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The 2025-26 Premier League season has only just kicked off, but this weekend diehard fans can skip setting their alarms to catch those early-morning kickoffs.

The global soccer calendar is nothing if not jam-packed with games, and that includes play in professional leagues as well as national-team matches. FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, has mandated a handful of windows throughout the year where the latter takes precedence, meaning the next few days are packed with international matches rather than club play.

The biggest stars in the Premier League will stay busy, but they’ll be donning the colors of their nations instead. In much of the world, these are big games: four continents have qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup to get through. In a few cases success in this window will spark celebration as some nations are on the brink of clinching their spot at next summer’s massive tournament.

The U.S. men’s national team will be in action as well, though with qualification assured, Mauricio Pochettino’s side will face two friendlies against South Korea and Japan in the coming days.

Here’s what to know about why the FIFA international window means a weekend without the Premier League:

What World Cup qualifiers are today? Soccer fixtures, times, and schedule

Why is there no Premier League this weekend?

The Premier League season only just began three weeks ago, but is is already on a short break. What gives?

The FIFA international break began on Sept. 1, with professional teams worldwide obliged to allow their players called up for national team duty to depart for games on that front. Given the high volume of top-tier players in the Premier League, the obligation to allow them to represent their nation would make carrying on with matches this weekend difficult at best.

There’s no rule that requires leagues to halt play, and in fact MLS — especially in its first 20 or so years, when venue availability left few options — has taken criticism over the years for playing through these windows. However, no one particularly wants to see consequential games take place with teams significantly short-handed, and the Premier League has never had this kind of venue problem. As such, there are no games scheduled in this window, which runs until Sept. 9.

In the Premier League, that means a weekend off. Crystal Palace’s 3-0 win at Aston Villa on Aug. 31 wrapped up last weekend’s fixtures, and play won’t resume until Arsenal hosts Nottingham Forest on Sept. 13 at 7:30 a.m. ET

The international break doesn’t mean every continental confederation is up to the same thing. In Africa, Europe, South America, and Concacaf (the governing body regulating the sport in North and Central America, as well as the Caribbean), there are World Cup qualifiers beginning on Sept. 4.

In Asia, qualifying is between rounds, with six teams clinching their places at the 2026 World Cup by the conclusion of the region’s third round. However, the fourth round (with two more berths on the line) doesn’t begin until October, so the majority of teams are playing friendly matches.

That includes South Korea and Japan, who are among those to book a place at next year’s World Cup. They’ll both be playing the U.S. men’s national team — who as one of three World Cup hosts don’t have to participate in Concacaf qualifying — in this window.

The USMNT will face South Korea on Saturday at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J. at 5 p.m. ET. After that, they’ll meet Japan on Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio, with that game set to start at 7:30 p.m. ET at Lower.com Field.

Premier League table heading into international break

Here’s where things stand in the Premier League heading into the international break, with each team having played three games:

1. Liverpool — 9 points
2. Chelsea — 7
3. Arsenal — 6
4. Tottenham Hotspur — 6
5. Everton — 6
6. Sunderland — 6
7. Bournemouth — 6
8. Crystal Palace — 5
9. Manchester United — 4
10. Nottingham Forest — 4
11. Brighton & Hove Albion — 4
12. Leeds United — 4
13. Manchester City — 3
14. Burnley — 3
15. Brentford — 3
16. West Ham — 3
17. Newcastle United — 2
18. Fulham — 2
19. Aston Villa — 1
20. Wolverhampton Wanderers — 0

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/epl/2025/09/04/premier-league-schedule-international-window-world-cup/85973130007/

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Rival captains Chris Wood and Milos Degenek have made it clear there’s plenty at stake when the All Whites and Socceroos meet in their two-match Soccer Ashes series.

As well as bragging rights between the trans-Tasman rivals, results of the games in Canberra and Auckland will influence both teams’ positions in the next FIFA men’s world rankings, and they’ll decide which pots they’ll go into for the FIFA Men’s World Cup draw to be held on December 6 (NZT).

READ MORE: Breakfast broadcast will reveal who All Whites will play at 2026 FIFA World Cup >>>>

New Zealand and Australia are among the first 13 nations to qualify for the 48-team tournament.

Players are also mindful of how their performances will impact their chances of selection for next year’s World Cup.

“For us, there’s no friendly games,” Australia captain Degenek said in a dual interview with Wood.

“Every game is a chance for us to improve and get better.”

Acknowledging the competition between the two countries, Wood said what happened on the pitch, stayed on the pitch.

“Off the pitch, it’s a different story. It’s a battle when you go on out there; it is what it is … it’s football at the end of the day.

“We’re both competitive; we both want to win.”

Main photo: Chris Wood (left) and Milos Degenek in Canberra.

Watch Chris Wood and Milos Degenek interview

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How the squads compare

About the Soccer Ashes

The trophy was created in 1923, containing ashes of cigars smoked by Australian captain Alex Gibb and New Zealand captain George Campbell following the first meeting between the two nations in Australia in June 1923.

The trophy went missing in 1954 but was rediscovered during the COVID pandemic and returned to Football Australia.

READ MORE: Long-lost ANZAC Soccer Ashes trophy found in family garage clean-out >>>> 

Main photo credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters / unsplash.

Fixtures

Game to be played on Friday September 5, 2025

Australia v New Zealand
GIO Stadium, Canberra, 9.45pm (NZT)

Game to be played on Tuesday September 9, 2025

New Zealand v Australia
Go Media Stadium, Mt Smart, Auckland, 7pm (NZT)

Ticket prices (Auckland match)

Tickets will be sold at ticketek.co.nz.

Before match day:

• Adults: $20, $40, or $80 (plus ticketing fees)
• 14 and under: $10, $20, or $40 (plus ticketing fees)

Match day prices:

• Adults: $25, $45, or $85 (plus ticketing fees)
• 14 and under: $15, $25, or $45 (plus ticketing fees)

Active Supporters Zone (South Stand – same location as The Port for Auckland FC):

• Pre-sale: $20 adults / $10 (14 and under)
• Match day: $25 adults / $15 (14 and under) (All prices exclude ticketing fees)

This story was first published on September 4, 2025.

More football stories

Source: https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/09/04/no-such-thing-as-a-friendly-captains-talk-up-the-soccer-ashes-series/

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Angel City FC forward Alyssa Thompson boarded a London-bound plane from Los Angeles on Wednesday as six-time reigning English champions Chelsea attempt to finalize a deal for the American, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.

England’s transfer deadline closes at 11 p.m. local time Thursday. Multiple sources confirmed that Angel City and Chelsea have not yet agreed to a deal, but Thompson’s departure for London signals that a transfer agreement would be reached.

1 Related

Thompson, 20, sat out Angel City’s NWSL match Monday and was listed as an excused absence. Coach Alexander Straus, who took the job in June, said after Monday’s 2-1 victory over Bay FC that the previous days had been “difficult.”

Angel City has not commented on the transfer saga as it has played out over the past week.

Thompson has scored six goals and added two assists for Angel City this season in the NWSL. In January, Thompson signed a three-year extension with Angel City that runs through the 2028 season.

Her 19-year-old sister, Gisele, also signed an extension through 2028 at the same time. Thompson is a Los Angeles native who skipped college — after committing to Stanford — to turn professional. Angel City selected her No. 1 in the 2023 NWSL draft.

Thompson became the first player to be drafted straight out of high school. She was the youngest player on the United States’ 2023 World Cup team later that year at 18. Thompson debuted for the senior USWNT against England on Oct. 7, 2022, in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London.

Chelsea is already home to United States international forward Catarina Macario and USWNT vice-captain and defender Naomi Girma. The club paid a then record $1.1 million transfer fee to San Diego Wave FC for Girma in January.

Chelsea have made a point to go after more USWNT talent in recent scouting efforts. A fee for Thompson, one of the NWSL’s emerging stars, is expected clear the $1 million threshold at minimum. The Orlando Pride set a record in August when the NWSL team paid $1.5 million to Tigres for Mexico forward Lizbeth Ovalle.

ESPN’s Emily Keogh and Charlotte Gibson contributed to this report.

Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/46150931/alyssa-thompson-flies-london-chelsea-links

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Soccer-Messi’s final World Cup qualifier grabs the spotlight

SOCCER-WORLDCUP-ARG/ (PREVIEW, PIX):PREVIEW-Soccer-Messi’s final World Cup qualifier grabs the spotlight

By Angelica Medina

Sept 3 – Lionel Messi is set to play his final World Cup qualifier in Argentina on Thursday, while four South American teams are still competing for the remaining automatic places at the 2026 tournament in what could be a dramatic climax.

The 38-year-old Argentina captain will take to the pitch at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires to face Venezuela in what he describes as a very special match, with his family set to be in attendance, including his wife, children, parents and siblings.

“It’s going to be very special for me because it will be my last qualifying match. I don’t know if there will be friendlies or more matches after that,” the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner said last week.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni told reporters on Wednesday that it was “going to be emotional, special and beautiful”.

“If it really is the last qualifying match, we have to enjoy it,” he said.

While Argentina have secured their World Cup berth, topping the table in South America’s qualifying competition with 35 points, three automatic qualification spots are still to be determined ahead of Thursday’s fixtures and the final matchday on September 9.

Ecuador and Brazil are already qualified with 25 points, followed by Uruguay and Paraguay with 24 points each and Colombia with 22 points. Venezuela with 18 points remain in contention, chasing a first World Cup appearance.

Ecuador’s remarkable recovery stands as one of the campaign’s most compelling storylines, having overcome a three-point penalty for a player eligibility issue to successfully secure qualification.

Brazil’s journey has been far bumpier, marked by coaching upheaval that saw Dorival Junior replaced following a 4-1 away defeat to Argentina, after which Carlo Ancelotti made his debut in a goalless draw with Ecuador.

The qualifying cycle has produced many memorable moments, such as Colombia’s first ever World Cup qualifying win over Brazil when they earned a stunning 2–1 victory in Barranquilla in November 2023.

Uruguay also bade an emotional farewell to their captain, Luis Suarez, who retired from international football during the 0–0 draw with Paraguay in September 2024.

Thursday’s fixtures see Paraguay face Ecuador, Argentina take on Venezuela, Uruguay meet Peru, Colombia host Bolivia and Brazil play Chile.

If matters aren’t already settled, then the final matchday on Tuesday will determine the last automatic qualifiers for the global showdown next June and July, which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

• South America
• Lionel Messi
• Argentina

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Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/football/soccermessis-final-world-cup-qualifier-grabs-the-spotlight-101756940225173.html

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