If you are a Premier League fan, there is a good chance you checked the fixture list this weekend and asked yourself:
“So when exactly are we playing again?”
The answer is October.
Yes. October.
The Premier League has gone on one of its longest international breaks in recent memory, with the competition stopping after Matchweek 5 on September 20 and not returning until October 10.
For football fans who have become accustomed to seeing Premier League football every weekend, this feels less like an international break and more like somebody switched off the Wi-Fi.
But there is actually a reason for the unusually long pause.
Why is this international break so long?
The 2026/27 season has a new international calendar.
Instead of having separate September and October international windows, FIFA has combined them into one extended period running from September 21 to October 6.
That means national teams can play four matches in one international window, rather than the usual two.
The Premier League will therefore take a longer pause, with the next round of matches scheduled for October 10.
The change was approved by FIFA in 2023 and is partly designed around player welfare and reducing the number of times players have to travel between continents during the season. For African and South American players based in Europe, that means fewer separate trips home and back to their clubs.
There is also another major reason for the unusual calendar.
The 2026 World Cup ended unusually late, on July 19, leaving players with less recovery time before the new European club season.
So instead of squeezing another international window into October, football’s calendar has effectively said:
“Let’s just do it all now.”
National teams get four matches.
Club football gets a longer break.
Players get fewer international interruptions later in the year.
Everybody goes home.
Except football fans, who are now staring at old highlights.
Meanwhile, France have a new boss and no more fashion show?
If there is one national team that has already brought drama before kicking a ball, it is France.
Zinedine Zidane is back.
Not as a player.
Not as a Real Madrid manager.
But as the new head coach of France.
And apparently, Zizou has already started changing the rules.
For years, France’s arrival at Clairefontaine had become almost as much of a fashion event as a football gathering.
Players would arrive in designer outfits, expensive jewellery, sunglasses, luxury bags and increasingly creative combinations.
Jules Koundé became particularly famous for his arrival-day fashion.
Photographers would line up outside Clairefontaine to capture the players arriving, and the pictures would quickly take over social media.
Then Zidane arrived and reportedly decided that was enough.
The French media have reported that journalists and photographers were no longer allowed to cover the players’ arrivals at Clairefontaine, with footage instead controlled and produced by the French Football Federation.
Basically:
No more arriving at camp looking like you’re heading to Paris Fashion Week.
Well, at least not for the cameras.
Zidane’s first France squad includes several new faces, including Liverpool defender Jérémy Jacquet, while Kylian Mbappé remains captain. France’s first match under Zidane is against Turkey on September 25.
Mbappé has already described the experience of being managed by Zidane as feeling like something out of a movie.
And honestly, it is difficult to disagree with the storyline.
But Szoboszlai said: hold my keys
While France were reportedly putting an end to the Clairefontaine catwalk, Hungary’s Dominik Szoboszlai went in the completely opposite direction.
The Liverpool midfielder arrived at Hungary’s national-team camp in a vintage white Cadillac convertible, wearing a brown suede jacket.
Man said international duty was also a fashion appointment.
The arrival immediately caught attention online, with Szoboszlai looking less like a footballer reporting for national-team duty and more like the main character arriving in the opening scene of a Netflix series.
So while Zidane is apparently saying:
“Focus on football.”
Szoboszlai arrived saying:
“But first, let me park this.”
And while club football sleeps, these are the Top Scorers so far
The Premier League may be taking a break, but the Golden Boot race did not exactly wait for anyone.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland leads the Premier League scoring charts with five goals, followed by Liverpool’s Alexander Isak on four.
Behind them is a packed group on three goals, including Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, Chelsea’s João Pedro, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and several others.
It is still very early, but the interesting part is how many familiar names are already in the conversation.
And then there is Spain.
La Liga has its own goal-scoring madness
Barcelona’s Raphinha is currently leading La Liga’s scoring charts with 12 goals, putting him ahead of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Rayo Vallecano’s Sergio Camello, who are all on seven.
Mbappé and Yamal are tied on seven, meaning the Pichichi race already has plenty of names worth watching.
Raphinha’s start has been particularly eye-catching, with Barcelona also flying at the top of the league.
So yes, there may be no Premier League this weekend.
But there are still goals to argue about.
What should Kenyan football fans watch?
Now this is where the international break gets interesting for us.
The road to AFCON 2027 officially begins this week.
And this time, the tournament is coming home or at least to the neighbourhood.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will co-host AFCON 2027, with the tournament scheduled for June 19 to July 17 next year.
Kenya have been drawn in Group D alongside South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea.
And Harambee Stars begin their campaign against Eritrea on Saturday, September 26, at home (Nyayo Stadium).
The international games to watch
Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana – Thursday
This is one of the big African games of the opening AFCON qualifying round.
Two West African heavyweights meeting this early in the campaign is exactly the kind of fixture that can make you forget about the Premier League for 90 minutes.
Tunisia vs Uganda – Thursday
Uganda also begin their AFCON qualification campaign against Tunisia.
And because Uganda are one of the three co-hosts, there is plenty of interest in how they approach the qualifying campaign despite already having their place at the finals secured as hosts.
Kenya vs Eritrea – Saturday
This is the one Kenyan fans need circled.
Harambee Stars vs Eritrea.
Benni McCarthy’s side will officially begin the road towards an AFCON tournament that Kenya will help host.
The pressure is obvious.
The opportunity is even bigger.
South Africa vs Guinea – Saturday
And this one is particularly relevant to Kenya because South Africa and Guinea are both in Harambee Stars’ group.
Pitso Mosimane’s new-look South Africa will face Guinea in what could be an important early statement in Group D.
Nigeria vs Madagascar – Friday
Nigeria begin their qualifying campaign against Madagascar.
With the Super Eagles always carrying plenty of expectations, this is another game African football fans will have their eyes on.
Morocco vs Gabon – Friday
Morocco are also in action, taking on Gabon in another fixture worth watching.
The North Africans will be among the teams attracting plenty of attention as the road to AFCON 2027 begins.
So what do we do until October 10?
We watch national teams.
We watch African qualifiers.
We watch France begin the Zidane era.
We watch Mbappé.
We watch Haaland.
We watch Raphinha.
We watch Szoboszlai arrive in a Cadillac like he owns the entire international break.
And, most importantly, we wait.
Because on October 10, club football comes back.
And judging by how chaotic the Premier League has already been after only five matchweeks, nobody should expect a quiet return.
Manchester City went into the break with a perfect five wins from five.
Arsenal have already tasted defeat.
Chelsea have already been embarrassed by Brentford.
Manchester United have work to do.
Liverpool are still unbeaten.
Brighton are making noise.
And Tottenham are still searching for their first league win.
The Premier League has only been gone for two days.
It already feels like two months.
International football, please entertain us. October 10 is looking very far away.
