But the majority of clubs in those leagues have been strongly against the new calendar.

They say that the change could kill off a number of football clubs and, as a result, their football academies, because of the cost of the infrastructure upgrade needed – a suggestion the RFU strongly denies.

‘Fighting reconnaissance mission’Strictly speaking, nobody is talking about playing football right through the winter.

The new “autumn-to-spring” tournament will be initially held in the same months as before (March to November), with the first and second halves of the season swapped.

Then, when the three-year transitional period is over, several early winter games will be added, but only after the required infrastructure is in place, Mr Fursenko insists.

It includes upgrading existing stadiums and building indoor football arenas and reserve stadiums with artificial grass suitable for hosting games in winter.

Yuri Belous, the president of the Football Market group of companies, called the changes “a fighting reconnaissance mission”.

He told the BBC’s Russia Business Report that it would be great to have the luxury of implementing them during the period of 10 years, but added that “it is the way it is”.

Mr Belous believes that RFU officials had no choice but to require infrastructure upgrades.

“We do need to start somewhere,” said the expert.

“We have a lot of problems, but they need to be solved.”

Loss-making clubs Mr Fursenko has estimated that up to 10bn roubles ($324m, £204m) would be needed for infrastructure upgrades.