After six weeks of relentless soccer, followers should now discover one thing to fill the void left by the FIFA World Cup 2026. The most important version within the occasion’s historical past noticed 48 nations compete over 104 matches and score 308 goals.
In a couple of weeks’ time, consideration will flip in direction of the resumption of membership soccer throughout Europe’s largest leagues, with information of participant signings and manager appointments doing the rounds instantly after the World Cup.
Advisable Tales
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Moreover league and continental fixtures, nationwide groups will resume their preparations to qualify for the subsequent cycle of worldwide tournaments. Spots will likely be up for grabs for a number of regional and worldwide tournaments.
Al Jazeera appears to be like at how soccer followers can fill the void left by the World Cup:
Every week after the World Cup closing, African nations will return to motion on the Girls’s AFCON (WAFCON) 2026, with hosts Morocco taking up Kenya on the opening day.
The Atlas Lionesses will look to emulate the shape and success of their male counterparts, who reached the World Cup quarterfinals and gained the AFCON 2025, albeit contentiously.
Nigeria will look to defend the title they gained a 12 months in the past, whereas Ghana, Zambia and Malawi are additionally among the many pre-tournament favourites.
Here’s Al Jazeera’s full information to WAFCON 2026.
When is PSG and Aston Villa’s UEFA Tremendous Cup showdown?
The UEFA Tremendous Cup 2026, which pits the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League and Europa League champions towards one another, will see Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Aston Villa face off previous to the resumption of European leagues.
It guarantees to be a captivating encounter, with Aston Villa aiming so as to add one other European trophy beneath Unai Emery, whereas PSG will likely be trying to retain the Tremendous Cup after successful the 2025 version.
Right here’s what you might want to know in regards to the high-profile match:
When: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Kick-off: 9pm native time (19:00 GMT)
Venue: Stadion Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
When will UEFA Champions League begin?
Probably the most elite inter-league membership competitors, the place the highest groups from throughout the continent struggle to be topped champions on the finish of the season, will get beneath approach within the second week of September and conclude in Could 2027.
Golf equipment and their supporters will know their destiny on Thursday, August 27 when the draw for the league stage will likely be held in Nyon, Switzerland.
Of the 36 groups within the competitors, 29 booked their spots on the finish of final season, whereas seven will likely be confirmed after a qualifying spherical.
When does the Premier League begin?
In nice information for soccer followers, the English Premier League – arguably probably the most extensively adopted league competitors the world over – is lower than a month away.
Champions Arsenal open their title defence by internet hosting Coventry Metropolis on the Emirates Stadium on Friday, August 21, at 8pm (19:00 GMT).
A couple of different key fixtures on the opening weekend embody:
- Hull Metropolis vs Manchester United on Saturday, August 22, at 12:30pm (11:30 GMT)
- Manchester Metropolis vs Bournemouth on Sunday, August 23, at 2pm (13:00 GMT)
- Newcastle United vs Liverpool on Sunday, August 23, at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)
- Fulham vs Chelsea on Monday, August 24, at 8pm (19:00 GMT)
When does La Liga begin?
A number of stars from world champions Spain will resume their membership soccer in the beginning of La Liga, when holders Barcelona, their archrival Actual Madrid and different league groups return to motion.
Report 36-time champions Madrid will welcome again their World Cup stars, together with Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Thibaut Courtois, of their bid to win one other Spanish league title. However of their approach will stand world champions led by Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Pedri and title-winning goalscorer Ferran Torres.
The season begins on August 15 as Alaves host Getafe at 17:30 GMT.
Atletico Madrid host Malaga on August 19 at 18:00 GMT.
When do Actual Madrid and Barcelona play their first La Liga video games?
La Liga holders Barcelona will begin their season at Elche on August 23, with their unique opener towards Athletic Bilbao delayed till August 27.
Actual Madrid had been because of host Actual Sociedad on the opening weekend, however the league has moved that sport to August 26.
Meaning supervisor Jose Mourinho’s first La Liga sport in command of Madrid in his second spell on the membership will likely be away at Espanyol on August 22 .
When is the primary Serie A sport of the season?
Italian soccer followers didn’t have a lot to cheer for on the World Cup, with the Azzurri failing to qualify for the event for the third successive international showpiece. Nonetheless, league soccer within the nation will act as a balm when the 2026-27 season of Serie A opens on August 22.
Right here’s a decide of the fixtures on the opening weekend:
Saturday, August 22:
- Inter Milan vs Monza at 16:30 GMT
- Genoa vs Napoli at 18:45 GMT
Sunday, August 23:
- Frosinone vs Juventus at 16:30 GMT
- Atalanta vs Sassuolo at 18:45 GMT
- Torino vs AC Milan at 18:45 GMT
Monday, August 24:
- AS Roma vs Fiorentina at 18:45 GMT
When are the subsequent UEFA World Cup qualifiers?
The World Cup qualification course of for European groups will likely be totally different from earlier tournaments, as it is going to use a two-tier league system somewhat than the normal small qualifying teams.
The 36 highest-ranked UEFA nations will compete in League A, utilizing a Swiss-system format just like the UEFA Champions League.
The remaining 19 UEFA nations will compete in League B.
Groups will play six qualifying matches within the preliminary section, with promotion, relegation and play-offs figuring out the European qualifiers.
When does the UEFA Nations League start?
European and world champions Spain will lead the cost when the continental sides return to aggressive soccer within the UEFA Nations League, which additionally acts as a qualifying platform for the World Cup and Euro 2028 championship.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will open the subsequent matchday with their fixture towards Wales on Thursday, 24 September, at 18:45 GMT.
World Cup semifinalists England will host champions Spain on Saturday, September 26 at 18:45 GMT.
When does African qualifying for World Cup 2026 start?
After a historic run for Africa on the World Cup, with 10 groups representing the continent for the primary time and 9 progressing to the knockouts, followers within the area will likely be desperate to see which nations will make it to the subsequent version.
Based mostly on FIFA’s worldwide match calendar and former qualification cycles, the expectation is for the method to start out in September 2027 and for the qualification course of to run till 2029.
With Morocco being one of many 2030 event cohosts, they are going to mechanically qualify, and the remaining African locations will likely be contested by the opposite CAF nations.
Africa is anticipated to have 9 direct qualification locations, with the potential for a further place by the inter-confederation playoffs if FIFA retains the identical allocation.
When does Asian qualifying for World Cup 2030 start?
Asian groups had a disappointing displaying on the latest event, with solely Australia qualifying previous the group stage, solely to be knocked out by Egypt within the spherical of 32.
The Asian (AFC) qualification for the 2030 FIFA World Cup is anticipated to start in late 2027, with the primary matches possible happening in October or November 2027. The AFC has not but launched the official match schedule, however its worldwide calendar and planning paperwork level to that timeframe.
The possible timeline for qualification to start is from late 2027 and run for practically two years.
