The Premier League has reportedly agreed to introduce a two-week winter break from 2020 after bowing to pressure from clubs.
As part of the proposal, fixtures will be staggered so that five matches are played on one weekend and the other five a week later.
All 20 Premier League teams will therefore have at least 13 days off between matches, though Sky Sports News reports that the Football Association still has to sanction the plan.
If the proposal does go ahead, all FA Cup fifth-round matches will be switched to midweek and replays scrapped entirely to free up a weekend for Premier League action.
Many of Europe's other leagues outside of England already shut down for a period in the winter, including Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga.
