Global football calendar approved

Fifa president Sepp Blatter ratified the plan

Football's ruling body has approved a dramatic overhaul of the worldwide calendar.

It means a compulsory month-long break and the world club championship will become a permanent fixture being played every two years.

The long-debated harmonised calendar is set to come into force from 2002.

However a number of exemptions means there will be little change to British league and cup competitions.

We have accepted, adopted and ratified the proposal for a harmonised calendar

Fifa president Sepp Blatter

Fifa's executive committee gave its approval on Tuesday but it will still need to get final approval when the Fifa Congress meets on 4 August.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter said: "We have accepted, adopted and ratified the proposal for a harmonised calendar."

The exact dates in the proposal have not been revealed.

But in theory it will mean there will be a break for British football between mid-December and mid-January.

However league and cup matches will still be allowed to take place during this time as long as international matches are respected.

Conflict

The African Cup will take place in January and the European Championships will be held from mid-June to the end of July.

The aim of the harmonised calendar was to end the club versus country conflict, which has been especially apparent in European football.

But the contentious World Club Championships, which Manchester United failed miserably in this season, are also becoming a permanent fixture, being held every other year.

The number of teams is also being increased to 12 - two from each confederation.