Premier League, EFL, Champions League, Euros, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and more - latest confirmed schedule for 2020/21, plus England games and summer transfer window plans
Monday 19 October 2020 13:45, UK
The a new football calendar is taking shape for 2020/21. From domestic and continental competitions to the new European Championship schedule, keep track of all the new dates.
The new Premier League season started on September 12 - just six weeks after the extended 2019/20 one finished.
The season is due to end on May 23, 2021 - just 19 days before rescheduled Euro 2020 kicks off.
The Championship, League One and League Two seasons started on the weekend of September 12, with their regular seasons ending on the weekend of May 8/9, 2021.
Due to scheduling challenges following the pandemic, the Sky Bet EFL Championship will feature 13 midweek match rounds, while League One and League Two will each have 11 throughout the season.
The 2020/21 play-offs are scheduled to take place at Wembley over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend of May 29-31 2021.
The 2020/21 campaign got underway on Saturday August 1 as part of a new deal with Sky Sports that will see up to 48 games broadcast exclusively live.
There will be no winter break and the season is due to finish on May 15/16.
The final stages of the 2019/20 Scottish Cup will take place in the middle of the 20/21 season: semi-finals between Hearts and Hibernian and Celtic and Aberdeen have been scheduled for October 31 and November 1, with the final pencilled in for December 20.
The Carabao Cup officially kicked off the new Sky Bet EFL season.
Round One fixtures took place on Saturday September 5, with Rounds Two, Three and Four played on consecutive midweeks dates in September. Premier League sides entered the competition in Round Two - or Round Three if they are competing in European competition in season 2020/21.
A schedule change will see two-legged semi-finals replaced by a single tie.
September 5: Round One (alternative dates may apply)
September 15/16: Round Two
September 22/23: Round Three
September 29/30: Round Four
December 22/23: Round Five
January 5/6 2021: Semi-finals
February 28 2021: Final
The EFL Trophy started during the week commencing September 7, culminating at Wembley Stadium for the final on Sunday March 14 2021.
September 8/9: Matchday 1
October 6/7: Matchday 2
November 10/11: Matchday 3
December 8/9: Round of 32
January 12/13 2021: Round of 16
February 2/3 2021: Quarter-finals
February 16/17 2021: Semi-finals
March 14 2021: Final
The full schedule has been confirmed, with the final due to take place on Saturday May 15 2021. Replays have been scrapped - for this season only - to ease pressure on the football schedule.
September 12: Preliminary round
September 22: First round Qualifying
October 3: Second round Qualifying
October 13: Third round Qualifying
October 24: Fourth round Qualifying
November 7: First round proper
November 28: Second round
January 9 2021: Third round
January 23 2021: Fourth round
February 10 2021: Fifth round
March 20 2021: Quarter-finals
April 17 2021: Semi-finals
May 15 2021: Final
The National League started on Saturday October 3, with the 2020/21 season finishing on Saturday May 29.
The qualifying round for the 2020/21 edition of Europe's top club tournament will be played in single legs, with the exception being the Champions League play-offs, which will remain over two legs. A draw will determine which club will play the single leg in their stadium.
The group stage will start on October 20/21, 2020 with the final taking place in Istanbul on May 29, 2021.
September 15/16: Third qualifying round
September 22/23 & 29/30: Play-offs
October 20/21: Group stage matchday 1
October 27/28: Group stage matchday 2
November 3/4: Group stage matchday 3
November 24/25: Group stage matchday 4
December 1/2: Group stage matchday 5
December 8/9: Group stage matchday 6
February 16/17, 2021: Round of 16
April 6/14, 2021: Quarter-finals
April 17 & May 5, 2021: Semi-finals
May 29, 2021: Final (Istanbul)
Which English clubs have qualified?
Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United (all group stage)
The Europa League will follow the same qualifying format as the Champions League.
The group stage will start on October 20, 2020 and the final will take place in Gdansk, Poland on May 26, 2021.
September 17: Second qualifying round
September 24: Third qualifying round
October 1: Play-offs
October 22: Group stage matchday 1
October 29: Group stage matchday 2
November 5: Group stage matchday 3
November 26: Group stage matchday 4
December 3: Group stage matchday 5
December 10: Group stage matchday 6
February 18 & 25, 2021: Round of 32
March 11 & 18, 2021: Round of 16
April 8 & 15, 2021: Quarter-finals
April 29 & May 6, 2021: Semi-finals
May 26: Final (Gdansk, Poland)
Which British clubs have qualified?
Leicester, Arsenal (both group stage), Tottenham, Rangers, Aberdeen, Motherwell, Dundalk, Coleraine, Bala Town, Shamrock Rovers (all second qualifying round), Celtic (third qualifying round)
The national team football windows of October and November 2020 will now feature triple-headers instead of double-headers, allowing the postponed European Qualifiers play-offs to be rescheduled at the beginning of the respective windows, on October 8 and November 12.
Play-off finals (November 12)
Path A: Hungary vs Iceland
Path B: Northern Ireland vs Slovakia
Path C: Serbia vs Scotland
Path D: Georgia vs North Macedonia
The 2020/21 UEFA Nations League group stage will take place on revised dates in September, October and November.
The group stage matches will be played on the following matchdays: September 3/4/5 and 6/7/8; October 10/11 and 13/14; November 14/15 and 17/18.
No further dates have yet been confirmed.
England have been drawn in League A, Group 2 to face Iceland, Denmark and Belgium in the next edition of the tournament.
Republic of Ireland have been drawn against Wales in League B, Group 4, alongside Bulgaria and Finland.
Scotland will come up against Israel, Slovakia and Czech Republic in League B, Group 2, while Northern Ireland face a tricky Group 1 in League B against Romania, Norway and Austria.
The postponed tournament - which will continue to be named 'Euro 2020' - has been pushed back a summer and will now take place from June 11-July 11, 2021. The 12 original host cities have been confirmed as venues for the rescheduled tournament.
The draw
Group A (Rome/Baku): Turkey, Italy (hosts), Wales, Switzerland
Group B (Copenhagen/St Petersburg): Denmark (hosts), Finland, Belgium, Russia (hosts)
Group C (Amsterdam/Bucharest): Netherlands (hosts), Ukraine, Austria, Play-off winner D or A
Group D (London/Glasgow): England (hosts), Croatia, Play-off winner C, Czech Republic
Group E (Bilbao/Dublin): Spain (hosts), Sweden, Poland, Play-off winner B
Group F (Munich/Budapest): Play-off winner A or D, Portugal (holders), France, Germany (hosts)
Tournament dates
June 11- 23: Group stage
June 26-29: Round of 16
July 2/3: Quarter-finals
July 6/7: Semi-finals
July 11: Final
England's Group D schedule - and potential route to final
June 13: England vs Croatia - 3pm, Wembley
June 18: England vs Play-off winner C - 9pm, Wembley
June 22: Czech Republic vs England - 9pm, Wembley
June 28: Round of 16 - 2D vs 2E (Game 5) - 6pm, Copenhagen
June 29: Round of 16 - 1D vs 2F - (Game 7) - 6pm, Dublin
July 2: Quarter-finals - Winner 6 vs Winner 5 (QF1) - 6pm, St Petersburg
July 3: Quarter-finals - Winner 8 vs Winner 7 (QF4) - 9pm, Munich
July 6: Winner QF2 vs Winner QF1 - 9pm, Wembley
July 7: Winner QF4 vs Winner QF3 - 9pm, Wembley
FIFA has confirmed the initial schedule for the 2022 winter World Cup in Qatar.
The first game will kick off at 10am on Monday November 21, with four matches per day during the group stage.
The final has been pencilled in for 5pm on December 18 at the 80,000-seater Lusail Stadium.
Group fixtures and details of venues and kick-off times will be confirmed after the draw, which is currently planned for after for after the March 2022 international match calendar qualifying window.
