The English Football Association (FA) have submitted a formal request to the Premier League asking for matches between the “Big Six” not to be scheduled on the weekend before the World Cup starts, sources have told ESPN.
England manager Gareth Southgate is concerned about the eight-day turnaround between the pause in the domestic season and the first round of games in Qatar, with the Three Lions due to play Iran in Doha on the opening day, Nov. 21.
The Premier League’s final fixtures before the tournament take place on Nov. 12-13 and ESPN can reveal that the FA have asked that no games between Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham occur on that weekend.
Fixtures for the Premier League are generated at random through a system developed by Atos — a digital company used since the league’s inception in 1992 — but subjected to certain “golden rules.”
🚨 NEW: The English Football Association [FA] have submitted a formal request to the Premier League asking for matches between the “Big Six” not to be scheduled on the weekend before the World Cup starts. #awlive [espn]
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) June 8, 2022