Premier League clubs will have a winter break in February from the 2019-20 season.
The break will be staggered across two weeks, with five matches on the first weekend and five the following weekend.
The FA Cup fifth round will be moved to midweek to accommodate the break, with replays being scrapped at that stage.
The Football Association described it as “a significant moment for English football” that “will greatly benefit club and country”.
“It’s no secret that we have a very congested fixture calendar and over recent years we have been working with the whole game to find a solution,” said FA chief executive Martin Glenn.
“As we head into summer international tournaments in the future we are sure that this mid-season break will prove to be a valuable addition for our players.”
All three divisions of the English Football League (EFL) will remain unchanged, with a full programme of fixtures taking place on each of the weekends where there is a break.
Source: BBC news
