EFL and National League clubs to be allowed to call off matches if they clash with England or Wales’ World Cup fixtures

EFL and National League clubs will be allowed to call off matches if they clash with England and Wales’ World Cup games.

A full schedule of fixtures is planned over the weekend of December 3 — when the Home Nations could be playing in the last 16 in Qatar.

Reuters

EFL and National League clubs will be allowed to call off matches if they coincide with England or Wales games at the World Cup[/caption]

Reuters

Gareth Southgate is aiming to lead England to glory in Qatar[/caption]

Alamy

Rob Page has been handed a new contract after guiding Wales to the World Cup[/caption]

EFL and National League bosses both said clubs can decide whether they rearrange, though it is possible a collective decision could be made.

England and Wales are in Group B with Iran and the USA — and feasibly both teams could progress.

The top two to qualify will face rivals from Group A.

That World Cup group is made up of hosts Qatar, Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands, Sadio Mane’s Senegal and Ecuador.

Wrexham are due to visit York in the National League on the Saturday.

But the Welsh side will likely postpone if Robert Page’s Dragons are in a first World Cup knockout game for 64 years.

Then the next Saturday night could also see England or Wales play in the quarter-finals — hours after domestic games have finished.

Argentina and France are both possible opponents for that one.

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Although the leagues say they will expect teams to fulfil fixtures that day.

England kick off their campaign against Iran on the opening day of the tournament, while Wales face the USA on the same day.

The Three Lions take on the Dragons in their final group game.