated <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/arsenal-tv-schedule/">Arsenal</a>, Mikel Arteta’s side is ready to provide another formidable challenge. The same goes for the other top clubs in England after a hectic transfer window.



The 2022/23 season was different with its setup, though. The 2022 World Cup happened in the middle of the campaign. As a result, there were two portions of the season on either side of the competition. Midway through November until Boxing Day, the English top division paused play so that it could accommodate the Qatar tournament.



Even though there isn’t a midseason tournament to worry about this year, games in England will still be lengthier than usual due to the new regulations for overtime.



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<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="IT&apos;S TIME! Get hyped for the 2023/24 Premier League season" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YT7ERC4km5g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<h5>Tournament format already causing trouble</h5>



There is already too much going on in the calendar for the Premier League to take a break in the middle of the season. As a result, they could be forced to eliminate its mid-season break.



The new rule may start as early as the next season. It comes after the larger-scale World Cup and FIFA’s redesigned 32-team Club World Cup scheduled for the summer of 2025.



<h2>Winter break in Premier League scrapped</h2>



The Premier League winter break started in 2018 to reduce player fatigue, and this year it will take the shape of a scheduled two-week interval in January. The COVID-19 pandemic and the most recent World Cup meant the winter break did not happen. Now, with the schedule returning to normal, the winter break is back in the Premier League.



However, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has admitted that the break is now being reevaluated due to the possibility that it could prove to be infeasible.



“It is one of the things we are discussing with the FA and EFL. We want the Premier League, the big cup competitions and the EFL to flourish and that requires an adjustment,” he said, via <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league-richard-masters-champions-league-efl-uefa-b2390516.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Independent.</a>



“It is the last season where it’s recognizable under the current international match calendar, where the Premier League starts on a particular weekend and the FA Cup final has its own weekend and you have the Champions League after that and a mid-season player break in the middle.



“A lot will have to change because of the additional European dates. We are also very much aware of the changes to FIFA’s competitions. The World Cup is getting bigger, an additional group-stage game is going to be added. Inevitably that’s going to take up more calendar space.



“You obviously have the views of the players’ union and the players being expressed very strongly now. From a league’s perspective, the European Leagues and World Leagues Forum are very clear on this, there has to be a forum for domestic competitions to be able to discuss the impact of regional and global decisions on the calendar. There’s lots of dialogue with UEFA, very little dialogue with FIFA.”



PHOTO: IMAGO / PRiME Media Images

With so much riding on the Premier League schedule, the league may be compelled to make at least one change to a winter break.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Winter Break"

Arsenal

How the new Premier League winter break works

Leagues: EPL

Calendar demands could force Premier League to make change