The changes made to the international calendar arising from the new Nations League competition means that 2019 runs to a tight schedule for Gareth Southgate and his England team as they aim to lift silverware in Portugal in the summer and also qualify for Euro 2020.
All of the matches in England’s Euro 2020 qualifying group will take place between March and November 2019 with double-headers for the Three Lions in each of the international windows except for when they take part in the Nations League Finals (qualification for which means they are in a five rather than six-team Euro 2020 group).
England face Bulgaria twice in the space of just over one month with a Wembley clash scheduled for 7 September and the return game to be played, most likely in Sofia, on 14 October.
Bulgaria’s six matches in League C of the recent UEFA Nations League saw them gain three wins and two draws, just missing out on topping their group behind Norway.
Gareth Southgate will also be made aware that in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup Bulgaria won four of their five home matches, beating Netherlands and Sweden along the way and losing only to eventual champions France.
England and Bulgaria last met in qualifying for the 2012 Euros, the Three Lions easing to 4-0 and 3-0 victories with Jermain Defoe netting a Wembley hat-trick in September 2010 and Wayne Rooney scoring twice in the return fixture.