What you need to know about FIFA international window

The FIFA international window in the 2022-23 season will include the World Cup hosted by Qatar in November. For now, football fans can only enjoy the international friendlies and UEFA Nations League, which are still ongoing at the time of this report.

The September window has officially closed, and the world is looking forward to returning to club football games until the next window in November. But let’s not forget that the international window is a period where the most important football matches take place. Right now, football fans cannot wait for November when the jagaban of all football tournaments, the FIFA World Cup, will take place. As we cross our fingers and keep counting the days, let’s refresh our memory about the FIFA international window.

Table of Content hide 1What is FIFA international window? 2FIFA international friendlies 3FIFA international break fixtures 3.1Men’s international break fixtures 2022-2023 3.1.1Group A fixtures (all times GMT) 3.1.1.1Sunday 20 November 3.1.1.2Monday 21 November 3.1.1.3Friday 25 November 3.1.1.4Tuesday 29 November 3.1.2Group B fixtures 3.1.2.1Monday 21 November 3.1.2.2Friday 25 November 3.1.2.3Tuesday 29 November 3.1.3Group C fixtures 3.1.3.1Tuesday 22 November 3.1.3.2Saturday 26 November 3.1.3.3Wednesday 30 November 3.1.4Group D fixtures 3.1.4.1Tuesday 22 November 3.1.4.2Saturday 26 November 3.1.4.3Wednesday 30 November 3.1.5Group E fixtures 3.1.5.1Wednesday 23 November 3.1.5.2Sunday 27 November 3.1.5.3Thursday 1 December 3.1.6Group F fixtures 3.1.6.1Wednesday 23 November 3.1.6.2Sunday 27 November 3.1.6.3Thursday 1 December 3.1.7Group G fixtures 3.1.7.1Thursday 24 November 3.1.7.2Monday 28 November 3.1.7.3Friday 2 December 3.1.8Group H fixtures 3.1.8.1Thursday 24 November 3.1.8.2Monday 28 November 3.1.8.3Friday 2 December 3.1.9Round of 16 3.1.9.1Saturday 3 December 3.1.9.2Sunday 4 December 3.1.9.3Monday 5 December 3.1.9.4Tuesday 6 December 3.1.10Quarter-finals 3.1.10.1Friday 9 December 3.1.10.2Saturday 10 December 3.1.11Semi-finals 3.1.11.1Tuesday 13 December 3.1.11.2Wednesday 14 December 3.1.12Third-place play-off 3.1.132022 FIFA World Cup final 3.2Women’s international break fixtures 2022-2023 4FIFA calendar

What is FIFA international window?

FIFA international window is a period dedicated to FIFA official matches or tournaments. These matches could be qualifiers, international friendlies, continental tournaments, and the World Cup.

FIFA international friendlies

An international friendly is an encounter between two opposing national teams. However, it’s usually non-competitive as there are no trophies, and pride and dignity are the only takeaways. But that does not mean that international friendlies are not important. They’re officially approved by FIFA and matter in terms of global ranking of national football teams.

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For FIFA to approve an international friendly as A Grade, the countries involved must field their full national teams with no more than six substitutions permitted. In cases where only a national selection instead of the national team is fielded, the A grade status for a friendly international is automatically waived and demoted to being a mere friendly with no FIFA ranking points awarded.

The international friendly also counts in terms of capping for each player. In addition, it counts for coaches and managers who use the matches as opportunities to test new players ahead of more competitive matches.

The international friendly fixtures for 2022-2023 have been fixed from September 19, 2022, to October 3, 2022.

FIFA international break fixtures

This section will be divided between men’s and women’s international break fixtures for 2022-2023

Men’s international break fixtures 2022-2023

The first season of the international break will be played between September 19 and September 27. This is when the final group games in the UEFA Nations League will take place. The international friendlies have also been extended to October 3, 2022.

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However, the main highlight of the international break is the FIFA World Cup which will take place between  November 20 and December 18, 2022, in Qatar. Below are the full fixtures of the 2022 World Cup:

Group A fixtures (all times GMT)

• Teams: Qatar (host nation), Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands

Sunday 20 November

• Qatar vs. Ecuador (Al Bayt Stadium; 7pm)

Monday 21 November

• Senegal vs. Netherlands (Al Thumama Stadium; 4pm)

Friday 25 November

• Qatar vs. Senegal (Al Thumama Stadium; 1pm)
• Netherlands vs. Ecuador (Khalifa International Stadium; 4pm)

Tuesday 29 November

• Group A: Netherlands vs. Qatar (Al Bayt Stadium; 3pm)
• Group A: Ecuador vs. Senegal (Khalifa International Stadium; 3pm)

Group B fixtures

• Teams: England, Iran, USA, Wales

Monday 21 November

• England vs. Iran (Khalifa International Stadium; 1pm)
• USA vs. Wales (Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium; 7pm)

Friday 25 November

• Wales vs. Iran (Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium; 10am)
• England vs. USA (Al Bayt Stadium; 7pm)

Tuesday 29 November

• Wales vs. England (Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium; 7pm)
• Iran vs. USA (Al Thumama Stadium; 7pm)

Group C fixtures

• Teams: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland

Tuesday 22 November

• Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia (Lusail Stadium; 10am)
• Mexico vs. Poland (Stadium 974; 4pm)

Saturday 26 November

• Poland vs. Saudi Arabia (Education City Stadium; 1pm)
• Argentina vs. Mexico (Lusail Stadium; 7pm)

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Wednesday 30 November

• Poland vs. Argentina (Stadium 974; 7pm)
• Saudi Arabia v Mexico (Lusail Stadium; 7pm)

Group D fixtures

• Teams: France, UAE/Australia/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia

Tuesday 22 November

• Denmark vs. Tunisia (Education City Stadium; 1pm)
• France vs. UAE/Australia/Peru (Al Janoub Stadium; 7pm)

Saturday 26 November

• Tunisia vs. UAE/Australia/Peru (Al Janoub Stadium; 10am)
• France vs. Denmark (Stadium 974; 4pm)

Wednesday 30 November

• Tunisia vs. France (Education City Stadium; 3pm)
• UAE/Australia/Peru vs. Denmark (Al Janoub Stadium; 3pm)

Group E fixtures

• Teams: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan

Wednesday 23 November

• Germany vs. Japan (Khalifa International Stadium; 1pm)
• Spain vs. Costa Rica/New Zealand (Al Thumama Stadium; 4pm)

Sunday 27 November

• Japan vs. Costa Rica/New Zealand (Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium; 10am)
• Spain vs. Germany (Al Bayt Stadium; 7pm)

Thursday 1 December

• Japan vs. Spain (Khalifa International Stadium; 7pm)
• Costa Rica/New Zealand vs. Germany (Al Bayt Stadium; 7pm)

Group F fixtures

• Teams: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

Wednesday 23 November

• Morocco vs. Croatia (Al Bayt Stadium; 10am)
• Belgium vs. Canada (Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium; 4pm)

Sunday 27 November

• Belgium vs. Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium; 1pm)
• Croatia vs. Canada (Khalifa International Stadium; 4pm)

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Thursday 1 December

• Croatia vs. Belgium (Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium; 3pm)
• Canada vs. Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium; 3pm)

Group G fixtures

• Teams: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

Thursday 24 November

• Switzerland vs. Cameroon (Al Janoub Stadium; 10am)
• Brazil vs. Serbia (Lusail Stadium; 7pm)

Monday 28 November

• Cameroon vs. Serbia (Al Janoub Stadium; 10am)
• Brazil vs. Switzerland (Stadium 974; 4pm)

Friday 2 December

• Cameroon vs. Brazil (Lusail Stadium; 7pm)
• Serbia vs. Switzerland (Stadium 974; 7pm)

Group H fixtures

• Teams: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

Thursday 24 November

• Uruguay vs. South Korea (Education City Stadium; 1pm)
• Portugal vs. Ghana (Stadium 974; 4pm)

Monday 28 November

• South Korea vs. Ghana (Education City Stadium; 1pm)
• Portugal vs. Uruguay (Lusail Stadium; 7pm)

Friday 2 December

• South Korea vs. Portugal (Education City Stadium; 3pm)
• Ghana vs. Uruguay (Al Janoub Stadium; 3pm)

Round of 16

Saturday 3 December

• Match 49: Group A winners vs. Group B runners-up (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; 3pm)
• Match 50: Group C winners vs. Group D runners-up (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; 7pm)

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Sunday 4 December

• Match 51: Group D winners vs. Group C runners-up (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; 3pm)
• Match 52: Group B winners vs. Group A runners-up (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; 7pm)

Monday 5 December

• Match 53: Group E winners vs. Group F runners-up (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; 3pm)
• Match 54: Group G winners vs. Group H runners-up (Stadium 974, Doha; 7pm)

Tuesday 6 December

• Match 55: Group F winners vs. Group E runners-up (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; 3pm)
• Match 56: Group H winners vs. Group G runners-up (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 7pm)

Quarter-finals

Friday 9 December

• Match 57: winners of match 53 vs. winners of match 54 (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; 3pm)
• Match 58: winners of match 49 vs. winners of match 50 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 7pm)

Saturday 10 December

• Match 59: winners of match 55 vs. winners of match 56 (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; 3pm)
• Match 60: winners of match 51 vs. winners of match 52 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; 7pm)

Semi-finals

Tuesday 13 December

• Match 61: winners of match 57 vs. winners of match 58 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 7pm)

Wednesday 14 December

• Match 62: winners of match 59 vs. winners of match 60 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; 7pm)

Third-place play-off

• Match 63: losers of match 61 vs. losers of match 62
• When: Saturday 17 December
• Where: Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan
• UK kick-off time: 3pm

2022 FIFA World Cup final

• Match 64
• When: Sunday 18 December
• Where: Lusail Iconic Stadium
• UK kick-off time: 3pm

International football will return again in March 2023, a period when the Euro qualifiers will take place. It will start on March 20 and end on March 28, 2023. Another window opens in June with  Gold Cup and the Asian Cup scheduled to hold during the break. The break opens from June 12, 2023 to July 16, 2023.

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Women’s international break fixtures 2022-2023

The 2022-23 season of women’s football is set to have a total of five international breaks. The first one started on August 29, 2022, and ended on September 6, 2022. Below is a table of the international breaks according to Goal.com:

Window begins	Window ends
August 29, 2022	September 6, 2022
October 3, 2022	October 11, 2022
November 7, 2022	November 15, 2022
February 13, 2023	February 22, 2023
April 3, 2023	April 11, 2023
July 10, 2023	July 18, 2023
July 20, 2023	August 20, 2023

Meanwhile, the women’s World Cup is set to begin in July 2023. Australia and New Zealand will jointly host the tournament.

FIFA calendar

The FIFA calendar is an outlined agreement between FIFA and the six continental football federations to set dates for official international matches for four to eight years.

According to the world football governing body, the aim is “to make a football calendar that is “fit-for-purpose” for modern needs, contributing for the improvement of the quality of players, clubs and national teams and giving both incentive and opportunity for the detection and development of talent outside a small number of countries.”

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