The Bundesliga will come to a standstill next season between November 13 and January 20, the DFL has announced. The organization responsible for the competition has made this decision with a view to next year’s World Cup in Qatar. The global final tournament will be completed in the fall from November 21 to December 18.
After the weekend of 11, 12 and 13 November, the Bundesliga will come to a standstill for more than two months. Internationals then have about a week to prepare for the World Cup with the national team. The final is scheduled for December 18, 2022. Despite this, the DFL chooses not to resume the Bundesliga until January 20. In this way, the organizer gives the internationals a little more rest on their way to the second half of the season.
Other major leagues are expected to follow the Bundesliga’s lead. Compared to the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A and Ligue 1, where the competitions consist of 20 teams and therefore 38 rounds are scheduled, the Bundesliga has the advantage that only 34 rounds are played by the 18 participating clubs. The Bundesliga season starts next year on August 5 and ends on May 27 in 2023.
The Netherlands is well on its way to qualifying under national coach Louis van Gaal for next year’s World Cup. The the Dutch leads in Group G with two points more than pursuer Norway. In the coming international match, the decisive duels with Montenegro (November 13) and Norway (November 16) are on the program. The number one qualifies directly for the World Cup.