Easter football tradition ends after 135 years due to FIFA's schedule shake-up
Football fans will notice a major change next Easter as no Premier League or Championship matches take place. The break marks the end of a long-standing tradition, with Easter fixtures having been played for over 135 years. The shift comes after FIFA's recent scheduling changes disrupted domestic league calendars.
Easter football has been a fixture since 1889, with clubs often playing multiple college football games over the holiday weekend. Since 2012, Premier League teams have typically played once, while EFL sides played twice. This season, the FA Cup quarter-finals and a full set of Championship matches are still scheduled for Easter.
Next year, however, the international break will cover Good Friday and Easter Monday, halting both leagues. The pause follows FIFA's expanded Club World Cup and a revised 2025/26 international calendar, forcing adjustments. Since 2023, Easter programmes have shrunk from five to seven matches across tiers to just two or three—or none at all.
The Premier League will begin on August 22, while the EFL starts earlier, with the Carabao Cup's first round on August 8 and league games from August 15. Another lengthy break is set for September, when both leagues pause from September 19 to October 10 for international fixtures.
This season's Easter weekend will still see action, with the FA Cup quarter-finals on April 3, immediately after the two-week international break that runs from March 21 to April 3.
The absence of Easter football next season reflects wider scheduling pressures from FIFA's calendar changes. Clubs will now adjust to fewer football games today, while fans face a quieter weekend. The move aims to ease fixture congestion and prioritise player rest.
