When do 2022/23 soccer seasons begin in Europe?
Pre-season activity is well underway as Europe’s major leagues (LaLiga, Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1) all start in early August.
The forthcoming 2022/23 soccer season will be unique given that, for the first time in history, the FIFA World Cup will be hosted in November and December and not in the traditional summer months of June and July. Given that the average daytime temperature in Qatar in both June and July exceeds 40C/100F, the prudent decision was taken to move the competition to the more temperate Qatari winter.
This calendar shift will impact on leagues around the world with domestic competitions coming to a halt while the World Cup is ongoing and this has prompted many major European leagues to start their seasons earlier than the previous campaigns.
Premier League 22/23 dates
Start/end dates: 5 August (2022) / 28 May (2023)
Stop date for 2022 World Cup: 14 November
Restart date post World Cup: 26 December
The first fixture of the new season will take place on Friday 5 August, 2022 as Crystal Palace take on London rivals Arsenal.
The final set of pre-World Cup fixtures in the Premier League will be staged over the weekend of 12-13 November.
The World Cup gets underway on 21 November with the final scheduled for 18 December with Premier League action set to resume on 26 December. The final round of matches of the domestic English campaign will be played on 28 May, 2023.
LaLiga 22/23 season dates
Start/end dates: 12 August (2022) / 4 June (2023)
Stop date for 2022 World Cup: 14 November
Restart date post World Cup: 29 December
The Spanish FA and LaLiga approved the definitive calendar for the 2022/23 season in June with the activity set to start over the weekend of 12 August. Osasuna-Sevilla is the opening game as the season kicks-off in Pamplona with the campaign in the top flight winding down on 4 June. Given the dates for the 2022 Qatar World Cup which commences on 21 November, LaLiga will go on hold for a month between November and December when the World Cup is ongoing in Qatar.
Serie A 22/23 dates
Start/end dates: 13 August (2022) / 4 June (2023)
Stop date for 2022 World Cup: 14 November
Restart date post World Cup: 4 January (2023)
The 2022-23 Serie A action starts on 13 August with two games kicking off simultaneously as the new season starts with Sampdoria-Atalanta in Genoa and champions Milan starting their Scudetto defence with a home game against Udinese.
The Italian national team are the only one representing the five major European leagues not to be involved in Qatar after their shock play-off elimination to North Macedonia.
Bundesliga 22/23 key dates
Start/end dates: 5 August (2022) / 27 May (2023)
Stop date for 2022 World Cup: 14 November
Restart date post World Cup: 20 January (2023)
The 2022-23 Bundesliga starts with a mouth-watering fixture as UEFA Europa League Eintracht Frankfurt winners face current champions Bayern Munich on Friday, August 5th.
As national team players must be released by their clubs on 14 November 2022 ahead of the World Cup, the last Bundesliga matchday before the break is scheduled from 11–13 November (matchday 15). The league will resume ten weeks later on 20 January 2023.
Ligue 1 22/23 dates
Start/end dates: 5 August (2022) / 4 June (2023)
Stop date for 2022 World Cup: 14 November
Restart date post World Cup: 28 December
Olympique Lyon face Ajaccio in the curtain raiser to the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season where Qatari backed Paris Saint-Germain remain the team to beat. The Parisian giants start their campaign the following day with an away game against Clermont Foot. France are the current World Cup holders and are tipped by many to regain their title in the Gulf next winter.
he 38th and final round of Ligue 1 for the 2022-23 season has been set for Sunday 4 June 2023.