Brentford, Liverpool and Blackburn reveal plans for new three-week international break
September 21, 2026 17:10
The Premier League and Championship are paused for three weeks for the first international break of the season after the four matches from the old September and October windows were merged into a single slot. That change reduces the total domestic stoppage from four weeks to three.
HOW CLUBS ARE MANAGING IT
Brentford
- Most of Brentford's squad are away on international duty; about 12 players remain at the club, including Callum Wilson and Igor Thiago, and five of those are coming back from injury.
- Head coach Keith Andrews has given his first-team players a week off and provided individual training programmes. Those players will reconvene on Saturday 26 September and are scheduled to play a behind-closed-doors friendly against another English club on the weekend of 3 October. That match could give Nathan Collins and Sepp van den Berg a chance to return to action; the rest of the squad for that game will be made up of under-21 players.
- Brentford's November fixtures mean the second international break will be followed by a normal training programme and routine match preparation: Brighton on Sunday 8 November and Everton on Saturday 21 November.
Liverpool
- Liverpool will continue training with the small number of players who remain at the club, with a few days off during the break. Manager Andoni Iraola said he will be left with "no more than three days probably to prepare" for the home game against Manchester City on 11 October.
Aston Villa and Sevilla
- Unai Emery returns to his former club Sevilla for the 15th Antonio Puerta Trophy on Friday 2 October. The fixture is a memorial match in memory of Antonio Puerta, who died on 28 August 2007 after suffering multiple cardiac arrests during a La Liga game against Getafe; Puerta was 22.
Championship perspective
- The impact of international call-ups is smaller in the Championship. Blackburn Rovers, for example, have just four players away on international duty. Manager Tony Mowbray views the break positively as he has dealt with an early-season injury crisis that left more than 10 players ruled out in the opening weeks.
WHY IT MATTERS
A three-week international pause presents a long competitive gap for players who are not with their national teams. Clubs are balancing rest, individual programmes and limited team sessions to protect fitness and manage injury recoveries without the usual mid-window fixtures to maintain match sharpness.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
- Brentford players who remained at the club will return to training on 26 September and play a behind-closed-doors friendly on the weekend of 3 October.
- Sevilla v Aston Villa: Antonio Puerta Trophy on 2 October.
- Liverpool will prepare for Manchester City on 11 October after the break.
KEY FACTS
- The international break has been extended to three weeks by merging the old September and October windows.
- Brentford: ~12 players remained at the club; Callum Wilson and Igor Thiago among them; five are returning from injury.
- Brentford reconvene: 26 September; behind-closed-doors friendly: weekend of 3 October.
- Sevilla v Villa (Antonio Puerta Trophy): 2 October.
- Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola quote: "no more than three days probably to prepare" for the Manchester City game on 11 October.
- Blackburn Rovers have four international call-ups; more than 10 Blackburn players were sidelined earlier in the season due to injury.