Player welfare, injury worries & boredom - has extended break worked?

The extended international break was brought in with player welfare in mind, but has it been a success?

Erling Haaland is an injury doubt after he limped off in Norway's match against Portugal

The first international break of the 2026-27 season is almost over - and it has been a longer one than fans are used to.

For the first time, the Premier League and Championship paused for three weeks rather than the usual two with players returning to domestic action from Friday.

Who benefits from an extended international schedule? And do people really want a three-week break from domestic action when the season has only just got going?

In recent years, Fifa has used five primary international breaks during the season, all consisting of two-week gaps in March, June, September, October and November.

The switch to a three-week gap across late September and early October, alongside reducing the number of breaks down to four, was made for a number of reasons.

Source: BBC Sport