The English top-flight is the only league not to observe a Christmas break, while all the other major European leagues are afforded a short pause
The festive period is not too far away, which can either mean three matches a week in the lead-up to the New Year or a break from football on television for several weeks.
A handful of European clubs are luckily enough to be given a Christmas break, but others are not so lucky. Let's take a look at when football will take a pause this winter.
When does the Premier League break for Christmas?
The Premier League does not currently observe a Christmas break, and there is no break in fixtures across the festive period.
The English top-flight is, notably, the only major European league to not observe a break, and the December and January schedule is the opposite of a resting period – with as many as three games played during the course of a seven-day span to accommodate all the fixtures.
Figures in football have lamented the lack of a break during the holiday period, as leagues such as Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and La Liga all witness a break during the winter season, enabling them to return to crucial Champions League last 16 action in the new year prepared and well-rested.
The notoriously congested Christmas period fixture schedule puts a massive physical strain on Premier League footballers, though it will all change during the 2019-20 season, when the first winter break in the Premier League is set to take place.
It will also align itself with the new TV deal rights that were announced earlier this year, while also prepares itself for the Qatar World Cup in 2020, which will force the Premier League to take a winter break into account as the competition will be held from December to January.
When does La Liga, Serie A and other top European leagues break for Christmas?
The big-four other European leagues aside from the Premier League all observe a short winter period, and you can view their holiday breaks below.
Players in the Bundesliga are those who benefit from the most generous break, with a monumental 22-day resting period from club duty during the festive calendar.
tropicalda
254
It’s not a three team league like La Liga where Real, Barcelona or Atletico most definitely win. It’s not a one team league like PSG in Ligue 1 or Bayern Munich and Dortmund in Bundesliga. It’s not easy at all. Premier league is difficult beacuse it's nearly impossible for the teams to keep their consistency going. Every team is equally good when compared to another on the match day. No matter where they are in the points table, the team which hasn't done good might unsettle the bigger teams. Every team plays with a cutthroat attitude that just keeps the league alive and daunting. The competition is so high and tough between the teams. This is why Premier League is so revered all round the globe and simply the toughest thing to win over, itis very intense and physical and even rich teams suffer while playing
asakila
171
When you have 20 teams playing 38 games a year a winter break will be compensated one way or the other. Either you will end up with a busier schedule after the holidays or you will have to prolong the league to June. Otherwise midweek congestion is the weapon of choice. The choices have never been stark in particular when you want to appease everybody with wealth redistribution
shariffeyyulegunshot
96
Premier league is the busiest because every team want to lead
Maxpower
66
It's the most "competitive" because the top clubs gets so tired they start getting caught strained and exhausted, where as the team's that are mid table change out their players and know they can probably steal a point or all 3