azaz is one of six Southampton first-team players heading out on international duty this March, with three involved in World Cup qualifying play-offs and others traveling for friendlies and Under-21 fixtures. The departures coincide with a pause in Championship action, sending players to matches across Europe and beyond. The club will monitor recovery, travel and reintegration after knockout games and long-haul friendlies.
Expanded details: who is going, where and when (ET)
Six Saints will be away over the international window, creating both high-stakes match exposure and significant travel. Republic of Ireland duo Finn Azaz and Ryan Manning travel to Prague for a World Cup qualifying semi-final set for 3: 45pm ET; a win would send the pair into a home final on 31 March at 2: 45pm ET. Northern Ireland midfielder Shea Charles visits Italy for a simultaneous semi-final kick-off at 3: 45pm ET, with a potential final on 31 March also scheduled for 2: 45pm ET should Northern Ireland advance.
Goalkeeper Daniel Peretz will join Israel for a friendly in Tbilisi, listed at 1: 00pm ET and estimated to be a roughly 4, 600-mile round trip. Striker Cyle Larin links up with Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for friendlies against Iceland and Tunisia; the Iceland match is set for 1: 00pm ET, while the Tunisia friendly is scheduled at 7: 30pm ET. Young centre-back Joshua Quarshie is involved in Under-21 European Championship qualifying with fixtures at 1: 00pm ET and 12: 00pm ET for the listed home and away ties.
The travel footprint is heavy: the six first-team players will accumulate a combined total of over 20, 000 air miles during the window. Specific round-trip estimates include about 7, 528 miles for Cyle Larin, roughly 4, 600 miles for Daniel Peretz and approximately 1, 873 miles for the Republic of Ireland pair on the Prague route.
Azaz and the play-offs: stakes, scheduling and club implications
For Azaz, the trip to Prague is a direct route into a decisive World Cup qualifying pathway. The semi-final in Prague is set for 3: 45pm ET; a victory would return him for a home final on 31 March at 2: 45pm ET against either Denmark or North Macedonia. The outcome in Italy for Shea Charles carries a mirror scenario, with Northern Ireland’s semi-final at 3: 45pm ET and a possible 2: 45pm ET final on 31 March against Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Those results will determine whether several players extend their international duty beyond the single-leg ties. The scheduling and the long-haul trips already booked for Peretz and Larin place workload and logistics squarely on the club’s agenda: minutes management, recovery windows and travel plans will shape how and when each player reintegrates with first-team training.
What’s next
Attention now shifts to the outcomes in Prague and Italy and to whether play-off victories will lengthen the absences of players such as azaz. The club will track minutes, medical feedback and travel timings before Championship action resumes, and contingency planning is in place for reintegration depending on results and any further fixtures. Expect updates on returns and readiness once match results and post-match assessments are confirmed in the days following these ties.
