Brazil have begun rebuilding after their disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign, with Carlo Ancelotti recalling Chelsea striker Pedro and Barcelona captain Raphinha for friendlies against Australia and India.
PUNCH Online reported Wednesday that the first international break of the 2026/27 football season runs from September 21 to October 6, 2026.
This is an extended “XL” window (about 16 days / three weeks of calendar time) in which national teams can play up to four matches, instead of the usual two.
FIFA combined the traditional separate September and October breaks into one longer period.
In the Premier League (and most major European leagues), club football pauses after Matchweek 5 (fixtures around 19–20 September) and resumes with Matchweek 6 around 10 October.
Raphinha missed the World Cup through injury, while Pedro was among the notable forwards left out of the tournament squad.
Their return headlines an otherwise youthful Brazil squad announced by the Brazilian Football Confederation on Wednesday as Ancelotti begins a new cycle following the five-time world champions’ underwhelming campaign.
Neymar, who indicated his international retirement after the World Cup, is no longer part of the squad, while Ancelotti has also opened the door to a number of emerging players.
ESPN reported on Wednesday that the 26-man squad includes Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Endrick, Chelsea’s Estêvão, Tottenham forward Rayan, Chelsea striker João Pedro and Atlético Madrid forward Samuel Lino.
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães, Marquinhos and Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimarães are among the more established players retained for the new cycle.
The squad also features eight players who were not part of Brazil’s World Cup group, including goalkeeper Pedro Morisco, defenders Arthur Dias and Jair, midfielder Breno Bidon and Gabriel Bontempo.
Ancelotti said the friendlies would provide an opportunity to assess younger players as Brazil look towards their next major tournaments.
“With these three friendly matches, we will begin a new cycle to project the National Team towards the goals of the coming years, which are the 2028 Copa América and the 2030 World Cup,” Ancelotti said, according to the Brazilian federation’s website.
“We will take advantage of these three friendlies to call up new players for the National Team, especially young players, who can showcase their talent in the coming years.”
Raphinha’s return is particularly notable after the Barcelona forward was ruled out of Brazil’s World Cup campaign with a hamstring injury.
The forward had been expected to play a key role for Ancelotti but was forced to miss the tournament after sustaining the injury during Brazil’s preparations.
Pedro, meanwhile, gets another opportunity with the national team after missing out on the World Cup squad.
Brazil will play Australia twice during the international break, first on September 25 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville and again on September 29 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
They will then face India at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 3.
The Brazil-India fixture will be their first meeting at senior international level, while Brazil’s last encounter with Australia came in June 2017, when they won 4-0 in Melbourne through goals from Diego Souza, Thiago Silva and Taison.
The Brazilian federation had earlier announced another Asian tour for November, when Ancelotti’s side will face Japan on November 14 and Singapore on November 17.
The fixtures give Ancelotti his first opportunity to shape Brazil’s new-look side after the World Cup, with Pedro and Raphinha among the familiar names returning and a new generation beginning to emerge.
Subsequent breaks in the 2026/27 season are scheduled for: 9–17 November 2026 (standard two-match window) and; 22–30 March 2027 (standard two-match window)
This change was introduced partly due to the late finish of the 2026 World Cup (final on 19 July) and considerations around player welfare and travel.
Notable omissions include Brentford’s Igor Thiago who was at the World Cup alongside Al Hilal New arrival from Arsenal, Gabriel Martinelli.
Source: punchng.com
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