World Cup forces extended Premiership shutdown as SPFL…

World Cup forces extended Premiership shutdown as SPFL announces key dates for 2022-23 season

SPFL chiefs have confirmed the Scottish Premiership will go into a five-week shutdown next winter during the World Cup in Qatar.

Top flight clubs will head for an extended break after the 16th round of fixtures on November 12/13 and not return to action until the weekend before Christmas.

The schedule means next season’s Premier Sports Cup Final will return to a later date with it being pushed back to February 26 and the semi-finals being held on January 14/15.

The Scottish Cup Final meanwhile is expected to be delayed until June 3.

It also means a hectic festive spell of fixtures, with top flights clubs playing five matches in 15 days between December 24 and January 7, including on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay with no January shutdown thereafter.

Scotland face a play-off semi final against Ukraine and then, should they progress, a final against Wales or Austria to seal their place at the first ever winter World Cup which begins on November 21.

But whether Steve Clarke is successful in guiding the nation to a second major finals or not the Premiership will stop a week before the tournament begins before returning a day before the World Cup Final is due to be held on Sunday, December 18.

It means the top flight season will end two weeks later - on May 27/28 - to accommodate the fixture backlog caused by the greatest show on earth.

All four SPFL divisions are, however, due to begin on the same weekend as the current campaign, on July 30/31.

Clubs outside the Premiership have opted to continue playing through the World Cup and will conclude their fixtures on the first weekend in May before the play-offs get under way.