FIFA Rule Change Explains Unusually Long Israeli Soccer Break

The Israeli Premier League is experiencing an extended break of 20 days, the longest in its history, due to a significant rule change implemented by FIFA this season. The league's fifth round concluded on Sunday, with the next matches not scheduled until October 10th. While national team breaks are common early in the season, they typically last only 8-9 days.

FIFA's new policy aims to create a more consistent schedule by consolidating the September and October international breaks into a single, longer window. Previously, leagues would pause twice in these months for national team commitments. This change allows national teams to play up to four matches during the extended break, which begins September 21st and concludes October 6th.

The extended break in Israel is further lengthened because the league's schedule had to accommodate an early start to the break due to the Yom Kippur holiday and the subsequent return to play on a Saturday. This new FIFA system is intended to reduce the number of interruptions during the league season, allowing for more continuous play and fewer mid-season pauses.