Winter breaks vary widely across football leagues. While the Premier League powers through the festive period, leagues like Germany’s Bundesliga, Spain’s La Liga, and France’s Ligue 1 pause during the colder months, allowing players time to recover and recharge. Even England’s Women’s Super League (WSL) enjoys a 32-day winter break.

In contrast, the Premier League, after reintroducing a winter break for the 2023-24 season, has opted not to have one this year. With players and managers divided on the benefits of time off, the decision to continue playing raises questions about player welfare and fixture congestion.

In the 2023-24 campaign, the Premier League implemented a two-week winter break for the first time since its introduction in the 2019-20 season. This pause allowed players and managers a much-needed respite during the demanding festive schedule. The break was especially helpful after seasons disrupted by COVID-19 and the winter World Cup in Qatar, which had condensed league fixtures.

However, this break was short-lived. The 2024-25 season began without a pause, leaving fans and players wondering why the Premier League reverted to its packed schedule.

Several factors influenced the decision to skip the winter break in the 2024-25 season:

1. Delayed Start to the Season

The Premier League started on August 16—five days later than the previous campaign. This delay accommodated the summer’s European Championship and Copa America tournaments. The later start left less room in the calendar for a mid-season pause.

2. Revamped European Competitions

UEFA’s new ‘league phase’ in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League added two more fixtures to clubs’ schedules in late January. With seven Premier League teams competing across these tournaments, finding time for a break became increasingly challenging.

3. Fixture Congestion

Even with the removal of FA Cup replays, the January schedule remains packed. Premier League teams enter the FA Cup in early January, and domestic league fixtures dominate the calendar, leaving little room for flexibility.

Managers and players are divided over the absence of a winter break. Some see the benefits of continuous play, while others lament the lack of recovery time.

Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta

Last season, Arsenal used their winter break to travel to Dubai for warm-weather training. The break helped the squad regroup after a poor run of form, leading to a five-game winning streak upon their return. Arteta believes such breaks are vital for maintaining performance.

“Playing and recovering is not a good pattern because that means you don’t train,” Arteta said in December 2024. “The muscles need to train. If you just play and recover, you lose a lot of physical qualities that are key to performance.”

Jurgen Klopp

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was a vocal advocate for the winter break. After last season’s pause, he said: “It was very important. You don’t want a four-week break, but after a very intense period, having a few days off was crucial.”

Player Perspectives

For some players, winter breaks are an opportunity to recover mentally and physically. Arsenal’s Steph Catley highlighted how breaks are particularly valuable for players in the women’s game, given their packed international schedules. “Managing the calendar is crucial,” she said. “We need advice on how to handle the breaks to suit each individual.”

Bundesliga (Germany)

The Bundesliga enjoys one of the longest winter breaks, with teams often pausing for up to six weeks. This tradition helps players recharge and prevents burnout during the season’s second half.

La Liga (Spain)

Spanish teams typically get a shorter break, with La Liga pausing for two to three weeks around the festive period. This allows teams to rest without disrupting the rhythm of the league too much.

Ligue 1 (France)

France’s Ligue 1 adopts a similar approach to Spain, with a brief pause during the winter holidays.

Women’s Super League (England)

The WSL had a 32-day winter break this season, running from December 16 to January 16. Managers like Liverpool’s Matt Beard praised the pause, saying, “Players need rest, especially with the international fixtures in the summer.”

Players use winter breaks in various ways to recharge:

• Charitable Work

Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong visited a children’s home in Ghana during the Bundesliga’s break.

• Personal Projects

Former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka used his break to undergo a hair transplant in Kosovo.

• Travel and Recreation

Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise attended NBA games in the U.S., while Dani Olmo of Barcelona visited Milwaukee to escape the daily noise of La Liga.

• Family Time

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham used the break to watch his brother Jobe play for Sunderland in the Championship, while his teammates Dani Carvajal and Joselu spent Christmas Eve together with family.

The absence of a winter break may increase player fatigue and injuries, especially as Premier League clubs face fixture congestion and intense competition in domestic and European tournaments. Managers like Arteta and Klopp have emphasised the importance of rest and recovery for maintaining high performance levels, but the league’s packed schedule leaves little room for such considerations.

With no break this season, clubs must find innovative ways to manage their squads and keep players fresh. Training adjustments, squad rotation, and careful workload management will be key.

The absence of a winter break this season doesn’t mean it’s gone for good. With the growing awareness of player welfare and the need to balance domestic and international commitments, the Premier League may revisit the idea in future campaigns.

For now, the league’s relentless schedule continues, leaving fans with the drama of non-stop football and players with little time to recover. The debate over winter breaks is far from settled, but for this season at least, the show must go on.