Report: FA plans to introduce winter break for 2019-20 season

The Football Association, Premier League, and English Football League (EFL) have reached an agreement in principle for a two-week winter break starting in the 2019-20 season, according to The Times' Martyn Ziegler.

The report, which is corroborated by Sky Sports News, understands the break would happen in early February, with room being made by playing the FA Cup fifth round in midweek and without replays. The break would also be staggered, with five Premier League matches staged on one weekend and the other five staged the following weekend. This would allow teams a 13-day break between matches.

The EFL is prepared to play on through the break because having to fulfil 46 fixtures for each team makes scheduling too tight to take a fortnight off.

The most controversial tweak for the FA will be in waiving replays in the FA Cup fifth round. The tournament is the oldest association football competition in the world and fans have been reluctant to tamper with its format. This season's edition has also posed a strong argument for replays, with bottom-placed League One side Rochdale preparing for a money-spinning rematch at Tottenham Hotspur's temporary Wembley digs on Wednesday.

A popular argument in favour of an English winter break has been that it could boost the fortunes of the national team, as its representatives wouldn't go straight into a major tournament having just played in an unbroken and arduous domestic season.

The Scottish Premiership already takes a three-week break in January, while the other leading European leagues - the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A - all benefit from winter breaks.