Thursday 24 October 2019 13:43, UK
The Premier League and Championship seasons could stop just nine days before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar begins.
A draft calendar proposes the last round of top-flight matches to take place on November 12, with the tournament starting on November 21.
The World Cup final will take place in Doha on December 18, which means the Premier League could resume on Boxing Day 2022 - and there may be a shorter break in the Championship.
The mid-season player break, which comes into effect for the first time this season, is set to be scrapped for the 2022-23 campaign while the season may begin early and finish late as a result of the mid-season World Cup.
Premier League clubs have been sent draft proposals and will discuss the scheduling at their next shareholders' meeting on November 14.
It's understood talks between the Premier League and the EFL have been ongoing for several months, although League One and Two are set to continue as normal during the finals.
If Premier League fixtures did resume for the Christmas period, it would mean a very short lay-off for any players involved in the latter stages of the World Cup.
Clubs and national associations will also need to come to an agreement over player release dates for World Cup training camps with domestic fixtures due to be played just over a week before the finals begin.
No decisions have been taken yet and the calendar remains a work in progress at this stage, but proposals have to fit in with FIFA, UEFA and FA dates before any league can agree its schedules.
