Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has given his verdict on the number of international breaks, with the club currently on their second of the season already.
We’re only nine games into the Championship season, but already the Wrexham players are breaking for internationals for a second time this season. There was an international break in September and there’s another scheduled for November too, with Wales playing a friendly match with England on Thursday.
For Phil Parkinson and indeed all other managers in England and around Europe, it makes for a very stop start season at first, with clubs unable to really get into their groove.
There are benefits of these breaks, though. For Parkinson, it allows him more time on the training ground with his new-look side and it allows for injured players to step up their recovery, with Ollie Rathbone expected to return for Wrexham soon.
But the Wrexham boss has mooted potential changes to the way these international breaks are structured.
Phil Parkinson bemoans number of international breaks
Speaking to Leader Live, Parkinson revealed how he thinks there are too many international breaks at the beginning of the season. The Wrexham boss even suggested a return to how international breaks were previously, with an international game wedged in between league matches at the weekend.
Parkinson said: “I think personally that there are too many international breaks at the start of the season. Half of me thinks that maybe they should reduce one of them to the old fashion way where everyone plays on the Saturday and there is one international game midweek, and everyone comes back.
“It is a bit stop-start but we are not complaining about that. We are just getting on with the schedule which is in front of us and working towards that.”
FIFA changes are already on the way regarding international breaks
Just this week, it has been announced that FIFA will in fact be making changes to the international break system, with the changes set to come into effect in 2026.
The Athletic reported that FIFA will condense the September and October international breaks into a single two week break covering the final full week of September and running into early October.
International sides can feature in a maximum of four games during this break but it’ll also mean a span of three weeks without football, beginning September 21st 2026.
A lot of fans want to see an end to international friendlies and breaks altogether. A lot of managers might feel the same way too.
And whether these changes will actually make a positive impact among supporters remains to be seen as a three week international break will mean two weekends with no games, and it’ll almost be a mini pre-season for players, right after the end of pre-season itself.