How new Scottish Premiership dates will affect international player absences
- Published
Rangers' Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun are heading to the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria
With the Scottish Premiership's winter break brought forward amid government Covid measures to reduce numbers of people at events, there will be an impact on the availability of international players.
The Africa Cup of Nations starts in early January, and Australia and Japan have World Cup qualifiers after the top flight resumes.
So, how will it affect some of the Premiership's international players and their clubs?
Mid-January return
After Sunday's Boxing Day games were played in front of no more than 500 people, the Premiership is on hiatus until 17 January - the day after restrictions are scheduled to end.
This will principally affect Rangers, who will lose Nigerian Joe Aribo to the Africa Cup of Nations. However, Leon Balogun and Calvin Bassey have not been selected for the tournament in Cameroon.
Nigeria play group matches on 11, 15 and 19 January. The last-16 round, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final take place between 23 January and 6 February.
Dundee United midfielder Jeando Fuchs has not been included in hosts Cameroon's Afcon squad.
Derby days moved
The earlier winter break means Dundee v Dundee United and Hibernian v Hearts will now take place on 1 February and Celtic v Rangers will be played on 2 February.
For Hibs, Martin Boyle is likely to be involved in Australia's World Cup qualifiers with Vietnam and Oman on 27 January and 1 February, games Celtic's Tom Rogic may also be included in.
Rogic's club-mate Kyogo Furuhashi has World Cup qualifiers with Japan against China (27 January) and Saudi Arabia (1 February).
Whether Rangers' Aribo may also miss the Old Firm match depends on how far Nigeria go in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Rearranged Premiership fixtures
