The November international break represents the final pause in club football before it resumes uninterrupted until spring 2025. The earlier breaks this season in September and October gave national teams an opportunity to regroup and play critical qualifying matches, shortly after summer’s Euro 2024 and Copa America tournaments.
Although international breaks can be a lull for club football enthusiasts, they are eagerly anticipated by national team fans who look forward to these fixtures. This November window features World Cup qualifiers in South America, Asia, and Africa, while teams in Europe and North America will continue their Nations League campaigns.
In Europe, the November break completes the UEFA Nations League group stage, with the quarterfinals and playoffs set for March 2025, and the finals following in June. These Nations League matches are currently the primary confirmed international events for European teams, as the draw for Europe’s World Cup qualifiers is yet to occur.
With 16 slots open to European teams in the expanded 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup, UEFA has announced a new 12-group qualifying system. The winner of each group will automatically qualify, while second-place teams will compete in playoffs along with the four highest-ranked Nations League teams that didn’t secure top-two finishes in their groups.
In Asia, the AFC is progressing through the third round of its World Cup qualifiers, a stage that started in September and runs until June 2025. Eighteen teams that advanced from the second round are now split into three groups of six, each playing home-and-away matches. The top two teams in each group will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, while third- and fourth-placed teams advance to an additional playoff round. This structure provides both a straightforward path to qualification for the strongest teams and an extra playoff chance for those who narrowly miss out.
For teams in North and Central America and the Caribbean, the CONCACAF Nations League has brought together 41 national teams across three divisions, with group-stage matches played in the September, October, and November windows. This competition builds up to the finals scheduled for March 2025. For CONCACAF teams, the Nations League serves as valuable preparation for future tournaments, including the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where Mexico will aim to defend its title. The format gives teams of all sizes a competitive platform, offering more exposure and opportunities for growth ahead of regional tournaments.
The international match calendar for the 2024/25 season outlines a structured timeline for these World Cup qualifiers and Nations League contests, leading up to the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June. With international breaks planned for November, March, and June, national teams have clear intervals for preparation and competition as they advance toward their qualification goals. These dates provide fans and teams alike with a roadmap of key matches, keeping excitement high for upcoming fixtures that will shape the qualification journey for the 2026 World Cup and beyond.
