As they finalised the 2022/23 Champions League campaign, in which Real Madrid attempts to retain their championship, UEFA was obliged to make considerable adjustments due to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The particular dates for the 2022/23 Champions League rounds have been established by UEFA, with the Qatar World Cup likely to have an influence on preparing for next season.
The event is the first in history to take place in the middle of a European season, since FIFA decided to hold it in November and December. Domestic and continental events will be paused during the winter spectacular, of course.
With only a little modification to the schedule, UEFA had to keep this in mind when they finalised the dates for the 2022/23 Champions League. The initial group-stage matches will be played on September 6 or 7, a week sooner than normal, according to European football's governing body, with the second round of matches planned a week later.
The group stage will go until November 1 and 2, about a month sooner than the regular season. Last season, the last matches of the group stage did not take place until early December.
The Champions League will then take a mid-season hiatus, as is typical, in order to accommodate the World Cup, before knockout matches commence. The round of 16 will take place between the 14th and 21st of February, with the return legs taking place between the 7th and 14th of March.
The quarter-final matches will be held on 11/12 and 18/19 April, with the final four matches taking place less than a month later on 9/10 and 16/17 May. The final will be held in the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on June 10, 2023, which is a month later than usual.
Real Madrid will look to defend their title, which they won for the 14th time against Liverpool in late May in Paris. In the interim, the Premier League will be represented by four players for the next season.
Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea all qualified for the competition with ease, but Antonio Conte's Tottenham returned to the top table of European football with a resounding victory against relegated Norwich on the penultimate day of the season.
Following the World Cup final on December 18, the English Premier League will resume play in time for the traditional Boxing Day matches. While the Premier League's schedule is not yet public, fans will not have to wait long to find out.
The Premier League fixtures for the 2022/23 season will be revealed on Thursday, June 16 at 9 a.m.
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