English football is planning to introduce a winter break before the next ­European Championship in what will represent a major victory for the Football Association.

The decision will be formally announced before the end of the season, but it is understood that an agreement has already been reached between the FA, the Premier League and Football League that will allow clubs in the 2019-20 season to have a break from competitive games in January and the start of February.

The FA has been pushing for a winter break for years in the belief that the competitive nature of the Premier League leaves players drained for international tournaments at the end of the season.

The break will not impact on the traditionally hectic Christmas schedule, which is seen as vital to preserving the value of the Premier League’s lucrative television deal. Any reduction to it would have angered supporters.

Several foreign managers, including Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, have described English football’s obsession with playing as many as four games over the Festive period as crazy, but it remains hugely popular with fans. Some of the biggest TV audiences of the season traditionally come in December.

England’s winter break will not be the same as other European countries, who have a complete shutdown in the league programme. Instead, the games will be staggered over the break period so not all the clubs will have the same 13 days off.

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This is also thought to have been a concession made to broadcasters, who have turned the Premier League into the richest in world football, as they still want some matches available to cover at weekends. The agreement was reached after the FA agreed to play the entire FA Cup fifth round in midweek, freeing up a vital weekend in the schedule.

The FA’s council is thought to have been updated with the plans at its meeting yesterday. A joint ­announcement is expected within the next four weeks.

The two-week break will be introduced for the 2019-20 season, the first year of the new Premier League TV contract. It remains unclear whether lower league clubs, who rely on gate receipts for vital income, will also be included in the break, although the fact the Football League is understood to have agreed suggests they will at this stage.