SPFL chiefs have confirmed the Scottish Premiership will go into a five-week shutdown next winter during the World Cup in Qatar.
Top flight clubs will head for an extended break after the 16th round of fixtures on November 12/13 and not return to action until the weekend before Christmas.
The schedule means next season’s Premier Sports Cup Final will return to a later date with it being pushed back to February 26 and the semi-finals being held on January 14/15.
The Scottish Cup Final meanwhile is expected to be delayed until June 3.
It also means a hectic festive spell of fixtures, with top flights clubs playing five matches in 15 days between December 24 and January 7, including on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay with no January shutdown thereafter.
Scotland face a play-off semi final against Ukraine and then, should they progress, a final against Wales or Austria to seal their place at the first ever winter World Cup which begins on November 21.
But whether Steve Clarke is successful in guiding the nation to a second major finals or not the Premiership will stop a week before the tournament begins before returning a day before the World Cup Final is due to be held on Sunday, December 18.
It means the top flight season will end two weeks later - on May 27/28 - to accommodate the fixture backlog caused by the greatest show on earth.
All four SPFL divisions are, however, due to begin on the same weekend as the current campaign, on July 30/31.
Clubs outside the Premiership have opted to continue playing through the World Cup and will conclude their fixtures on the first weekend in May before the play-offs get under way.
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SEASON 2022/23 – KEY DATES
cinch Premiership 2022/23
Fixture round 1
Weekend of July 30/31, 2022
Fixture round 16
Weekend of November 12/13, 2022
Fixture round 17
Weekend of December 17/18, 2022
Fixture round 33
Weekend of April 22/23, 2023
Fixture round 38
Weekend of May 27/28, 2023
cinch Premiership play-off final
Thursday June 1 & Sunday June 4, 2023
cinch Championship
Fixture round 1
Weekend of July 30/31, 2022
Fixture round 36
Friday May 5, 2023
cinch League 1 & 2
Fixture round 1
Weekend of July 30/31, 2022
Fixture round 36
Saturday May 6, 2023
Premier Sports Cup 2022/23
Group stage
MD1: Weekend of July 9/10, 2022
MD2: Midweek of July 12/13, 2022
MD3: Weekend of July 16/17, 2022
MD4: Midweek of July 19/20, 2022
MD5: Weekend of July 23/24, 2022
Second round
Midweek of August 30/31, 2022
Quarter-finals
Midweek of October 18-20, 2022
Semi-finals
Weekend of January 14/15, 2023
Final
Sunday February 26, 2023