We’ve reached that awkward point where it’s hard to decide if Real Madrid won the Champions League this season or last season. We’re in that empty space where club football has wrapped up, but even Sky Sports News have the restraint not to dial the transfer window hype up to 11.

If you’re anything like me you’re already glancing ahead to the new campaign, especially given that it’s set to be unlike any we’ve seen before. The 2022 World Cup takes place in November and December, meaning the European game has to shift quite a bit to accommodate. That’s led to an early start, a Christmas World Cup final and the most anticipated Boxing Day slate in memory.

Given the unconventional season ahead, we’ve laid out all the key dates for the coming year, which should hopefully make your summer wait a little shorter.

How does the 2022 World Cup impact the season?

Europe’s top divisions will all wrap up by the 13th of November, with teams required by FIFA to release their World Cup stars the following day. That is a week ahead of the start of the tournament – significantly less time than national sides get ahead of a summer World Cup. The Champions League group stage will also be wrapped up by then, with all six rounds played across just eight weeks.

The major European leagues will remain on hiatus for the length of the tournament, with the Premier League returning to action on Boxing Day. The Boxing Day games are already a highlight for fans, expect that to step up this time around.

The other major leagues haven’t revealed when they’ll return to action, but given they tend to break over Christmas the English top-flight may be alone in returning just eight days after the World Cup final.

In the EFL, the Championship will halt at the same time as the Premier League but it returns to action earlier, waiting out the World Cup group stages before returning on the 10th of December. League One and Two will run throughout the tournament, while major clubs are already discussing international tours and friendlies during the break to increase revenue and keep their other stars match-fit.

On the other side of the World Cup everything finishes later than usual, with the Champions League final delayed to 10th June – exactly 12 months after this summer’s transfer window opens. We’re set for a June FA Cup final too, with the Premier League and EFL Play-Offs finishing in the final weekend of May.

Key Dates

2022/23 Fixture Announcements

• Premier League – 16th June
• EFL – 23rd June
• Champions League group stage draw – 25th August

2022/23 League Start Dates

• Premier League – 6th August
• UCL Group Stage – 6th September
• La Liga – 12th August
• Serie A – 13th August
• Bundesliga – 5th August
• Ligue 1 – 6th August
• EFL – 30th July
• Scottish Premiership – 30th July

Transfer window dates

• Summer window – 10th June to 1st September
• Winter window – 1st January to 31st January

2022/23 Premier League full dates

• Fixtures released – 16th June
• Starts – 6th August
• Final games before World Cup break – 12th/13th November
• PL Returns – 26th December
• Finishes – 28th May

2022/23 EFL key dates

• Fixtures released – 23rd June
• Starts – 30th July
• Championship final games before World Cup – 12th/13th November
• Championship returns – 10th December
• Finishes – 6th/7th May
• Championship Play-Off Final – 29th May
• League One Play-Off Final – 28th May
• League Two Play-Off Final – 27th May

World Cup dates

• Opening Game – 21st November
• England vs Iran – 21st November
• USA vs Wales – 21st November
• Wales vs Iran – 25th November
• England vs USA – 25th November
• Wales vs England – 29th November
• Knockout Rounds start – 3rd December
• Quarter-finals – 9th/10th December
• Semi-finals – 13th/14th December
• Final – 18th December

2022/23 Selected Finals

• Champions League Final – 10th June
• Europa League Final – 31st May
• Europa Conference League Final – 7th June
• FA Cup Final – 3rd June
• Carabao Cup Final – 26th February
• Championship Play-Off Final – 29th May
• League One Play-Off Final – 28th May
• League Two Play-Off Final – 27th May

2022/23 Season timeline

• Summer transfer window opens – 10th June
• Premier League Fixtures released – 16th June
• EFL Fixtures released – 23rd June
• Community Shield – 30th July
• EFL season starts – 30th July
• Bundesliga season starts – 5th August
• Premier League season starts – 6th August
• Ligue 1 season starts – 6th August
• La Liga season starts – 12th August
• Serie A season starts – 13th August
• Summer transfer window closes – 1st September
• Champions League group stage starts – 6th September
• Premier League World Cup break – 14th November
• World Cup opening game – 21st November
• World Cup Final – 18th December
• Premier League returns – 26th December
• Carabao Cup Final – 26th February
• League Two Play-Off Final – 27th May
• Premier League Final Day – 28th May
• League One Play-Off Final – 28th May
• Championship Play-Off Final – 29th May
• Europa League Final – 31st May
• FA Cup Final – 3rd June
• Europa Conference League Final – 7th June
• Champions League Final – 10th June

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