When does European club football return after the World Cup?

9:57 AM ET

The 2022 World Cup is drawing to a close, which means the return of European club football is just days away. But when does each league resume, and how many days break has it enjoyed? Here, we run through when each league will return.

– When does the transfer window open and close next month?

Four nations — Argentina, Croatia, France, Morocco — will go right through to the weekend in either the third-place playoff or the final, playing a total of seven matches.

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The last round of games before the World Cup was played on the weekend of Nov. 12-13.

The league will resume on Dec. 26.
– 43 days since the league paused.
– 16 days after England were eliminated by France
– 8 days after the World Cup final.
– 16 players will be at the World Cup on the final weekend (14 Prem, 2 EFL)

Among the players to go the whole distance are Mateo Kovacic, Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane (Manchester United), William Saliba (Arsenal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Julián Álvarez (Manchester City).

However, Premier League clubs will actually return to action even sooner, with the Carabao Cup fourth round beginning on Dec. 20 — just two days after the World Cup final — including Manchester City vs. Liverpool on Dec. 22.

CARABAO CUP FIXTURES

Tuesday, Dec. 20
Milton Keynes Dons vs. Leicester City
Newcastle United vs. Bournemouth
Southampton vs. Lincoln City
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Gillingham

Wednesday, Dec. 21
Blackburn Rovers vs. Nottingham Forest
Charlton Athletic vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Manchester United vs. Burnley

Thursday, Dec. 22
Manchester City vs. Liverpool

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Monday, Dec. 26
Brentford vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Crystal Palace vs. Fulham
Everton vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Leicester City vs. Newcastle United
Southampton vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Aston Villa vs. Liverpool
Arsenal vs. West Ham United

Tuesday, Dec. 27
Chelsea vs. AFC Bournemouth
Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest

Wednesday, Dec. 28
Leeds United vs. Manchester City

– FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Community Shield live on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

The last round of games before the World Cup was played on the midweek of Nov. 8-10.

The league will resume on Dec. 29.
– 48 days since the league paused.
– 23 days after Spain were eliminated by Morocco
– 11 days after the World Cup final.
– 23 players will be at the World Cup on the final weekend*

Among the players to go the whole distance are Ousmane Dembele, Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Angel Correa, Rodrigo De Paul, Ivo Grbic, Antoine Griezmann, Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Eduardo Camavinga, Luka Modric, Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid).

* Karim Benzema is officially part of the France squad but was ruled out injured and not replaced.

LaLIGA FIXTURES

Thursday, Dec. 29
Girona vs. Rayo Vallecano
Real Betis vs. Athletic Club
Atletico Madrid vs. Elche

Friday, Dec. 30
Getafe vs. Mallorca
Cadiz vs. Almeria
Celta Vigo vs. Sevilla
Real Valladolid vs. Real Madrid

Saturday, Dec. 31
Barcelona vs. Espanyol
Real Sociedad vs. Osasuna
Villarreal vs. Valencia

– LaLiga on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)

The Supercopa will feature both finalists from last season’s Copa del Rey, Real Betis and Valencia, plus the top two league teams, Real Madrid and Barcelona. It will take place Jan. 11-15, 2023, at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The last round of games before the World Cup was played on the weekend of Nov. 12-13.

The league will resume on Jan. 4.
– 52 days since the league paused.
– (Italy did not qualify.)
– 16 days after the World Cup final.
– 14 players will be at the World Cup on the final weekend

Among the players to go the whole distance are Ángel Di María, Leandro Paredes, Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Olivier Giroud, Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Marcelo Brozovic, Lautaro Martinez (Inter).

SERIE A FIXTURES

Wednesday, Jan. 4
Salernitana vs. AC Milan
Sassuolo vs. Sampdoria
Spezia vs. Atalanta
Torino vs. Hellas Verona
Lecce vs. Lazio
AS Roma vs. Bologna
Cremonese vs. Juventus
Fiorentina vs. Monza
Internazionale vs. Napoli
Udinese vs. Empoli

AC Milan (champions) will face Inter Milan (Coppa Italia winners) in the Supercoppa Italiana at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, Jan. 18.

The last round of games before the World Cup was played on the weekend of Nov. 12-13.

The league does not resume until Jan. 20.
– 68 days since the league paused.
– 50 days after Germany were eliminated in the group stage
– 33 days after the World Cup final.
– 13 players will be at the World Cup on the final weekend

Among the players to go the whole distance are Kingsley Coman, Lucas Hernandez, Noussair Mazraoui, Benjamin Pavard, Josip Stanisic, Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich.)

BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Friday, Jan. 20
RB Leipzig vs. Bayern Munich

Saturday, Jan. 21
Union Berlin vs. TSG Hoffenheim
VfL Bochum vs. Hertha Berlin
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Schalke 044
VfB Stuttgart vs. Mainz
VfL Wolfsburg vs. SC Freiburg
FC Cologne vs. Werder Bremen

Sunday, Jan. 22
Borussia Dortmund vs. FC Augsburg
Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Bayer Leverkusen

– Bundesliga on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)

The last round of games before the World Cup was played on the weekend of Nov. 12-13.

The league will resume on Dec. 28.
– 45 days since the league paused.
– 10 or 11 days since France’s last game
– 10 days after the World Cup final.
– 14 players will be at the World Cup on the final weekend

Among the players to go the whole distance are Achraf Hakimi, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Axel Disasi, Youssouf Fofana (AS Monaco), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon.)

LIGUE 1 FIXTURES

Wednesday, Dec. 28
AC Ajaccio vs. Angers
Troyes vs. Nantes
AJ Auxerre vs. AS Monaco
Clermont Foot vs. Lille
Brest vs. Lyon
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Strasbourg