A two-week mid-season player break in February has been approved to start from the 2019-2020 English Premier League season.
The winter break, which was announced by the English Football Association, will be staggered across two weeks, with five matches on the first weekend and five the following weekend.
The FA Cup 5th round will be moved to mid-week to accommodate the planned break, with replays being scrapped at that stage and replaced with extra-time and penalties.
The FA in announcing the news described it as “a significant moment for English football” that “will greatly benefit club and country”.
All three divisions of the English Football League (EFL) will remain unchanged, with a full programme of fixtures taking place on each of the weekends where there is a break.